The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-03-10


a bunch and things are on the program
to happen TO them
I'VE three we're sitting at table II
the cantina of the Purified Saints
Mellinger poured out wine, and wal
looking some worried; / was thinking
They're a sharp crowd he says
kind of fretful They're capitalized
by a foreign syndicate after rubber
and they're loaded to the muzzle fol
bribing. I'm sick, goes on Mellinger
of comic opera / want to smell Eas
River and wear suspenders again. A
times / feel like throwing up my Job
but I'm d-n fool enough 10 be sort
OF proud of Il. There's MelllngeF,
they say here, "Por Diosl you CAM
touch him with a million" I'd like
to take that record back and show II
TO Billy Renfrow some day and that
tightens my grip whenever / see a fat
thing that l could corral just by wink
ing one eye-and losing my graft.
'Mellinger appears shaky, and
breaks his glass against the neck OF
the bottle.
Il says 10 myself, White man, If I'm
not mistaken there's been a bait laid
out where the tail of your eye could
see IT,
THAT night according to arrange
ments, me and Henry took the phon.
ograph to a room in a dobe house in
a dirty side street, where the grass
was knee high. Twas a long room,
lit with smoky oil lamps. There was
plenty of chairs and table at the
back end.
'By and by the invitations to the
musicale came sliding in by pairs and
threes and spade fiushes. Their color
was of a diversity running from a
three days smoked meerschaum to a
patent leather polish. They were as
polite as wax, being devastated with
enjoyments to give Senior Mellinger
the good evenings. l understood their
Spanish talk-I ran pumping engine
two years in a Mexican silver mine,
and had it pat-but never let on.
Maybe fifty of 'em had come, and
seated, when in slid the king bee, the
governor of the district. Mellinger
met him at the door, and escorted him
to the stand. When l saw that Latin
man | knew that Mellinger, private
secretary, had all the dances on his
card taken. That was a big, squashy
man, the color of rubber overshoe,
and he had an eye like head walters
"Mellinger explained, fluent, in the
Castilian idioms, that his soul was
disconnected with Joy at introducing
to his respected friends Americas
greatest invention, the wonder of the
age. Henry got the cue and run on
an elegant Grassland record and the
festivities became initiated. The gov.
ernor man had bit of English under
his hat, and when the music was
choked off he says:
'Ver-r-ree fine. Gr-r-r-r-racias, the
American gentlemen, the so esplen-
deed moosic as to playee.'
"The table was long one, and
Henry and me sat at the end of it
next the wall The governor sat at
the other end. Homer P. Mellinger
stood at the side of it. | was Just
how Mellinger was going
to handle his crowd, when the home
talent suddenly opened the services.
That governor man was. suitable
for uprisipgs and policies Judge he
was ready kind of man, who took |
his own time.
"Do the American senors under.
stand Spanish?
They do not, says Mellinger.
Then listen, goes on the Latin |
man prompt. The musics are of suf-
fcient prettiness, but not of necessity.
Let us speak of business. we'll know
why we are here, since I observe my
You had a whisper yes
terday, Senior Mellinger, of our pro.
posals. Tonight we will speak out.
We know that you stand in the presi.
dents favor, and we know your in
1uence. The government will be
changed. We know the worth of your
We esteem your friendship
md aid so much'-Mellinger raises his
land, but the governor man bottles
lim up. Do not speak until l haveI
lone.
THE governor man then draws a
package wrapped in paper from his
pocket, and lays it on the table by
Iellinger's hand.
In that you will find one hundred
thousand dollars in money of your
.euntry. You can do nothing against
is, but you can be worth that for us.
10 back to the capital and obey our
Instructions. Take that money now.
We trust you You will find with it
'aper giving in detail the work you
viii be expected to do for us. Do not
ave the unwiseness to refuse
Henry stopped and got a record
rom the basketful we'd brought, slid
in the phonograph, and started off.
was a cornet solo, very neat and
eautiful, and the name of it was
Home, Sweet Home Not one of
hem fifty-odd men in the room moved {
'hile it was playing, and the governor /
IAN kept his eyes steady on Mellin-
er. | saw Mellingers head go up lit
e by little, and his hand came creep
lg away from the package. Not un-
! the last note sounded did anybody s
tir And then Homer p Mellinger {
axes up the bundle of Doodle and
lams it in the governor mans face. /
" That's my answer, says Mellinger,
rivate secretary, and therell be an