Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-05-21

IL was past 1HlQulSuI, anu luo
Cormopolis club was rapidly filling up
with refugees, from cafe, bar, and
restaurant, emptied by stern decree.
that London might wear fictious ap-
pearance of nocturnal responsibility.
Two young men dropped into the
red-leather armchairs which give such
a pleasant note Of colour to the other
wise uninteresting smoking-room OF
that particular club.
| lawful rot, being turned out this
way" muttered the younger of the
two men, an eager, restless youth, OF
| about twenty-one, whose light, wavy
hair, reddish-brown eyes, and pink
complexion, were slightly out of keep
ing with his robust, athletic figure.
'Horrid BORE" drawled his com.
panion, an older man, with dark,
finely chiselled face, which suggested
the asceticism of exhausted enthus-
iasm. 81 suppose now-they wouldn't
do it to you in New York;
t'Not much Not while you have
any money in your clothes. New York
may have its faults, but early closing
isn't one Of them
How nice!-how very NIGEL" muir
INJURED the cider man. .'Fancy being
able to go to bed as early as you
like"
"As early?" queried his companion.
eyes; as early. You don't suppose
stay up late because it amuses me?
1t Is a protest against being sent to
bed; habit one gets into as a child,
yon know"
The younger man, whose sense OF
| hyv rncrNroiyyn 1onohod
What do you say to drink, Ances-
| teri?
"All right. vandraken," yawned the
other, stretching himself YEARLY. 81
am not in the least thirsty, but I'll
take drink-only from a solemn
sense of duty, though. Part of the
protest, you know"
you are as blase as the Sphinx
observed Vandraken, getting up and
ringing the bell. II don't believe
there Is anything in the world you
really want"
Only to be let alone. am a
passive exister," he added.
Vandraken signalled across the
room to the waiter, who had entered
apd was trying to decidedly pro-
cess of thought reading peculiar to
his professton-who might have rung
for him. Waiter, have you a wine.
list?"
"wine-list, sir? No, sir-but I'll
fetch one, sir"
He succeeded admirably In suppress.
ing the surprise he felt at being ask.
ed for wine-list in the smoking room
after midnight.
mo; never mind, waiter. Just a
bottle Of the most expensive wine in
the club"
Red or white, STRIP asked the
waiter, imperturbably.
"Oh, don't care. Bring both
That's the best way, isn't it, Ances'
teri"
"I'll take whiskey-and-soda, if you
don't mind
And whiskey- and-soda, waiter"
"Whiskey-and-soda!' muttered Van
draken, resentfully, as soon as the
waiter had departed. "Whiskey-and
soda! You're a nice sort Of chap tc
celebrate the possession Of two hun
dred million dollars With"
I'm only spectator, my dear fel
low. insist on being regarded as a
spectator. I have exhausted all my
emotions when very young. Why,
even know the sensation Of ordering
the most expensive wine in the place
and then swallowing my disappoint
ment instead of the wine-because
that was corked The best Of every
thing is all right, but in my experience
the very best is no good. Wine
women, even-art, beyond certain
| poipt-they get corked."
! Vandraken shifted uneasily in his
seat. "And men?" he said. "How
| about men---the very best of menu"
"They only exist In the imagination
Of the most optimistic of women Why
some day, some girl will take me tt
husband. She will know I'm an earl
and she will think I'm rich, also
young
"And devilish good-looking.'
Thank you. And devilish good
best. But when she opens me she
will find I'm fiat and staie-in fact
corked.''
The younger man made an impa
tient gesture. your line OF talk Is
rather depressing, Ancestor; makes {
fellow think of those before and after
pictures.
A silence followed Vandraken's re
mark, which, however, was not with
out truth, for Sta1l1ish Vandraken hat
all the eagerpess and enthusiasm of +;
man about to enter palace of revelr,
and delight, as though he could hardl.
wait for the door to swing open ant
!, admit him to all its pictured splen
] dours. Lord Ancestor bad the face o
the reveller from whose tired hands
the wine-cup had fallen; who has dis
covered that delight may be pursued
but never captured; whose eyes ar
dazed by the lights which once da2
zled them.
He suggested an ascetic rather thai
roue, and was more attractive thai
yandraken, about whose fresh fac
there was certain righteousness o
the flesh, which was only saved iron
repelling because it was associates