The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1909-08-24


mixture Of respect and paternalism;
and Skiddy. not TO be behindhand. and
dazzled. besides, by his elders marked
regard and friendship, threw wide the
consular door and constantly pressed
on Satterlee the hospitality OF cot
on the back yeranda.
The little consul had never known
such a man; he had never heard such
talk; he had never before realized the
extent and splendor OF the world
Sitting in the cabin OF the Southern
Belle, often far into the night. he
would give rapt attention to this ex-
traoriinary being who had done
everything and seen everything. Paris,
London. Constantinople, New York.
all were as familiar TO Satterlee as the
palm OF his hand, and he had the
storytelling gift that can throw a
glamor over the humblest incident
II is sad commentary on human
nature that ii is 80 easily deceived. A
glib tongue. an attractive manner, d
few hundred dollars thrown carelessly
about, and presto, you have the coun-
terfeit of Cecil Rhodes We are not
only willing to take people at their
own valuation. but are ever ready to
multiply that valuation by ten. OBJ
frnde romance-rich, stirring romance
Into the lives of commonplace peo-
pie and they instantly lose their
heads. Romance, more than cupidity,
is what attracts the gold-brick in
yestor.
OF course Satterlee was poser,
fraud, a liar; the highest type of liar:
the day dreaming, well-read, genuine
ly inventive. highly imaginative. low
ng-itfor-its-own-sake liar. But to
Skiddy every word he said was gospel
true. He never doubted the captain
for an instant. Life grew richer to
him. stranger and more wonderful. 1t
was like a personal distinction--a
medal. or the thanks OF congress-
that Satterlee should thus have sin
gled him out His gratitude was un.
bounded. He felt both humble and
elated. His cup was brimming over.
AS the time began to draw near for
the monthly mail from San Francisco
Satterlee got restless and talked re-
gretfully OF leaving. He gave a great
z. p. G. bargain day on board the
Southern Belle, where sandwiches and
bottled beer were served 10 all corners
and goods changed hands at ar.onish-
Ing prices; coal oil at one seventy-five
a case; hundrcd-pound kegs OF beef at
four dollars: turkey-red ectton at six
cents a yard; square face at 30 cents
bottle, and similar cuts in all the
standard commodities. There was no
custom house in those days and you
were free to carry everything ashore
unchallenged, A matter OF so tons
must have been landed all round the
bench; and the pandemonium at the
gangway, the crush and jostle In the
trade room. and the steady hoisting
out OF fresh merchandise from the
main hold made a very passable
South Sea initiation OF a New York
department store At any rate there
was the same loss OF temper, the
same harassed expression on the
faces Of the purchasers. and the same
diificulty in getting change AS like
As not you had to take 1.-THE change
lin the form OF Jews harps, screw
eyes. or anything small and handy
that happened to be near by. 1t was
the most lightning performance Apia
mad ever witnessed, and the captain
carried II on in a brisk. smiling way,
as though II was the best joke in the
world and he was only doing 1t all for
fun.
Unfortunate captain! Unhappy des-
tiny that brought in the mail cutter