The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-11
TIL f. SPEN y Err IS
a TALE ATION
by Harry Wilson
by

and he knows that you know ii. and you
know that he knows you know Ii. and there
you are, two mirrors of American equality
face TO face and rejecting each other end
lessly, and neither is comfortab BILE. The
American is as uncomfortable at having
certain services performed for him by an
other American as the other is in perform
ing them. Give him a Frenchman. or an
Italian, a fellow born within the sound
of Bow Bells TO clean his boots and lay out
his things and serve his dinner and he's
all right enough"
Hear. heart cried Uncle Peter
Fancy, now said Mrs. Drelmer. "a
creature in a walters jacket having emo
lions of that sorti
Our excellent country" said Mr.. Milbrey.
lis, perhaps. not yet what II will be; there
Is undeniably most distressing rawness
where we might expect finish. Now in Chi
cago." he continued in a tone suitably
hushed for the relation OF occult phenomena.
I'VE dined with person who served cham
payne with the oysters SOUP fish and en-
tree, and for the remainder of the dinner
you may credit me or not-he proffered a
claret of 1851 need hardly remind you, the
most delicate vintage of the latter half of
the century-and it was served frappe."
There was a genuine emotion in the speak
er's voice.
And papa nearly swooned when our host
put cracked ice and two Jumps of sugar into
his own glass"
"Avice, dear!" demonstrated the father in
tone implying that some things positively
must not be mentioned at table.
We'll, you shouldn't expect too much of
those self-made men in Chicago" said Shep-
Ter.
IF they'd only make themselves as we'll
as they make their sausages and things"
sighed Mr.. Milbrey.
And the self-made man will talk shop
suggested Oldaker. He thinks you're dying
to hear how he made the first thousand of
himself
Still, those Chicago chaps learn quickly
enough when they settle in New York." VEN
tured one of the young men.
a chan w
two years and went back not a half bad
Sort" said the other God help him now,
though; mis- father made him go back to
work in a butcher shop or something of
that sort"
Best thing 1 ever heard about Chicago"
said Uncle Peter, "a man from your town
year. and. says he, went out there a
New Yorker, and / went home an Ameri-
cam he says" The old man completed this
anecdote in tones that were slightly in
famed.
How extremely typical!' said Mrs. Mil
brey. Truly the West is the place Of UNI
spoiled Americanism and the great unspent
forces; you are quite right, Mr.. Bines."
Think of all the unspent forces back in
that silver mine," remarked Miss Milbrey,
with a patent effort to be significant.
My perverse child delights to pose as q
sordid young woman" the fond mother ex-
planned to Percival. yet no one can be less
so. and you, Mr.. Bines, am sure, would be
the last to suspect her of it. / saw in you
at once those sterling qualities
Isn't it dreadfully dark down in that
sterling silver miner" observed Miss Mil
brey. apropos of nothing. apparently. while
her mother attacked second chop that she
had meant not to touch.
Here's hoping We'll soon be back in
Gods own country" said Oldaker, raising
his glass.
Hear, heart! cried Uncle Peter, and
drained his glass eagerly as they drank the
toast. Whereat they all laughed and Mrs.
Drelmer said, What dear, lively wit, for
an old gentleman
'Oldaker," said Shepler, "has really been
the worst sufferer. This is his first trip
West"
BEG pardon, Shepler. was west as far
as Buffalo-let me see-in 1878 or TO-
Dear me! is that sop queried Uncle
Peter. Il got East as fur as Cheyenne that
same year. We nearly run into each other,
didn't we?"
Shepler grinned again.
"Oldaker found a man from New York on
the train the other day, up in one Of the
emigrant cars He was truck driver, and
he looked it and talked it, but Oldaker
stuck by him all the afternoon
well, he'd left the old town three weeks
after 1 had, and he'd been born there the
same year L was-in the Ninth ward-and
he remembered as well as 1 did the day
Barnum's museum burned at Broadway
and Ann. liked to hear him talk Why, it
was treat just to hear him say Broad
way and Twenty-third street, or Madison
Square or City Hall Park. The poor devil
had consumption, too, and probably he'll
shall ever have it, but I'd never leave the
old town as he was doing"
That's like Billy Brue," said Uncle Peter
BILLY loves faro bank jest as this gentle
man loves New York. When he gets a roll
he has to play. One time he landed In Po-
catello when there want but one game in
town. Billy found it and started In. A friend
saw him there and called him out Billy,
says he. cash in and come out; that's a
brace game, Sure? says Billy; Sure. says
obliged fur putin me on And he started
out lookin fur another game. About two
hours later the Teller saw Billy comm out
of the same place and Billy owned up he d
gone back there and blowed In every cent
why. you geezer.' says his friend, didn't
1 put you on that they was dsalin brace
there? Sure says Billy. sure you did
But what could 1 do? 1t was the only game
in town."
THAT New York mania is the same sort u
said Shepler. laughing, while Mrs. Drelmer
requested everybody to fancy Immediately.
Your grandfather Is so dear and quaint, "
bring him to New York with you, for OF
course a young man Of your capacity and
York. York, W." ~ -
young men like yourself are assuredly
needed there" remarked Mr.. Milbrey
Surely they are" agreed Miss Milbrey
and yet with a manner that seemed almost
to annoy both parents. They were sparing
no opportunity to make the young man con.
scious o. his real oneness with those about
him. and yet subtly to intimate that people
of just the Milbrey's perception were re-
quired to divine 1t at present.
These Westerners fancy you one of them
selves, / dare say" Mrs. Milbrey had said
and the young man purred under the strok-
ings His fever for the East was back upon
him. His weeks with Uncle Peter going over
the fields where his father had prevailed
had made him convalescent, but these New
Yorkers-the very manner and atmosphere
of them-undid the work. He envied them
their easier speech, their matter-of-fact all
of omniscience, the elaborate and cultivated
simplicity of their dress, their sureness and
sufficiency in all that they thought and
said, and did. He was homesick again fol
the life he had glimpsed. The West was
rude, desolate and depressing. Even Uncle
Peter whom he had come warmly to adj
mire. Jared upon him with crudity and his
Western assertiveness.
And there was the woman of the East
whose presence had made the day to seem
dream-like; and she was kind, which was
more than he would have dared to hope, and
her people, after their first curious chill OF
indifference, seemed actually to be counting
him. She the fleeing and impalpable dream.
love, whom the thought of seeing ever agar
had been wildly absurd, was now a human
creature with a local habitation, the most
beautiful name in the world. and two par
ents whose complaisance was obvious ever
through the lovers timidity.