The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-05-22
By BOOTH HARRINGTON and
 HARRY LEON WILSON

| Frenchwoman patted her shoulder re- l assuringly.
 Immediately following the servitor came Pike, the same self possessed Pike. clad in a linen duster and a straw hat that was decorated with | bright ribbon. If there was anything | distinctive about him it was his scarf, l which was of that type known as | Windsor and much affected by artists | in the east and every one in the west. He carried a towel with him and dropped it in one hand as he glanced | about.
 "Lawr' he observed. startled, but amused. "I didn't know there were folks here. Reckon you'll have to e1- cuse me. Here, sonv' he called, toss- | ing the towel into Michele's hands and ! walking over to the table. Hawcastle, Lady Creech and Horace stared unbe- | Hevingly. Ethel hid her face, with an- other little shudder, as Pike, without removing his dust coat, sat down oppo- | site the German.
 You are a true patriot" laughed Won Grollerhagen. You allow no pro- | fane hand to cook your national dish. trust you will be as successful with | that wicked motor of mine" Plke laugneQ nearCuy. Lord bless your soul, doc, I've put a self binder together after a pony en- ] zine had bucked it halfway through brick depot" said Pike genially, | tucking his napkin inside the collar of and eggs. At the table where sat the sions of pafned agony. Al,, university, then?" went on Won Grol- | lerhagen. 'Is it not SOP" "Universityi' returned Pike. "Not much! On the old mans farm" Hawcastle turned at once to Horace. without any dfsrespect to you. my dear fellow. what terrific bounders l most of your fellow countrymen arev' Horace mentally writhed under the yelled taunt. but turned quickly with | an assent in effect. "Do you wonder that sis and I have | emancipated ourselves?" he asked, and the noble earl, with a softened glance as he thought of the dollars, replied
 blandly. 'Not at all, my dear boy" and turned once more to his paper. Von Grollerhagen glanced at the three with slight amusement and held out the caviare to Pike.
 "Can I persuade you to try one of my national dishes," he asked-"ca- viare?''
 "Cavfare?" replied Pike. eve heard of it, but thought it was Russian" 'It is also German" answered the other, recovering himself from the start he had given. twill you notP Daniel looked him straight in the eye quizzically.
 "Pd never get into the legislature again if any of the boys heard of it, ,''
 he remarked, "but I guess Pm far enough from home to take a few chances"
 Quite slowly and hesitatingly he placed some of the caviare in his mouth and then turned a vacant and pained look upon the German. The latter smiled and observed quickly: "You do not like it? I am sorry. Here! A taste of the vodka will de stroy the caviare.''
 Mariana quickly filled a glass and passed it to Daniel. who seized it ea- gerly. This time he sat bolt upright in the chair and exhibited real dis tress. Then he quickly seized another forkful of the caviare and ate it hur riedly.
 ''But I thought you did not like the caviare:" said the German.
 Daniel breathed quickly for an in- stant, and the flush died from his face.
 That was to take away the taste of the vodka" he said weakly, and Won Grollerhagen lifted his head and laughed heartily.
 'T lift my hat to you, my friend" he l~s,~ s-lI--
 You never worked ons farm, did you, doc?" he asked, and the German admitted that such pleasure had been denied him.
 'I guess that's right" went on Dan Tel refectively. Talk about things to drink. Harvest time and the women folks coming out from the house with two gallon jug of ice cold butter milk
 Horace shuddered convulsively, and Won Grollerhagen asked:
 ''You still enjoy those delights?"
 ''Not since I moved up to our county seat and began to practice law, ten years ago." Pike answered Things don't taste the same in the city"
 ''Then you do not like your city?"
 Like it! Why, sir, for public build tngs and architecture I wouldn't trade our state insane asylum for the worst ruined ruin in Europe-not for hygiene and real comfort'
 And your people"
 ''The best on earth. Why, out my way folks are neighborsp'
 Horace rattled his paper sharply and glanced angrily at the disturber of his harmony. The GerInan went on.
 But you have no leisure class" he objected, and Daniel smiled.
 We've got a pretty good sized col ored population" he replied.
 The German lifted his hand protest ingly.
 "1 mean no aristocracy-no great old families such as we have, that go back to the middle ages"
 Pike laughed seriously, if one might ina zine such a thing and returned ip-