The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-19

things in your cocktails now, instead of
cherries?' What things?' said he. Why
things like this .schromatic kissing bug
in my glass. said I. I can't see any
thing he replied smiling significantly,
and by love! when I looked the second
time I couldn't see anything myself! The
creature had vanished. ] was SO startled
| could hardly ind my tongue, any the
bartenerd continued to grin in meaning
fashion. I'd take an CATH said l. that
l saw a horrible purple and yellow bug
in that glass not ten seconds agop Yes,
Eve seen EN- myself said the fresh bar
tender; I've even had EN- come up out
of the glass and make faces at me. It's
a sign you ought to change your brand Of
whisky 1 ignored his unkind innuendo
and was about to leave the place, with
badly Jared nerves, when the solution of
the mystery suddenly appeared before
My eyes. You see. the bar counter is
made of that spotted. variegated marble
in which YOU can find all kinds of queer
patterns, and right there, before where
I stood, was my bug in natural mosaic.
My cocktail happened to be directly
above it when I noticed the thing, and it
was. of course. somewhat magnified by
being seen through the convex bottom of
the glass.
1T said nothing about my discovery at
the time continued the cotton man, 'but
next day 1 dropped in again and ordered
a drink. Seen any purple bugs this morn
ing?' asked the fresh bartender sarcastic
cally. Not yet, said I. At that he gave
me the cocktail, and I quietly shifted it
to the right spot. MercifuI heavens 1
yelled, what does this mean, anyhow!
Is it joke or put up job to murder
me-? The bartender looked into the glass
and turned ashly. Great snakes! he
grasped how did that get in there? T
don't know, said I, but it's brother Of
the bug I saw yesterday, and 1 believe
you keep EN- in stock. He grabbed the
glass and dashed it's contents in the slop
bucket Then he made me new cock
tail which I drank and walked out.
I let several days elapse.' the story teller
went on, chuckling, "and then l sauntsr-
crowded. When the fresh bartender mix
ed my drink he watched me narrowly,
! but by a, curious chance I deposited the
glass directly over the mosaic bug.
That's a nice CONNECTION to. serve in q
cocktail said I to the man at my elbow.
| Good Lordi' he exclaimed, getting green
about the jaws; what kind of a brute IS
that?' I don't know said l. some brand
OF candied microbe, I guess; they serve
| it to me here regular now, although I've
never asked for it in my life Everybody
at the counter crowded up to take look,
! and everybody was horror-struck. The
| bartender was distracted, and as soon as
! possible he seized the cocktail and threw
! it away; but his reputation as a care
! full mixer was gone with that crowd.
! Well, I don't want to bore you with I'M
| necessary details, so suffice it to say that
| / have done my great bug speciality four
! times since. and have decided to call It
! quits. Between you and me have COM
! nenced to notice wild look in the eye
| of my victim when come into the place,
| and as it was no part of my plan to
/ land him in a padded cell I think it is
| about time to let up and whistle off the
! bugs. I don't know what he'll do when
! he finds out the truth. If it was me I'd
| get an axe an leave an aching void the
size of bug in the top Of the counter"