The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-05-14
Obe Gentleman
From Indiana
cssysubs 1929. ~ DeaAis6ay <da neciar. Co. 1s
sse cssyy1bs 1904, sy Hscis,s, Pbngss 1a Co. IL

BY BooTH TARxxwcroN N

ment he took neatly f0iden pair OF
duck trousers and light gray tweed
coat, from another straw hat with q
ribbon OF bright coIors. He examined
these muslngiy. They had lain In the
trunk for long time undisturbed. He
shook the coat and brushed II. Then he
laid the garments upon bis bed and
proceeded TO shave himself carefully,
after which he donned the white trou.
sers. the gray coat and, rummaging In
the trunk again, found gay pink era.
vat. which he fastened about his tall
collar talso resurrection from the
trunk with pearl pin. He took long
time 70 arrange his hair with pair Of
brushes. When at last II suited him
and bis dressing was complete, he sal
lied forth TO breakfast.
Xenophon stared after him as be went
out Of the gate whistllng heartily. The
old darky lifted his hands. palms out
ward.
Ian name, who datT he exclaimed
aloud. "Wbo dat in dem panjingeriesf
He gone jine de circusw His hands
fell upon his knees. and he got to his
feet automatically, shaking his head
with fc.eboding. Honey, honey, hit
bald luck, bald luck sing TO breakfus'.
Trouble 10 de day be done. Trouble.
honey. great trouble. Bald luck. bald
/. iuckr
Along the square the passing Of the
editor in his cool equipments was
progress. and wide were the eyes and
| deep the gasps Of astonishment caused
/ by his festal appearance. Mr.. Tibbs
and his sister rushed from the post
Office to stare after him.
"He looks just beautiful, Solomon"
said Miss Tibbs
Harkless usually ate his breakfast
| alone. as he was the latest riser In
Plattvflle. There were days in the
F, winter when be did not reach the hotel
until 8 o'clock. This morning he found
a bunch OF white roses, still wet with
dew and SO fragrant that the whole
room was fresh and sweet with their
odor. prettily arranged in a bowl ON
the table. and at his plate the largest
Of all with a pin through the stem. He
looked up smllingly and nodded at the
red faced, red haired waitress who was
waving a long fly brush over his head.
''Thank you. Charmion.' he said.
'.That's very pretty"
! 'That old Mr. wimhy was here" she
I answered. "and he left word for you to
look out. The whole possetueky OF
Johnsons from the Crossroads passed
his house this mornin', comm this
way, and he see Bob Skillet on the
square when he got to town. He left
them flowers. Mrs Windy sent 'em to
ye. didn't bring EN-
Thank you for arranging them"
She turned even redder than she al
ways was and answered nothing, Wig
orously darting her brush at an imag-
in8ry fly on the cloth. After several
minutes she said abruptly, you're well
come"
There was a silence. finally broken
by long, gasping sigh. Astonished.
he looked at the girl. Her eyes were
set unfathomably upon his pink tie.
The wand had dropped from her nerve.
less hand, and she stood rapt and i'm
movable. She started violently from
Der trance. saint ye goin' to finish
yer coffeeT' she asked, plying her In
strument again, and, bending slightly,
whispered, Say, Eph Watts is over
there behind ye."
At table In far corner Of the room
@ large gentleman in brown frock
coat was quietly eating his breakfast
and reading the Herald. He was OF an
ornate presence, though entirely neat.
A sumptuous expanse Of linen exhibit
ed itself between the lapels Of his low
cut waistcoat, and an inch OF bedia-
monded breastpin glittered there like
an Ice ledge on snowy mountain side.
He had steady blue eye and dlssi-
pated iron gray mustache, This per
Sonage was Mr.. Ephraim Watts, who
following calling more fashionable in
the eighteenth century than in the lat
ter decades of the nineteenth, had
shaken the dust Of Carlow from his
feet some three years previously at the
strong request OF the authorities, The
Herald had been particularly insistent
upon his deportation. In the local
phrase, Harkless had run him out O.
town." Perhaps It was because the
Herald's opposition. as the editor had
explained at the time, had been ''Tnere.
" moral and impersonal,7 and the ed
ltor had confessed to liking for the
unprofessional qualities Of Mr.. Watts,
that there was but slight embarrass-
ment when the two gentlemen met to-
day. His breakfast finished, Harkless
went over to the other and extended
his hand. Cynthia, the waitress, held
her breath and clutched the back of a
chair. However, Mr.. Watts made no
motion toward his well known hip
pocket. Instead he rose, flushing slight
ly, and accepted the hand offered him.
"I'm glad to see you, Mr.. Watts"
said the journalist cordially. "And
also, II you are running with the cir
Gus and calculate on doing business
here today, I'll have you fired out of
town bQfOra nom How ara you9