The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-22

Madam said reproachfully
what does this mean?'
They won't hurt you she said in
! icy tones; they are all dead
Five Centipedes, dozen cock
| reaches and some shreds of a scor-
! pion, specimens for the callow youth of
a New England college, were sticking
to my clothing. l noticed that all the
! chairs in the room were similarly dec
orated-likeWise the tables.
| q experienced a sudden loss of appe-
| tite. l didn't stop to talk. 1 fled into
! the adjoining room, and as l sat down
on the bed that same frigid voice out
side reach me.
Don't spoil my anthrennae; and
! that boidae is very valuable. Don't
! touch it
Il arose with some speed, and be-
held a score of beetles and a boa con-
strictor scattered over the bed. Then
| bounded into the next room.
8" Madam I demanded. who are
you anyway, and why is my house in
tested with these vermin?"
"'Are you the American consult
she asked, in a tone that disconnected
! me.
Ives, ! regret to say I am re-
turned feebly. Then with desperate
energy, but why are these dead ami
mails brought into my rooms? This
is not a ge--'
Shut up she interrupted. Don't
! talk nonsense. I wish to speak to you.
I want to return to Boston by the next
steamer
Il frightened at the suggestion.
Certainly, Madam l exclaimed;
anything in my power to hasten your
departure
She shifted scornfully.
OF course you'll help me. That's
what you're here for
Certainly, certainly I cried. And
the bugs and the snakes, and the CEN
tipedes-let me call a carriage and
take them all to the hotel
" No. she replied, I've decided that
it will be better to stay right here
until the steamer sails. I've lost my
money and can't afford any hotel bills.
AS my consul, you'll have to pay my
passage, and it will be more economi-
cal for you if 1 stay right here mean
while.
g Really, Madam. think you have
mistaken my position, 1 murmured.
Say, are you the American Con-
SUBJ she repeated sharply.
Il faltered. The thing was grow
ing monotonOus.
" Yes, / believe l am said.
- Then l will stay right here she
announced.
But, my good Madam 1 expostu-
lated in my most convincing man
ner, there are some trifling incon-
veniences about this arrangement.
would be honored by your proposed
visit, l am sure; you, you see, in the
| first place, l have no family living
here. The fact is Ill am a bache-
| lor."
" 'Sir!' she shifted loftily, what do
l care if you are bachelor? 1 don't
want to marry YOU
But the people might talk
protested
" Let them talk she exclaimed
contemptuously Say, look here,
aren't you the American Consul?
'Yes-yes-Oh, yes, 1 suppose
am 1 gasped.
And that woman did stay, and her
entire chronological outfit with her,
until a kind and courageous captain
! placed his boat at her disposal, and
carried her northward in triumph.
start Sanitarium.
"After that experience 1 devised an
| infallible method for the treatment of
my needy couutrymen. Whenever a
| stranded American insisted that l was
obliged to support him, 1 would SYM
pathetically inquire after his health.
This always took. On this hint every
case that came to me developed a
startling complication of ailments.
" The hospital is the place for you,
l would remark writing at the same
time an official note to the head of that
| institution, stating the lamentable
condition in which 1 found my poor
! countryman and begging that he be
taken in and cared for. This hospital
! was run by a benevolent old Mother
! Superior who seemed to have an un-
wavering prediction for taking care
/ of graceless Americans. The more
trampS l sent her, the more pleased
! she seemed to be. She took it as a
kind of favor--had some sort of no.
ton that it doomed her hospital.
! Zone day l went to see the good