Sunday morning globe., 1901-09-08
CHAPTER XIV
THE FEMALE DRUMMER.

Associations the thing. Ida and
Olga were all right in their way; but
contact with Zaida I found more ben
efcial Her ideas, views, and range
of topics for conversation were natu-
rally far more extensive. A number of
her words. phrases and expressions
proceeded forthwith to put into my
vocabulary. One thing she endeayored
TO impress upon my mind-always TO
dress well: that clothes were half the
battle. could listen by the hour to
her description of various cities she
had visited.
I met my match once she was tell
ing me. An actor and myself we're
giving our experience of the hotel ac-
commodadons that had fallen to our
lot. When ! was I'm Atlanta l stopped
at the Kimball' l began. And when
/ was i'm Nashville I put up at the
Maxwell, he replied. When / was In
Buffalo / found the Iroquois accept
able When I'm Indianapolis the Bates
was my standby was his reJolnder
uThe Southern in st. Louis was my IA
vorite. and I fancied ] could lead him
through a long list when he SAID
when I'm Calcutta r. and ! threw up
both hands. ! had yet to cross the
water"
l found note awaiting me, one
afternoon when 1 got home, telling me
to call around to her rooms that even
ing. she had a drummer friend from
PHILADELPHIA she desired me to meet.
Now. l always was partial to drum
mers. Life was never a dreary waste at
the New Grand If a couple OF knights
of the road were i'm the office spinning
warns. 1 remember late one afternoon
a fellow came in town selling some
mining stock I'm a get-rich-qulck com
many. He finally brought his persua-
siye powers to bear on mine host, when
the colonel told him he did not mind
putting his money in hole i'm the
ground. but he did hate like SIN 10
have no nav a man watch it come out.
But. [ diCress. ] was about to tell
NV audience of Zaida and her drum
mer friend. / put in good many
more minutes than usual over my
toilet. For Zaidas sake l wanted TO
look my best. not to speak Of favor
able impression I might make on the
gentleman i'm my own behalf
climbed the stairs to Zaidas apart
ments. TO find a strange young lady on
a window.seat at the head Of the stairs.
After knocking without receiving a
response. I turned to her with, Little
girl, have you seen anything OF MISS
Zaida?'
She told me she was also in quest
of her and knowing her to be the es-
sence of punctuality, concluded to wait
a few moments.
By this time / discovered Zaida on
the stairs.
81 lust stepped down to the corner to
get a sack of bananas. ! am glad 10
see YOU two did not wait for an intro
duction," as she unlocked the door.
"Mrs Roland, this is Miss Ashton
dear friend Of mine" .-,
"Miss Zaida's friends are my trienus
also to use one of her own express
sions," / replied.
When we were seated, turned to
Zaida with, What is the name OF thaJ
handsome drummer for whom / made
this killing toilet?" as I pointed to
wealth Of ribbon at neck, corsage, and
In hair,
My remark was followed by nearly
laugh from both the ladies.
"Tbis is the drummer" said Zaida,
as she waved her hand in the dlrec-
ton of Miss Ashton.
And had called her little girl Her
hair was cut short, and she, being ao-
breviated in stature, conveyed raJher
a boyish appearance. She was
In truth, ten years younger than elther
Zaida or myself; but L realized, atter
an hours conversation, ten years older
In the ways Of the world.
Zaida went on to explain that Miss
Ashton travelled for a Philadelphia
house. that her occupation was JhaJ
of a peddler more properly speaking,
than "a drummer. She visited the man
icure establishments, massage parlors,
and hair goods emporiums, and sold
the proprietresses thereof anything
from a diamond down
Her specially, however, was ladles
dress goods. Miss Ashton informed me,
and before she left the city she would
be pleased TO show me some attractive
Regular dreams, as Mr.. Baxter
would say, feel assured, put IN
Zaida.
/ promised to look at them, know.
ing. however, that my finances would
not admit Of an extended purchase.
Zaida told Miss Ashton her next
"stand" would be Wilmington, and IN.
uulred how she thought she Woulu
make out in that city.
ct is but a suburb of Philadelphia,
was her reply. "Yet, one often strikes
it rich in the provinces; in fact. many
work them I'm preference to the large
cities. BY the way l met one OF my
old customers IN the massage line In
Philadelphia; names Lorraine she
was In Atlantic City when you were
there last summer Just sack from
Plttsburg ond she's sore on that town.
She says out Of every three men in
Pittsburg ones a bum and the other s
a beat. She was telling me the time