Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-06-25

"You will be right over the billiard
room," he said. opening a door which
led into beautifully lighted room on
the east side. standing in the center Of
which was a large. canopied bed. "lf
you care for billiards." he continued.
II will wager that Ellen can give you
ten points and beat you out. And now,
sir, we have dinner at 6 o'clock, for
Bud likes to have his dinner when b
comes from the field instead Of In tho
middle of the day, as he says he feels
more like gentleman. Until then.
DIR, l hope you rest WELL"
had not asked the question betors.
but now summoned tho courage .
say:
Colonel, there is one little thing I
should like to have settled. Business
10 business, you know" l said, laugh.
ing, for did not Like the look Of dig
nifty he suddenly assumed at the men,
hon Of business. I'm justice to both
Of US l ought to ask you how much
will be my board by the week"
Had General Oglethorpe himself aris-
en- to confront the colonel l do not
think he could have shown more sur.
prise than he did at my simple ques-
ton. He drew himself up with dig
nifty which was truly commanding,
and, speaking In a suppressed voice, he
asked me:
when have the Turpins adopted the
custom of taking money from their
guests, l beg you to tell me, sir2 II
you were not a kinsman Of my dear
friends, the Palmers, would at once
show you the door"
l stood covered with confusion. II
humbly beg your pardon If l have Of.
Tended you, colonel. and l am greatly
mortified to have so deeply wounded
you, but until this moment I thought
you had been kind enough to receive
me as d boarder, l felt grateful enough
for that, and you should not put me
under obligations which can never re-
pay and which l have no right to &C.
cept But you yourself are somewhat
to blame" l added quickly, for I saw
that he was still deeply offended. "You
told me that might get board in one
Of the farmhouses and Immediately
offered me tho hospitality Of your
roof"
1.-THE Turpins are not farmers, SIR;
they are planters, and II we have to
cook our own meals we serve them
with no less degree of hospitality than
when a niger stood at each door at
the beck and call Of everybody in the
ROOM"
Colonel Turpin, hope you will fol.
give me my stupid blunder or else let
me leave your house at once"
His face relented into a smile, and.
extending his hand, he grasped mine.
AS you say, Lad, am not blameless
In the matter. But we are getting a
little sensitive down here. And now
forget all about it, and, what is more,
don't ever mention It to Ellen or to
Bud, for they would think their old
father had been lacking in dignity, else
q mistake Of this kind were impos.
Gble."
When he left me l fell a prey to Ne
grets over my stupid blunder and, what
seemed worse, my apparent deception
concerning the relationship with the
Kentucky Palmers. As long % l
thought I was going to 60 to an inn Of
some kind or to pay my board I had
not thought it worth while to explain
tho mistake into which the colonel had
fallen. l felt it to be too late now to
confess that in all likelihood there was
no kinship at all or. If any, 90 remote
% to form no ties Of blood and Ger
tainly not to earn for me any consider
alton on that score. Feeling like a
eulprit, l threw myself on the bed, de-
termined to leave the Pines at the flrst
moment l could do so without Offend
ing my kind old host
When the pickaninny, Sam, knocked
at my door to tell me that dinner was
served he found me prepared to do
Justice to anything in the way Of food
which might be placed before me. l
had been travelling all day, to all in
tents and purposes without anything
10 eat. While anxious to satisfy my
hunger, yet it was with some feeling