Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1905-04-22
KESNUP'S DOWNFALL.

A&A&t thEy WSlC u5An6 lGE liliuGoA oOtA
Of term to describe him. This was
simply because he had a patronizing
way about him. He should have been
a large man. His manner would have
sorted well with deep bass voice, a
pursuing unuer lip, neck that over
tapped his shirt collar and a white
waistcoat of generous girth. On the
contrary, he was slender and rather
understood: his voice inclined to
sQueakiness, and he had an Annie
Laurie sort of neck. He really meant
TO be kind to people, and that was
the worst of 1t, for If he had been will
fully offensive he would have been
sQueiched without conjunction.
Kesnup met his Waterloo down In
health for some time-very much run
down and with some sort of disorder
that threatened to become chronic.
His doctor had visited the mud springs
at Mozart, had analysed their waters,
and had become a Mozart enthusiast
He told Kesnup that In those springs
lay his one and only chance OF sal
hiui, iattt W 81
there and to stay not less than three
months.
When Kesnup found that Mozart
was a way station, with not dozen
shabby frame built, false-fronted stores
10 its main street, and not many more
houses, he was as pleasant and good
natured about it as could be. He
-.
lation that there was no occasion for
them to apologize He was entirely
tolerant of the canvas-curtained hack
that took him out to the springs, and
when the driver pointed pridefully
with his whip to the Hotel Simmons,
q noble two-story brick structure, so
by 100 feet in extent Kesnup nodded
benignantly and said: Eyes, | see;
vern NICE, indeed"
Bill Simmons, the hotel proprietor.
red-faced. elderly man, in his shirt
sleeves and Powered waistcoat, met
him Hospitality at the door, and shook
hands with him, beaming welcome.
Come right in" he said. 1.-THE
doc wrote me you was coming. We
aint right full now, so you'll have
things pretty much to yourself" He
waved his pudgyi hand.
Mahogany desk, you see," he said,
proudly. Safe for the keeping of val
iybles. Indicator shown who rings
for zee water-and we've got ice water,
too. Tallerphon to the store and post
Office. Patent Gas lights. | reckon
you didn't expect to see anything like
thik. did you? Makes you think you're
right back in Chicago, don't it?"
He dragged the reluctant Kesnup
OF on tour of inspection. He called
his attention to the porcelain-lined
tub In the bathroom, to the real brus-
sells carpet in the halls, to the real hair
mattresses in the bedrooms, TO the
genuine Georgia pine of the wainscot,
10 the patent gas radiators, to the
brand-new $50 range in the kitchen,
to the running water-hot and cold.
piped all over the lower fioor-act-
ually! He conducted him to the din
ing-room and set before him a sump-
fuous repast of noodle soup. beef
steak, stewed tomatoes, boiled rice,
canned peaches and marble cake.
Kesnup told him that 1t was all very
creditaDle. indeed. Really" he said.
"a man could be quite comfortable
here. I'm not man who insists upon
luxury, Mr.. Simmons. | did not come
here with any large expectations, you
know, and | am sure shall do very
we'll"
Then Bill Simmons exploded. "Oh,
you will, eh?" he said, bitterly you
think you can Pub along, do you?
Didn't expect much. and so you amt
SO awful disappointed! Why, dog
gone my hidel Now, lookee here,
you're accommodating and easy to
please, and willing to put up with
most anything but | wouldn't impose
on a gentleman like you by asking
him to put up at one-horse tavern
like this. Don't you do 1t. You can
leave your grips here, and there's lots
of time before dark for you to find a
place to board where it's more like
what you're accustomed to. Don't
you come back anyway, until you've
tried it, Your bill amt nothing at
all. l couldn't charge a man for such
horse feed as you've been insulted with
here Please excuse it and ask the
clerk to direct you to some good board
ing house as you go out. Well, I'll be
derned!"
Kesnup did find accommodation else
where, but what he suffered in the
next few days no one knows. He
would have returned to Chicago, but,
in spite of indigestion and the husk
mattress he slept on and the dismal
surroundings and inconvenience of
the best boarding place he could find
in Mozart, he felt that the springs
were doing him good.
In the end he pocketed his pride and
went to Simmons and asked him how
he had managed to offend him. The
landlord took him by the arm and ut
tered no word until he had led him
10 the Office. There he waved his hand
comprehensively. 81 want to ask you