The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-31

principal in Frisco had met her father
| after a performance to a miserable house
| and with frightful. bad taste. had asked
Mr.. Couldock how he accounted for the
| failure of his engagement-and that gen.
tleman snarled out: II don't try to ac-
count for it at ALL leave that work for
the people who ask fool questions. If I
| only have one d--n cent in my pocket
l don't try to account for not having an
| other d--n cent to rub against it!' and,
| added Eliza. in panied tones: THAT prin-
| cipal had meant to ask Poor Pa to
come and speak 90 the dear little boys
in his school, but after that he didn't
wasn't it odd?"
AS Mr.. Couldock was heard approach
ing that morning, his daughter quickly
whispered to Mrs. Ellsler: ASK Pa how
/ he liked California"
And after good mornings" were ex-
changed the question was put, and in
cidentally the red rag brought the mad
bull into action.
II wouldn't give a d-n for the whole
id state"' roared Mr.. Couldock, while
his daughter pushed his hair behind his
ears. and mildly said: PAS always so
emphatic about California"
'YesP' shouted the old man, land so
would you be If you wore breeches and
dared to speak the truth! You see," he
went on, mo one ever gave me even a
hint and 1t was just my cursed luck to
go overland, risking my own d-n skin,
and Elza's, too, and 1t seems that those
God forssken buffers look upon any one
coming to them by the overland route as
a sort of outcast tramp. In fact, that's
entering by the kitchen door 10 San Fran
| cisco. You ought to go by sea, and
come in at the front door of their blast
ed stuck-up little city If you're to put
any of their money in your purse. or be
| allowed to keep any of your own
One morning we girls were boa sting
among ourselves of our abilities as pack
ers. Hattie, my roommate, thought she
| could pack a trunk the quickest while
l claimed / could pack one with the beast
injury to the contents. Miss Couldock.
hearing US, exclaimed, laughingly: 'On,
girlsl poor Pa could give you all points
! at that Worthwhile his manner of I'M
packing is so original. so swift and so
thorough, think l should explain it to
| you. First l must tell you that that
| slight bow to Pas legs is an annoy
ance to him on every occasion of life.
save that of unpacking his trunks-then
| X is of great convenience. You see, the
| trunks are brought up and dumped in
the room-they don't have any locks, be-
cause poor Pas always losing
the keys, has to kick the locks
off during the first week that he owns
them. Next they are unstrapped and
opened then Pa yanks off the top spread
from the bed and lays it open on the
middle of the floor; then takes his place
before the first trunk, straddles his feet
well apart (see, now how useful that bow
becomes) and fires every single garment
| the trunk contains between his legs and
on to the quilt. Having emptied the
trunks with lightning swiftness, he claps
down their covers for the rest of the
week. Whenever he wants anything for
the theater he straddles the pile on the
quilt, and paws 1t wildly but rapidly over,
pulling out a shoulder cape here. doub-
let yonder, one boot from the top and its
mate from the bottom-all those he
pitches into the theater basket, and is
happy for that day. When the week is
over Pa dumps into the nearest trunk
all It will hold-whats left over is pitched
en- masse into the next one. If there Is
any difficulty in closing the trunks he
don't waste time in trying to rearrange
the things-there is such beautiful sim
plicity i'm all PAS actions-he just gets
up and walks-well. perhaps stamps a lit.
tie on the contents, until the lid closes
quite nicely, for he is a very quick pack
err, is Pa though it's just possible tina
his method in some degree may explain
his generally rumpled appearance on the
stage. What should you think about 1t
girls?"
The old gentleman was always yer,
kind to me, and had the oldest pet nam,
for me / ever heard. He used to hal
me with, where's my crumme girl
Well, Grumpy how are your"
In answer to my amazed look he ex
planned one day that it was a Yorkshir
term, and meant plump or round-faced.
: The only time he ever cursed me Wa
when he gave me the cue in the wron
, place, as he openly admitted land I wen
) on too soon in consequence. Aside, h
swore so the air seemed blue-my leg
shook under me. / did not know whethe
; to speak or not. He rose, and putin
; his arm about me. he led me off the stag
q was playing his daughter) and as W
crossed this is what he said-the words i
t parenthesis being asides to me-the othe
9 words being aloud for the audience:
(What in h-llD My little one! CYo
J double id foolD My bird. what bring
E you here? Ves, what the blankety
I blanknation does bring you here, crum
! mic girl0 Get back to your nest dearle
(And stay there d-n YOU'D as he gent
] pushed me or the stage. Next day, whe
the prompter showed him his error, h
admitted IL at once.
. He knew much sorrow and trouble, an
before that last long streak OF good for
= tune came 10 him, in New York, l
I Hazel Kirke" he knew time OF bite
- poverty-Eliza had died-a sweet, nobl
8 woman-and the loss was terrible to him
/ was just winning success In the East
when was dumbfounded one day at sec
D ing Mr.. Couldock, standing bowed AN
broken before me, asking for help.
A star-dear God! could such thing
b happen TO a star? ! was so hurt for hir
for his broken pride. When ] coul
speak simply told him my salar,
and that two (my mother and my
selO were trying 20 live on II. "Oh,
he cried, "crummie glrl-why don't 20
demand your rights-your name is o
every ones lips-yet you ere hungry 81
speak for your
Poor old gentleman ] could not i
him go empty away. ! took one-half .
my rcnt money ana handed n 20 him.
dared not ask my landiady 20 favor IN
! 4 ftsrfher than that His face Nrhfed N