The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-10

nc had struck rich bunch" and was
insinuatingly police. He agreed 10
carry the whole establishment up to
the hotel, negroes. baggage and our
selves fnot to include hotel bilD and
TO bring us back on Monday morning
for certain fixed sum--or, as he called
1t, "a lump sum- don't recall the
under the impression that 1t was 4
big lump" 1t was paid. however.
to the man. who gave his name as
Leary or Larry. So we disemibarksd
Nt l may use nautical term in this
connection, the ladies going on bus
to the hotel leaving me to see after
the baggage and servants. 1t would
nave been foolish, so we were told. TO
leave our trunks and other things at
the depot until Monday in the democrat
lied condition of affairs. Just chen d
train came up, and san on the plat
form Captain ThomoG it,. college
mate of my brothers He vas on the
staff of General Bragg anl was able
to tell me OF my BROTHER safety after
passing through tho Perryv!lls light.
This was good news indeed. % we had
not heard from him for several weeks.
The hotel was called Montgomery Hall,
and Is far as nay memory serves me.
il was good one. One thing that
of announcing meals. They didn't seem
to have bell or gong. as was Gus
tomary in those days
At dinner, for example. the colored
waiter would come upstairs TO the
first floor. and call out at the top OF
his voice. Dinner ready" and SO. as
he went higher up. the same a!lurins
cry would resound along the corri-
doris. fainter and fainter. as he reached
the top. At the church which we at
tended we met. as its pastor, the son
of former Charleston minister. the
son of Rev. DR.. Petrie. who formerly
had charge of the Huguenot Church
l, was "a Whit" trom the past.
Monday came. the family vera seat
ed on the cars. and | went TO see the
baggage put in found the negro
men and boys Of our party standing
idly by. and the untoaSed baggage
wagon near by. On demanding why
they had not put 1T on tho car. the
driver of tho wagon spoke up and told
me he was waiting to he paid. Why
exclaimed that is all settled! I
made with Mr. Leary an agreement to
have everything hauled and paid him
for IT," This announcement had no
effect on the driver. who replied very
coolly, II don't know nothin' bout Mr..
Leary: only thsse trunks amt comm
off till the moneys paid" The train
was waiting realized / was bun
coed. and so with "A lump" in my
throat. paid him his money and then
lily. who made suitable and voluble
comments
4 Friend in Need,
From Montgomery we went to Mo-
bile. and then to Columbus. Ga At
Columbus we expected additional funds
to carry us on. After a wait of two
or three days our letters came with
credentials to certain MIR
banker. who was TO supply our needs.
We intended to take boat down the
Chattahoochee River to point called.
think. after the name of the river.
and our papers came the very day the
boat was TO sail. So the ladies'. the
dsrkies and the luggage Were sent TO
the steamer. and I started out TO find
Mr. When | got to his office
was told he was seriously i'll a home.
Spurred by the exigencies of the case,
! hurried off to find his house. The
door was opened by an elderly lady,
Mrs When / announce my
errand she became quite nervous,
thought and as she stood before me,
folding and unfolding her hands, she
said oh, you can't see Mr.. --. He
is too i'll to be disturbed on business"
] then assured her of my regret a an
moving him, explained the situation,
suggested that he. probably, had eX-
pected to see me. II ended in my being
ushered into his bedroom where
found him propped UP in bed. He
called for his writing desk, handed
me check. and with II I went to the
bank The teller looked at the face
of the check, then at the back, while
he drummed on the counter with his
fingers for a moment This seemed to
imply hesitate n II not doubt He
then stepped over to the bookkeeper.
and with their heads bent over a
ledger, they conversed for few min
utes.
The result was that in short time
the check wns slid over the marble
counter towards me. wiiA that gentle,
yet firm motion which teliers adopt
when a paper is y. c.. with the iaruiic
explanation: NO funds" This VAS
like bombsheN bursting over MY
head bit without pausing to express
surprise hurried back to poor MIR.
AS FASTENED along the street
could see in the distance g ol3ck
column OF smoke curling gracefully
from the steamers funnel, warn.ng
me that she was getting ready TO :ail.
When I presented myself sccond
time al Mr.. -'s door, his wife gave
me look which said very Iiainly:
You here again." But had salts
factory interview with him, and after
showing and expressing concern at
the annoyance l had experienced,
which he assured me was mistake
at the bank. lie gave me check on
another hank, whicn proved TO be
o. X, and examining the mon-y into
my pocket | was soon on tie boat.
Down the River
1t was the smallest boat have ever
seen. ard. coming as we DID from me
Mississippi River. on which wer= large
and elegant steamers fthey were
called floating palaces" in those
days., the one we were now on seemed
almost like toy. The river was lower
than 1t had been for many vear5. and
when | expressed somc concern for
the small size and frailty of the little
steamer, the purser coz ,o;ei me by
remarking that If we should iappen
to go to the bottom iva wouldn't
have far to go!''