The Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1903-1909, 1906-08-28

| COCK he came down fresh and pinl
! IRON breakfast, read his mail in tn,
| cpmf0rtaDl bic seclusion OF the writinl
room, dictated the answers to his let
| terSs 70 the hotel stenographer, lit {
| ireSh cigar at the cigar stand, and ther
Gull business cares were brushed aside
aud he repaired with sprightly step;
to the bar, where he seated himselt
in a iarorite corner and began the Sc
nous occupation of the day by order
ms I Sent!eman's drink OF whisky.
Oth9r 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
stage Of mellowness that developed
rare play OF rich and spicy wit
1t was beneath the manhood of The
major to approach the dining
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
purp0seless existence Many were the
tales Of his generosity. When Dab,
the ola head porter, was laid up with
rheumatism. it was the major who Wis
tied him in his little howell of 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 lump Of girl, as round
as a pigeon, with frank, brown eyes
that seemed to challenge respect and
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 it
was hard to keep from becoming con-
fdential with her at the very first in
teryiew
Almost from the first, the sharp OBJ
servers among the freQuenters of the
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. CAS-
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
ets, size said.
Very pretty" replied the major, fol-
owing her glance, and then they went |
IN with their work
The next morning a neighboring or
SITS boy placed a fine bunch of Eng
ish beauties in the little bud ase
hat had been Miss McFee's, on Miss
desk, and morning after
morning this was repeated.
After the morning dictation during
me OF the little chats which the ma
or had come to allow himself, Miss
one day expressed a very ad-
'erse opinion about the men who
lrauK and were fast"
This speech had a marked effect
lpon the major
The very next day, after his business
outline, the major left forwarding
address, with the clerk on duty and
registered out. His absence was no
iced Immediately in the bar, and in
Iuiries were made of the clerk
A month--two months passed, and
till the major had not returned to his
Id corner in the Windsor bar. The
My Inark of his long residence at the
ote was the little bunch of fresh VIC
cts which daily adorned Miss Mitch
IFS desk
One day, as unheraded as had beer
is departure, the major returned to
be Windsor. His complexion was
hitter and his eyes We're clearer, 9TH
rwise he was the same old major,
areless, lively and jovial.
He dictated his letters to Miss
Iitchell as usual the next morning,
ut it was observed and marked with
luch special notice that he did not
blow his old habit of turning toward
he bar Immediately thereafter. In
tead of this, he stepped into a big
that stood at the door, and ,
yas away in a trice. He became
evotee of this big machine. A large
ortlon of the day he gave himself to /
lns and tours. Sometimes he car I
ed friend or two with him on these :
but they were rarely any {
f his old friends of the bar
At least once he asked Miss Mitch
4 tn ride with him but she met the ,