Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-06-02
dusty seats Of their carriage and sighed
with relief.

| Will lanQ us In the CITY we are S0Okut
for" said Anguish, stretching out hi
legs comfortably. "I'll admit it hal
been a tiresome journey, and I'll bt
glad when we can step into decen
hotel. have a Xub and feel like white
men once more. am beginning to fee
like these dirty Slavs and Huns We
saw way back there"
There's one thing certain" said Lor
~. looking out of the window. "Tht
people and the habitations are different
and the Whole world seems changed
since we left that station. Look al
those fellows on horseback over there.
What did tell you about brigands
AID robbers" exclaimed Anguish. III
tLose fellows are not bandits, I'll lose
faith In every novel ever read"
The train rolled slowly past three
mounted men whose steeds stood like
statues upon little knoll to the right OF
the track, men and beasts engaged iI
silent contemplation Of the cars. The
men, picturesquely attired and looking
fierce. carrying long rifles, certainly
bore an aspect that suggested the brig
and. When the guard entered the car
riage, Anguish asked in German fol
some information concerning the rid.
ers.
"Dey're frontier police guards" re.
sponded the man In English, smiling at
their astonishment. Both Americans
rose and shook hands with him.
"By George, it's good to hear a man
talk white mans language" cried An
guish.
How do you come to be holding a
Job on this road? An Englishman?'
demanded Lorry. He looked anything
but English.
I'm not an Englishman," said the
guard. flushing slightly. my names
Sticky, an I'm an American, sir"
"An Americana exclaimed Lorry.
Sticky grew loquacious.
"Sure used to be sailor on q
United States man-o'war. A couple of
years ago l got into trouble down at
Constantinople an had to get out of
de service. After dat drifted up dis
way and went to railroadin'." He
hadn't exactly the manner of man-o'-
warsman.
How long have you been on this
road?" asked Grenfall.
bout year. should t'ink. Been
on dis branch only two months, dough-"
"Are you pretty we'll acquainted In
Edelweiss?"
"Oh, run In dere every other day
in an out ag'in. It's fine place-pur-
test you ever saw in your life. The
town runs right up the mountain to the
tiptop, where the monks are-clear up
in de clouds. Dey say it SHOWS up dere
almost all de time"
Later on from the loquacious guard
the two Americans learned quite a
good bit about the country and city to
which they were going. His knowledge
was somewhat limited along certain
lines, but quite clear as to others.
dis Graustark, 8 fer as / know, is
eeder a sort O. state or somethin' be-
longin' to de umpire, governed by its
own rulers. Edelweiss is de capital;
de big guns Of de land lives dere. I've
walked out an saw de castle where de
princess an de royalty hangs out De
people speak language Of DER own,
and can't get next to ting dey say.
But once in awhile you find some guy
dat talks French or German. Dey've
got little standin' army Of two tree
t'ousand men, an dey'ye got de hottest
uniforms you ever did see-red an
black an gold. don't see why de Unit
ed States can't get up somethin' foxy
fer her soldiers to wear. Had a war
over here not long ago, understand
somethin' like ten or fifteen years ago.
Dere's another little country up north
Of Graustark, an dey got in wrangle
bout somethin', an dey tell me in
Edelweiss dat for bout a year dey
fought like Sam Patch"
(Which was victoriousT demanded
Lorry, deeply interested.
I'm not sure. To hear de Edelweiss
people talk you'd t'ink dey licked de
daylights out of de other slobs, but
somehow got next to de fact dat dem
other fellows captured de city an went
after a slashin, big war indemnity. I
don't know much bout 1t, an maybe
I'm clear of. but t'ink de Graustark
army was t'rashed. Everything is pros
porous now. dough, an you'd never
know dere'd been a war. It's de most
peaceable town ever saw"
"Did you ever hear Of the Guggen-
slockersT asked the irrepressible An.
guish, and Lorry felt like kicking him.
"In Edelweiss? Never dN. Friends
| Of yours"
"Acquaintances," interposed Lorry
hastily, frowning at Anguish.
"You won't have any trouble findin'
'em If dere anybody at ALL" said Sticky
easily. "De hotel people ought to be
able to tell you all bout 'em."
by the way, what is the best hotel
there" asked Anguish.
"Dere's de Burnowentz, one block
north of de depot" The travellers look
ed at one another and smiled, Sticky
observing the action. "Oh," he said
pleasantly, "dere's a swell joint up
town called de Regengetz. It's too steep
fer me, but maybe you gents can stand
it. If you'll hang around de depot fer
a little while after we get in I'll steer
you up dere."
"We'll make 1t worth your while,
Sitzky," said Lorry.
"Never mind dat now. Americans
ought to stick together, no matter
where dey are. Well have a drink
an 'at's all, Just to show we're fellow
countrymeh."
"We'll have several drinks, and we'll
eat and drink tonight at the swell
joint you talk about" said Anguish.
1--WE may drink dere, but I'll not eat
dere. Dey wouldn't let a railroad guard
inside de feedin' pen. Why, nothin'
but royal guys eat dere when dey're
downtown shoppin' or exposin' DEM
selves to public gaze."
Peculiar
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