The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-09-19

Ole Nee, ~
Arabian X
: :$s;: Nights


Ine young man seemed to reflect.
II have still several dozen upol
hand" he said at last. land that vii
make 1t necessary for me to visit sev
cral more bars before my great affai
Is concluded. This Will take som,
time and II you are hungry"
The prince interrupted him with 1
polite gesture.
"AIy friend anu will accompans
you" he said, ''for we have already d
deep interest In your very agreeable
mode Of passing an evening. And now
that the preliminaries Ct peace are set
tied, allow me to sign the treaty fol-
BOTH
Aud the prince swallowed the tart
with the best grace imaginable.
1T Is delicious said he.
II perceive you are connoisseur."
replied the young man.
Colonel Geraldine likewise did honor
to the pastry, and every one in that bar
| having now either accepted or refused
! his delicaces the young man with the
cream tarts led the why to another and
| similar establishment. The two com
missionaries who seemed to have
grown accustomed to their absurd em-
ployment, followed Immediately after,
and the prince and the colonel brought
up the rear. arm In arm, and smiling
|. to each other as they went. In this
order the company visited two other
tayerns, where scenes were enacted of
a like nature to that already described
some refusing, some accepting, the
favors of this vagabond hospitality,
and the young man himself eatlng
each rejected tart.
On leaving the third saloon the young
man counted his store. There were
but nine remaining, three in one tray
and six IN the other.
Gentlemen" said he, addressing
himself to his two followers Il am un.
willing to delay your supper. | am
positively sure you must be hungry.
feel that | owe you special considera-
ton. And on this great day for me,
when | am closing career Of folly by
my most conspicuously silly action.
wish to behave handsomely TO all who
give me countenaflce. Gentlemen. you
shall walt no longer. Although. my
constitution Is shattered by previous
excesses. At the risk Of my life / liqui-
date the suspensory condition.
With these words he crushed the nine
remaining tarts into his mouth and
swallowed them at a single movement
cach; then, turning to the commission
nares. he gave them couple Of sover-
eigns
~ have to thank you" said he. "for
your extraordinary patience"
And he dismissed them with bow
apiece. For some seconds he stood look
ing Mt the purse from which he had
just paid his assistants; then, with n
laugh. he tossed 1t into the middle Of
the street and signitied his readiness |
for supper. e..4s
In small French restaurant in Soho. |
which had enjoyed an exaggerated rep |
utation for some little while, but had /
already begun 70 be forgotten. and in a
private room up two pairs of stairs the
three companions made very elegant
supper and drank three or four bottles
Of champagne, talking the while upon
Indifferent subjects. The young man
was fluent and gay, but he laughed
louder than was natural In person of
polite breeding, his hands trembed VIC
ently, and his voice took sudden and
surprising infections, which seemed to
be independent OF his Will The dessert
lad been cleared away and all three
aad lighted their cigars when the
prince addressed him III these words:
"You will, am sure. pardon my GU
'ioslty. What have seen of you has
greatly pleased me, but even more puz-
lied me. and. though should be loath
o seem indiscreet, must tell you that
NY friend and are persons very we'll
worthy to be intrusted with secret We
nave many Of our own. which we are
revealing to improper ears,
md If. rs suppose, your story Is silly
me, you need have no deIicacy with us.
who are TIVE of the sllllest men in Eng
and. My name Is Godall-Theophllus
iodall; my friend is Major Alfred
or at least such is the
lame by which lie chooses to be known.
We pass our lives entirely in the search
or extravagant adventures. and there
; no -extfaxagance With which we are
lot capable Of sympathy"
IL like you. Mr.. Godall," returned
he young man. You inspire me with
natural confidence, and | have not
be slightest objection to your friend
he major. whom ! take TO he n noble
nan in masquerade: at least am sure
p is no soldier"
The colonel smiled at this cOmpli-
rent to the perfection Of his art. and
he young man went on in more ami
latcd manner:
There is every reason why should
OF tell you my story. Perhaps that is I
nst the reason why ] am going 20 DO
D: at least. you seem 50 well pre-
AIRED to hear n tale Of Stiffness that ] ;
BnnOt find il IN my heart TO disap- 1
oint you. My name. in spite Of your
shall keep 20 myself. My :
re is not essential to the narrative. | :
m descended from my ancestors by
generation. and from them 4.
lheiited a very eligible human teDe-
rent. which still occupy. and for O.
me Of 600 a year. ! suppose they 7
$50 banded on to me a hareiirain hH- :