The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-05-19
CHAPTER x.
Mixed Duties.

Mixed Duties.
Most women forgive liberty rather
than a slight Cotton.
When l crossed the White House
grounds and found my way to the spot
where l had left my horse, l discov-
cred my darky boy lying on his back,
fast asleep under a tree, the bride
reins hooked over his upturned foot
/ wakened him, took the reins and
was about to mount, when at the mo-
ment heard my name called
Turning, l saw emerge from the
door of Gautier's little cafe, across
the street, the tall figure of an erst-
while friend of mine, Jack cambridge
OF Tennessee, credited with being the
youngest member in the house of rep
resentatives at Nashington-and
credited with little else.
cambridge had been taken I'D by
friends of Jackson and Polk and car
ried into congress without much plan
or objection on either side. Since his
arrival at the capital he had been
present at few roll-calls, and had voted
on fewer measures. His life was
given up in the main to one spe-
cialty, to-wit: the compromising of a
certain beverage, invented by himself,
the constituent parts of which were
bourbon whisky, absinthe, square-faced
gin and dash of eau de vie.
Jack cambridge, it may be said. was
originally possessed of a splendid con-
stitution. Nearly six feet TALL his full
and somewhat protruding eye was as
yet only a trifle watery, his wide lip
only a trifie loose, his strong figure
only trif1e portly Socially he had been
well received in our city, and during
his stay east of the mountains he had
found occasion to lay desperate suit
to the hand of none other than Miss
Elizabeth Churchill We had been
rivals, although not enemies; for Jack,
finding which way the wind sat for
him, withdrew like a man, and cher
ished no ill will. When l saw him
now, a sudden idea came to me, so
that crossed the street at his invita-.
ton.
Jack" l exclaimed, grasping him
by the shoulder, you are the man
want You are the friend that l need
the very one
Certainly, certainly" he said; but
please do not disarrange my cravat
Will you have Dream with me? l
construct them now with three addi-
tional squirts of the absinthe." He
locked his arm in mine.
You may have Dream" said /;
"but for me, l need all my head to-
day. In short, need both our heads
as we'll"
Jack was already rapping with the
head of his cane upon the table, to call
an attendant, but he turned to me.
What is the matter? Lady, this
timer"
1.-TWO of them"
Indeed? One apiece, eh?'
None apiece, perhaps. In any case,
you lose"
Then the names-or at least one?"
l flushed bit in spite of myself
You know Miss Elizabeth Churchill?"
He nodded gravely. And about the
other LADY,"
Il cannot tell you much about her"
said 1; Il have but little knowledge
myself l mean the Baroness Won Ritz.
| l must be quick. l have in my pos.
session-on the bureau in my little
room at my quarters in Browns hotel
"a slipper which the baroness gave
me last night-a white satin slipper"
Jack finished the remainder of his
| glass at a gulp. Good Cod" he re-
| marked.
Quite right" retorted holly. "Ac-
cuse me! Anything you like! But
60 to this address with it, scrawled
on a piece of paper and thrust it at
him-"then get carriage and hasten
to Elmhurst drive, where it turns in
| at the road Wait for me there, just
before six"
He sat looking at me with amuse-
ment and amazement both upon his
face, as l went on:
| Listen to what am to do in the
| meantime. First l go post-haste to
! Mr.. Calhoun's office. Then l am to
| take his message, which will send me
| to Canada, tonight. After / have my
orders 1 hurry back to Browns and
dress for my wedding"
The glass in his hand dropped to
| the floor in splinters.
your wedding?"
| "Yes, Miss Elizabeth and / con-
| cluded this very morning not to wait.
would ask you to help me as my
best man, if dare"
you do dare" said he. You're all
a-fluster. Go on; I'll get parson-
how'll Dr. Halford do?-and I'd take
care of the license for you if could
| Cad! sorry it's not my own"
you are the finest fellow in the
world, Jack. / have only one thing
more to ask'I pointed to the splin-
tered glass upon the floor Don't
| get another"
"Of course not, of course mott" he
| expostulated. His voice was just
| trifle thickened. We left now togeth-
er for the license clerk, and intrusted
the proper document in my friends
hands. An instant later l was out