Red River prospector. (Red River, Taos County, N.M.) 1900-190?, 1906-08-09

VINO come naturally by a
The major was one of the most meth
odical of men. Promptly at nine
O'Clock he came down fresh and pink
from breakfast, read his mail in the
comfortable seclusion of the writing
room, dictated the answers to his let
ters to the hotel stenographer, lit a
fresh cigar at the cigar stand, and then
dull business cares were brushed aside
and he repaired with sprightly steps
to the bar, where he seated himself
in a favOrite corner and began the Sc
riols occupation of the day by order
ing a 'g~entleman's drink of whisky"
Other drinks followed at intervals
during the morning, varyed in strength
and frequency by the character and
numbers of the other visitors.
By the hour of noon he had reached
a stage of mellowness that developed
a rare play of rich and spicy wit.
1t was beneath the manhood of the
major to approach the dining-roonl
while in his cups. When six o'clock
came, his dinner was served to him
at his particular table in the corner of
the bar, and the sitting, more often
than not, was continued until mid
night.
With all his registering habits, it
should not be hastily concluded that
the major led an entirely useless or
l~purposeless existence. Many we're the
tales Of his generosity. When Dab
the OLD head porter, was laid up with
rheumatism, it was the major who Wis
tied him in his little hovel of a home
on THE West Side" provided for his
family and paid his, Doctors bill. Then
every one knew of his kindly and sym
pathetic interest when Miss McFee, the
old-maid stenographer, took pneu-
monia and died.
And then the new stenographer
came.
She was a lump of a girl, as round
as a pigeon, with frank, brown eyes
that seemed to challenge respect and
chivalry by their very innocence. Her
voice was soft and respectful, and it
was an inspiration to see her personal
and complete interest in her patrons.
Miss Mitchell was her name, and ii
was hard to keep from becoming on
.fidential with her at the very first in
.terview.
Almost from the first, the sharp OBJ
servers among the frequenters of the
Windsor, noticed that it took the ma
jor somewhat longer to dictate his
mail To Miss Mitchell than it had to
Miss McFee, and, moreover, he did not
hurry away to the bar quite so precipi-
lately.
One day in the midst of the letters,
Miss Mitchell looked up for an in
slant at a lady who was passing
through the lobby.
What an exquisite bunch of VIC
let's" size said.
very pretty replied the major, fol
lowing her glance, and then they went
on with their work.
The next morning a ~neighboring or
lists BOY placed a fine bunch of Eng
fish beauties in the little bud ase
that had been Miss McFee's, on Miss
MitchelPs desk, and morning after
morning this was repeated.
After the morning dictation during
one of the little chats which the ma
Ijor had come to allow himself, Miss
Mitchell, one day expressed a very ad-
verse opinion about the men whC
! drauK and were fast"
This speech had a marked effecr
upon the major.
The very next day, after his business
routine, the major left a forwarding
address with the clerk on duty an(
registered out. His absence was no
ticed Immediately in the bar, and in
quiries we're made of the clerk.
A month-two months passed, anC
still the major had not returned to hi
| old corner in the Windsor bar. TIT
only ozark of his long residence at tn,
hotel was the little bunch of fresh vic
let's which daily adorned Miss Mitch
ellis desk.
One day, as unheralded as had beer
his departure, the major returned t
the Windsor. His complexion wa!
whittier and his eyes were clearer, 9th
erwise he was the same old major
careless, lively and jovial.
He dictated his letters to Mis-
Mitchell as usual the next morning
but 1t was observed and marked will
much special notice that he did no
follow his old habit of turning tOwar,
the bar Immediately thereafter. In
stead of this, he stepped into a BIZ
automobile that stood at the door, ant
was away in a trice. He became
devotee of this big machine. A larg
portion of the day he gave himself t
runs and tours. Sometimes he car