Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1908-09-25


union in Louisville she ordered pink
umbrella edged with goldbrowr
stripe.
Patty had always gone everywherl
with her father, but that everywhere
was neither far nor wide, as, with the
exception Of the Lee ball at 'The
White and two trips to Richmond
she had never left the town of Dins
more, where she had first seen the
light. The excitement of making sc
extended trip inclined her to airs
so when she waved her hand from
the back of the train to the crowd oil
devoted swans who had come with
flowers and candy to speed her on hel
way, she rather hurt the feelings OF
Will Rogers, whom she was supposed
20 favor.
AS the train was about rounding a
curve he had run by the car calling:
I've a great mind to get ahead OF
these fellows and meet you in Louis
VILE"
To which she had replied: do you
think would look at you by the side
Of the gallant Kentuckians? If you
know when you are well off you will
stay where you are"
Which retort reused a certain quail
ity in Will that he went home and
packed his valise. Dinsmore was on
the highway and trains were plenty.
Patty's train must needs make so
| tn Nil n
their families that it was late by
two hours. The colonel grew fidgety,
for he was on the program for an an
swer to the first speech of welcome
to the national committee at eight.
AS they left Lexington he looked at
his watch, made calculation, and
announced that by the time he had
taken Patty to the hotel and dressed
himself he would be just one hour
too late.
Arrived in Louisville, he put his
daughter and her belongings into a
coupe and gave minute instructions
and large money to the driver.
"As l engaged the rooms several
days ago, you will have no trouble
whatever" said he as he banged the
carriage door.
When she reached the hotel the
crowd in the lobby was somewhat
confusing, and Patty became trif1e
nervous. A cheerful bellboy piloted
her to the desk, where she registered
in a good vertical hand, and, with an
air that she fancied was nonchalant-
ly cosmopolitan, asked to be shown
to her rooms.
The clerk questioned and investi-
gated and reported that no rooms
had been engaged and that none were
to be had. Patty's looks appealed to
him, and he heard her tale and adj
vised her to go up to one of the par
lors, where her father should be sent
the r!oment he arrived.
Patty entered the very red and
white room and settled herself in a
big armchair near the window, where
the roar of carriages and the buzzing
of many voices fostered meditation,
but prevented slumber. She was
unaware of the lapse of time when she
was suddenly brought to conscious
ness of her surroundings by the en-
trance of string of porters bearing
cots with which they rapidly trans
formed the parlor into a dormitory
and then-Oh, horrors!-an awful man
in the corner actually began taking off
his clothes.
I Patty fled only to bump against
more men in the corridor and more
cots. Making her way back to the
office now swarming with gray coats
she again sought the desk. A strange
clerk listened politely to her tale of
woe. He was certain that her father
had not yet arrived, but as he might
come at any moment he advised her
to stay in sight and-impelled by the
pink cheeks and brown eyes-he even
went so far as to wake sleeping sol
der ana make him vacate his chair.
Tired as Patty was, she was toe for
lorn and nervous to sit still. She was
also embarrassed by the attention she
attracted-so many men all staring.
She left her chair and went over to
less CONSPICUOUS place by the wall. A
little far ther on she spied glass door
ajar and edging her way towards it
found that it led to a dark empty room
containing a row Of chairs shrouded
in white. She chuckled as she found
that here she could escape observa-
ton yet still remain in sight CT the
desk. In she slipped, closing the
glass door and, lifting the sheet,
climbed into one of the chairs.
''Funny place for a dentist" she
said aloud as, settling herself with a
relieved sigh, she fixed her eyes on
the big register distinctly visible on
the clerks desk. AS soon as fami-
liar head bent over that register she
was ready to- come to light. In the
meantime here was soothing darkness
and rest from staring eyes. The chair
offered comfortable reclining posi-
ton with it's cool linen head-rest.
Fatigue dulled her brain and before
she knew it she slept.
She did not see white-jacketed
man come out of the bar-room, open
the door, pull down it's green blind,
lock a safe and stagger away, but,
with the soundness Of tired youth and
health, slept on.
Then came the colonel, holding him
self with extra straightness, flushed
with the success Of his speech. Meet
ing the cast-iron smile OF Clerk Num-
her Thsee he signed his name with a
flourish and asked to be atowh to his
rooms.
"Rooms!" repeated Number Three,
making the word unnecessarily plural,