Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-09-25
D4ILY STORY
HIS SELF
INVITED GUESTS.
LOriginall

| firm OF Johnson, Stokes x Co., having
| gone to y. to collect a long outstand
| ing account and having received q
check for $10,962. 80, drew the money
| from bank and went to his hotel with
| it. Having other business at n. tC
| transact the next day, he was Obliged
| to remain overnight. During the after
| noon he took a walk to kill time and
met a man who as he passed sang out
Hello. Gridley. What are you doing
hereT' Gridley stopped to look at the
man, whom he did not recognize, but
| he passed on, saying that he was in a
hurry.
That evening while Gridley was sit
ting in his room a card was brought up
to him bearing the name Joseph Con
dom
He was looking at the card, trying to
place the man whose name it bore,
whom the door was pushed open, and
Mr.. Condor entered.
Don't know that you remember me,
Mr.. Gridley," he said. I've seen YOU
at the store often and have bought u
lot of goods of your concern. The
truth is. I've come up here on a matter
p
through when / met you on the street.
Couldn't manage it and had to stay
over in this beastly town, where l
don't know soul. l thought of you
and hunted you up"
Il can't exactly place YOU said
Gridley. There are SO many custom
ers coming and going that l can't re-
member them all. Besides, l have
charge OF the accounts and don't do
much selling"
Mr.. Condor settled himself in a chair
and talked volubly on general subjects,
while Mr.. Gridley did most of the lis
teninS. Presently up came another
card with the name Robert c. Perry"
name Gridley did not recognize
any more than that OF Mr.. Condor.
He, however. directed that the new
conner should he shown to his room.
Mr.. CoHGon, who seemed to have set
tied himself to a pleasant evening,
looked annoyed at being disturbed.
Mr.. Perry WAS n florid man, with
pleasant smile, and came in joyfully.
Gridley rose TO receive him.
Beg pa'don for trespassing, Mr..
GridIey," lie said effusively; but, see
ing your name on the register from my
native place. l venturGd TO send you
my card with view 10 asking about
some of my old friends"
L shall be very happy TO serve you,
Mr.. Perry. This is Mr.. Condor. Mr..
Condor. Mr.. Perry. l Suppose we are
all bored at being in n strange town
and should help each other out
bly, MI Perry asked about several OF
his old friends. but Mr.. Gridley didn't
happen to know any of them. Mr.. Con
don produced cigarettes. Mr.. Perry
took one. but Mr.. Gridley said he
never smoked.
Mr.. Perry asked permission to order
UP cocktails, which was granted,
though Mr.. Gridley said he never
drank Mr.. Perry, however, told the
waiter to bring three cocktails. When
they came he took one OF them to the
gas jet. saying that lie thought there
was something in it." Finding some
thing. he took the other two glasses
there ON the tray for inspection. FL
nally he was satisfied and set them on
The table Mr.. Condor drank one, but
MI vi iNiSg SlSdNiiS 4NANASSu. L LIS NfAso
not remarkable, for he was superin-
tendent of Il Sunday school and never
drank n drop of any liquor. This left
the two strangers to accept each 9th
er's inequalities Both demonstrated
at the position they were placed in as
quests, using u hosts room to treat
themselves in, but Gridley was immov
able. Mr. Perry puffed away on Mr..
Condon's cigarette, and Mr.. Condor
drank Mr.. Perry's cocktail.
Presently Gridley noticed that the
was growing a tritle
heavy. He looked at his self invited
quests and saw that they were both
cooking drOwsy.
Il fancy" he said. that you gentle
men are no more used to liquor than l.
Judging from the effects of one glass"
Nj Condor tried to make Il jovial
reply, but while doing SO his head fell
upon the back of his chair, and ne
'nOred. Mr.. Perry attempted to go to
he window, but fell over on the bed.
ridley summoned an attendant, the
Jerk was called, and, Gridley having
explained the circumstances, the two
men were taken to another room. How |
hey could have got drunk on one cock |
all no one could explain. 1t was sur |
missed that they had been drinking be- |
ore the call.
The next morning Mr.. Gridley left |
he hotel early and did not return to it |
before takingt the train for home. On |
he next Sunday morning before going |
o his Sunday school, taking up a pa
er, he was surprised to read:
"Our esteemed fellow citizen, Mr..
Paul C. Gridley, while recently visit
ng \. received two callers who it is
intended to drug and rob Il
i'm. Drinks were ordered and ciga-
cites We're smoked. The police were
boxing for both guests and arrested L
hem at the hotel the next morning.
they are two notorious crooks who,
Unknown to each other, attempted the