The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-07-07

tnre in it was washstand, bed and
myself. In vain 1 looked for an electric
button, so l shaved with cold water
taken from disreputable pitcher on
the stand. At $50 sauntered into the
Office. The clerk eyed me suspiciously
and when / said I'd breakfast, he re-
piled, breakfasts over, but maybe I
can fix it," And if ever any breakfast
was fixed, that was the one. / think
they had it fixed about 5 a. m. The
steak seemed to be permanent fixture.
And the coffeel But why go into
details2 The harpy who waited on nee
appeared to be greatly offended when I
asked for a napkin. The table linen
had seen much service, some very
recently, to judge by the coffee stains
on it. nibbled at the bread, tried
sip of the coffee dallied with an egg
which had seen better days and passed
out to the Office. / asked for mail and
received letter from the house in
which was enclosed my stops for the
coming week. skipped all the days
till got to Sunday. SUNDAY at Rox-
VILE" it said. I consulted everybody
who would listen while l sought in,
formation about the size of Roxville.
"Was it bigger than Slabtown?" did
it have electric lights" "Did those
lights burn on Saturday nights ?" My
whole thoughts concerned Roxville.
Some said it was bigger and better than
SIabtown. Some said, smaller and
worse" as if such thing were possible!
But the clouds at Shutdown were partly
riven.
I met on the street corner man who
looked as if he had been accustomed to
city life. To him I said: Excuse me,
but I'm stranger here and will you
| please let me know how can spend
the day without going insane?" He
gave the sign of distress himself and
backing me up against a store door he
said:&
"Fellow sufferer, I:take it you are a
travelling man." aa
"Yes," said l, shut how can you tell
unless 1 have my sample cases with
me?"
Easily" he replied, because no one
but travelling man ever comes here,
and l know you're stranger by your
walk"
sDid you see me stumble as I came
out of the hotel?"
EYES," said he, "and that's a sure
sign, for any one who lives here, knows
just where the holes in the boardwalks
are. They ought to-" he continued,
''for those holes have been there since
1885,"
"Why don't they fix them ?" I asked.
Whats the use? ?" said he. "Don't l
tell you that everyone here is onto the
holes and strangers never come
Except travelling men,"
"They don't count" said he.
He told me he was out for a Phila.
deIphia firm, and the only reason he
) was in Slabtown was because he had q
friend who ran a brewery out on the
road, and he invited me to go along to
visit that oasis. 10 say that consented
with alacrity would be putting il
mildly. We walked about four miles
into the country, but it paid His
friend would insist, then my friend
insisted, and when it came to my turn
I insisted. For lunch we had Swiss
cheese and brown bread, "far better,
said my friend, ethan banquet at the
Phoenix" "True," said 1, taking ths
proffered can.
81 suppose" said my friend, "that the
clerk will check US off for dinner"
t "Most likely" said our host. 81 car
/: imagine that hotel checking anything
> off. Why" said he, "you will be lucky
' if you're not charged extra for keeping
I dinner waiting"
With song and story we whiled tn,
; hours away, (seems to me I've read tha
: somewhere before) until the shadow
!; of evening began to lengthen. Re
[ membering the previous evening"
f adventure, I didn't let the shadow
Q lengthen too long, and we appeared TO
9 supper at 7:3O p. m. Supper was owe
Q at z p. M, and the clerk didn't offer t,
9 fix it this time. Perhaps he though
9 one warning enough. And it was
! You'll not catch me eating cold yea