The National tribune., 1902-01-16

Miss Abbott wanted to yapor a littl'
more, but the attitude Of the housekeepe
was too decisive, and the others looked
too bored and sleepy. The thick-neckeC
man was meditating how he could SETTLE
With the other players 50 as to keep th'
| most of the chips and the money, The
Oung man i'll evening dress asked HIN
| + he had anything in his room for an
| bther drink before going to bed, anC
| Babes yawncd for a return to hi'
ushioned seat in the office.
Miss Abbott suddenly thought of a way
10 get some consolation out of the event
| rhe hoop-skirts bought by the Deacon
we're of the coveted latest style that she
| nd been unable to obtain. When snt
handled the package she laid it down
near her own carpet-sack. Nobody but
herself had noticed this, or would know
he difference.
Have the man bring my luggage int
| he other room," she said with an air OF
| Iccision as she picked up the Empress
! liugcnic," and passed out of the door Il
| 'acrilicc my dearest feelings in the inter
! st of peace"
| The Deacon was wakcned in the morn
| ng by continuous roar and crash, such
! is he had never heard before.
| He went to his window, which was in
! the fourth story, at the corner Of 18th
street and Pennsylvania Avenue, and
3nEed ont.
The noise came from innumerablc We
! hicIcs of all kinds racketing over the
| oUgh cObblc-stones. The greater part
we're army wagons, loaded and empty,
zach drawn by six mules. with n vOci-
ferrous negro in the saddle, yelling mt his
Inimals, cracking his long backsnake, or
ioilying or cursing his fellOw-drivers in
csSantly.
From his window the Deacon could
look the length of Pennsylvania Avenue,
10 where the green slope rose to the state
ly Capitol, Il milo away
Into the broad thorouGhfare came other
streets and avenues, some at right angles,
some at acute, and all crawled like some
monster ant-hill with intcrminable lines
u vericles of every description.
THE whole country seemed on wheels
down there around Nashville and Muir
freesboro," unused the Deacon, as he
gaZcd, but that was hardly a funeral
nr0rcs+on alongside of this Where in
time did they get all those mules; and
who made all those wagons? | expect
fully half of that pen of corn is gone by
this time, but | wouldn't begrudge several
bushels for this sight. It's something to
help me understand the bigness of the
war
He finished dressing, and descended the
winding stairs to the immensely long
dining-room. which was the pride and
glory of Wizards, the wonder and ad
miration of people, and the envy of com
rctitors.
1t was the day of long dining for
hotels and steamboats,, when magniticence
seemed best expressed by the length of
the array of tables aud dishes, and Viii
lard's SURPASSED them all.
When the Deacon came to the door and
looked in. it seemed as long as Pennsyl
yania Avenue to the Capitol, quite as
broad, and as full of guests, mostly in
uniform. rs the Avenue was of teams.
The sight was so astonishing that he
would have Shrunk back, but "a giant
negro in a dress coat, with shirt-frOnt
ike a hillside after fresh fall of snow.
and Il pin which wed with the clerks in
size if not in fiery brilliance, fixed on him
the eye of command. and raised Il beck
oning finger that he could not resist.
Though he felt that not only the whole
of the extra pen of corn would be gone,
hut probably a serious inrOad made on
the next. before he finished his breakfast,
he could not withstand the hypnotsm of
that imperiOus negro, but followed him.
like Il misdemeaning schOol-boy his
teacher
Fain would the Deacon havas Slipped
over to a table in some obscure corner.
behind some commonplace group, but the
pompous head-waiter was merciess. and
naraded him the entire length of the
saloon" to little table near a window
on the 18th street side. where he haught-
lily beckoned to another imposing looking
Inenial in a dress suit. who drew back
chair with n flourish, as if seating lord.
showed it under the Deacon. unfolded a
napkin with another grand flourish hand
ed it and bill-of-fare to the Deacon. and
bent a cOndescending ear to receive his
order.
"Gracious goodness" thought the Dea-
con, "if things are as good here as they
are stylish. how very good they must be
and by the same token expensive. see
that second pen Of corn begin to melt |
away"
'T suppose one must eat right along ac-
cording to the items in the order of ex-
he continued. wiping his glasses, |
and beginning to study the menu. "Skip, |
ping nothing. Well. there seems to be |
plenty Of It, If only knew what is was" !