Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1906-11-06
The Hostess
Guests


Heavens knows I've tried to re-
form. I've chung to the straight and
narrow path with the tenacity with
which drowning man clings To
the life line thrown him. But some
how or another / will swerve, and
then Jim Elson gets another escap-
ade to write out and print. You may
have heard of me: my name is Jen-
kins William b Jenkins.
Elson, Jones and their party were
in hot pursuit of me when I left
Tibet after the episode OF the Bud
dhist temple, and / decided that the
best way TO elude pursuit was to go
right back to where we all belonged
and where they would never think
OF looking for me. So l came to
Boston.
walked over to Huntington Ave-
nue., rejecting to myself that man
with my resolution had far better be
we'll fed than half starved. and
smiled faint heartedly as | auto
matically searched the. empty
pockets.
| halted hesitatingly before the
Criterion Club and wondered where
| should get that meal, and ! idly
watched the well dressed men pass
In and out the brightly Illuminated
doorway, when suddenly l bethought
myself Of plan. My clothes might
look worse. / wore cutaway its
style was recent. To be sure. my
collar was a little soiled my
cuffs frayed. and ! had lost the heel
of shoe, but why not?
| assembled the steps briskly ant
entered the wide vestibule. My over
coat was taken from me in an In
slant. and passed into what | took
to be a writing room. | stared
around curiously--t trying not TO be
tray, any sign that / was unaccns-
toned to the place. and was there
fore a little dIsquieted when /
found a man gazing at me fixedly
from a shaded corner. walked to-
ward him easily. and coolly halted a
few steps from his chair, surveying
the groups around me with appar-
ent tranquility To my further dis
quietude. he arose and approached.
Mr.. Robbins our new mem
ber?" he asked interrogatiyely. :
nodded--th name gave me an open
lng-~but my companion seemed all
most astonished at my affirmative
He hesitated for moment. Il be
lieve | met you the other night" he
said slowly
Il remember now" ] replied !
have met so many these first few
weeks that your face slipped ny
mind for an instant"
thanked heaven that the doubt
full look disappeared from his face
'Yesl" he cried And ] think !
owe you dinner Remember
Suppose you claim your BET to-
night?"
Cant say that do remember" !
replied, smiling inwardly, bat If
you want to pay debt, I'll accept.
I'll lose to you another time, and
followed him to the club dining
room. Luck" / cried 20 myself.
Luck, Billie b." and slowed my
heelless shoe beneath the table and
kept my cuffs beneath the cloth.
Nv comrade ordered ordered ex-
tensively, and my breast swelled
with gratitude. lie spoke constant
". seldom referring to the club or
It's members, but talked very inielli.
gently Of the political and legal
World His name | didn't know, aud
the old time method OF asking
How so dfficult name Is spelled
| avoided tt might be Smith q
Brown.
Tom Hemingway over IN the cor
ner," he said confidently And
Lamson and Dick Waters at the
third table on the other side. and
helloi there's Roger Peters In the
lobby one moment while ] SPEAK to
him. I've been looking for chat man
for a week order cigars and coffee.
and he dashed of.
] leaned back comfortably and o.
dered. Fifteen minutes passed.
Twenty. turned uneasiiy. Were
was my host? Thirty minutes: a
waiter asked me if ! wanted aay-
thing further. l shook my head,
and looking up found his eye fyed
on my frayed cuff l hastily thrust
the offending arm from sight be-
meath the table cover and watched
the waiter recede from view then
hastily arose to search for my com
panion-
At the door / met my waiter with
his chief and was summarily halted
II was dining with" ! sud
denly halted. / neither knew the
| mans name nor where he Was.
MY interrogator smiled. III take
/ him. Pete" he said, and he grasped
me by the arm and piloted mf
across the corridor too astounded
| and weakened to protest, and In the
| room on the other side l found ny
erstwhile companion
Here's the other one said ny
/ custodian. A little man at desl
smiled sarcastically Both had
| vour dinners, Ell? s'pose ! should
| have dropped on you before you go
your All, but ! didn't want to tak'
the chance Of offending member
YOU he pointed to my fellow diner
Il know to be crooked, but ! WA
not sure of yon.|
Il was invited! I protested.
He invited me i'm cried my for
mer host.
The man at the desk grunted con
temptuously. Have the poac'
49,