The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-08-10

Hazeltine and his two men on the field
without q word. But after passing the
shipyards they went On Into Rutgers
street, and just before we came TO Cow
Foot Hi the whole party, Acton and l
with them. turned suddenly into a garden
and entered what 7 found later WAS the
famous Walton Mansion Of the Rutgers
family. where the Prince for the time
lived
II was a magnificent mansion with
great pieces of furniture: the banquet
dwellings. We passed into the hall and
through It into a library where sat
table covered with bottles and cold food.
enough for a hundred. it seemed to me.
l could not but express my surprise at
this plenty and magniflcenee in the midst
of so much poverty and scarcity else
where IN the city.
"Ah. you do not know how we live
cried Sproat. "For whole weeks we eat
nothing but salt beef. and then in comes
a foraging party. and the whole town
gorges for a week"
The young Prince took the head of the
table and all set to work in the hot,
murky air. opening bottles and dishing
out the food No one waited on us. and
We were indeed a jovial party. all there
but the doctor, who said he must go,
and looked at me meaningly as he added:
Come to my office, young man. when
you've eaten. and let me dress your
arm" Indeed, what could be a simpler
way of completing my plan with him
than by this ordinary appointment.
Strange that l should be sitting with
these enemies of my country and yet
growing to like them! Strange that
should be deceiving men that, whatever
else they might be, We're men of honour
through and through Strangest of all
that Anterior could not do enough for
me since my unconscious saving of his
lifel
No one referred to my near arrest nor
questioned US as to its cause And Acton
soon had them roaring with laughter
with his quaint remarks and his jovial
| songs. The only thing I noticed was a
man at the rear door and another at the
front I'm the hall. both standing motion
| less and evidently watching to guard
/ that we should not be surprised
| Mr.. Merton" cried the Prince. rising,
you are good sword and better gen
tleman and | give we long life and the
girl most to your hearth
Nay, nay, SIR cried I, for the wine
went to the proper spot, and I felt at
least one load off my back since the early
morning. :" t is the wrong ORDER A toast
to His Royal Highness hrstr'
There was cry of applause. But he
! would not have 1t SO. And. | still insist
| Ing we stood there. glasses in hand.
laughing and protesting and all talking
at once, till Acton in his big voice roared
that t was shame to lose the chance
to drink the wine, and Atherton cried
>out:
so 1t Isl Then I give you them bothl
the first gentleman of Europe and the
nrst gentleman of the last houri'
Out must come another roar of ap-
pause ana SO went the toast. And as
the major dipped out the newly-made
punch from huge bowl, Acton set the
Key FOR Landlord fill the flowing bowl"
and we roared out the song into one
another's ears, standing, and with the
glasses In our hands. turning now to one.
now to another. with the glasses clink-
Ing, some beating time with the left
hand, TIL Atherton began a marching
movement around the table, and we ali
must needs fall into line, tramping round
and round, and yelling out the brave old
song over and over again. Finally we
Topped down into chairs, and up Jumped
| Sproat and cried:
An now, gentIm'n," and he held I'M
his glass. NOW, confus'nt' our en'miesl
Egadl I'm bit confus'd mesel. no! hol
s a Joke! Dye see? S a joke, g I'm
a sinnerl Hol hol ha! ha!
"Confus' 'em if We like" roared Acton.
but they're brave men, toor'
AYE, so the arel s. tn arei" cried
the Prince, banging his hand down on
the table with thump and swish that
sent half the bottles crashing on the
floor. We learned that since I've been
here. And we Britishers always want
a good emmy. Eth, my friends, is t not
| so, eh?'
IS Z is! So t is yighnessp' roared
the crowd.
Confusion and good luck to 'emr'
cried Atherton.
AYE, good luck to 'em! l cried, put
ting my glass high above my head. In a
! moment Atherton was on the table, and
we standing round him on the floor try
! ing to reach our glasses up to his
! Good luck to EN-" cried the crowd,
and down went the extraordinary toast
with no heel-taps for at least two in
that jovial gang.
As they began another song-those that
could sing more-the young Prince came
round to me and said unsteadily:
''Now's your time Merton. Out by the
| garden, and good luck to ye I don't
| know your trouble, but you've got no
| harm at our hands" and he held out
| his own. I thanked him and got Acton
| away and out into Cherry street in the
warm sun. and so on by Queen street to
our clearinghouse. There left him
| singing snatehes to himself, and, bid
ding him watch out for himself and for
| Curtis, If he should come, l made my
way to Dr. Lows.
ITO be continued)
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