Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-02-03
HE WAS TOO CLEVER.
HOW YOUNG MoNAcHIE CAST
A GLOOM.

both and asked him out to Bibterley
Heights. His girls were going to have
crowd Of young people at the house
and he reasoned that Monachie would
add considerably to the gayety OF the
occasion. They have some great times
at Larkens.
But things went wrong that night.
LArken blanes Monachie for 1T, which
seems rather unkind Hes one of the
saddest instances | know of a young
man misapplying considerable talent
and fine education" said Larken to
friend next day. He has an intel
lect. should say. of a high order.
He's accomplished to an extent that
few young men know are, but unfor-
tunately he hasn't got lick of sense.
1T was too bad for we had one OF
the jolliest crowds at the house that
we've had for long time. The Wat
terson girls, Jim Hallerday, King Brat
ley, Minnie Davis, Evan Trimbel and
the folks. | thought that we were
fixed for fun, and so we were.
sMonachie came at about the right
time-not too early or too late. But
I'll be hanged If he didn't come in eve
ming dress! OF course, / hadn't told
him in so many words that it was to
be entirely an informal affair, but the
fellow ought to have known 1t. Evan
Trimbel is a bit of dude himself and
could see that Monachie's spiketail
coat and gloves cut him to the very
soul The other boys were uneasy, too.
but not so our young friend
'You ought to have seen the easy,
unstudied grace of his entry and the
possessed authority with which he
went through the introductions He
was delighted and he was charmed,
and he was 90 glad and very glad in
deed-he had different form every
time--and when the introductions were
over he started out to put us all at our
eral conversation. don't mean to iay
that the conversation was general; II
was good deal in the nature OF a
monologue He talked so confounded-
ly well and said 80 many bright things
that everybody else was afraid to say
anything.
"Once or twice somebody tried to
join in. Minnie thinks she knows
something about music and she offered
little contribution on Vogner. That
was where The poor girl made her sad
mistake. She was mere piker in the
field OF harmony Ye-es. says Mon
ACHE, with tolerant smile, but don't
you think and then he started out.
He didn confine himself 10 Vogner
He took up all the others right down
to Paul Dresser and Charles X. Harris.
All that poor Mamie could do was TO
try to look intelligent.
Il was just going to break in on The
lecture and start something when he
Jumped up and went over to the piano.
II show you what / think Chopin
meant he said and began to play
well. there was certainly no dis
count on his playing. I'm not a great
Judge of Chopin, but | should say that
il was immense. He probably knew
better what Chopin meant than Chopin
did himself Then. to let himself down
10 the general level, he played and sung
the coon song that we always ask King
Bradley to sing. He sung it much bet
ter than King sings it.
Then he jumped up. suddenly I'm
doing all the work he said Come!
Let's all sing Who knows some coli
lege songs? Is there a banjo, | Won
der?
We're strong on college songs as a
general thing, but nobody seemed very
enthusiastic OF course there was
banjo. jim Hallerday always brings
his. Somebody brought it out ami
Monachie took 1t and offered it to
Jim
mo said Jim. you pay the aceoui-
paniments. only know a couple or
chords and just strum little.
Monachie protested. but it was =
weak protest and he took the old banjo
and fairly made it talk.
After he had entertained us with coli
lege songs there was lull and | got
off that story of mine about the irish
man and the Dutchman-that one
where The two fought on board the
shin coming over You've heard me tell
it. haven't you? Well when | had fin
ished Monaohie Uttered little oblis-
ingly Thsp be said, That's good
story but ! heard il this way. And.
darn him. Lis version was heap tun-
nier shan miae, I don't care, though.
They LAUGHED more at mine. anyway
You'd have thought that he would
have let a,x Mary made fudge. Bu,,
no. He ASKED her to tell him her re-
cipe aud tnen he said that he would
| show her how To make 'em, And they
were creamy, smooth and delicious.
| "Oh. nobody else had look in, lie
| had us all beaten on our specialties
And he was so COMPOUNDED nice ard
| good-natured about it. too. nevar
before was among such miserable
| gloomy lot of folks in all my born days,
L 1,~Axu xghat har / shall ever