The Irish standard., 1912-10-19

he added to the bitter-eyed merchant
1.-THE Oriental is like the amateur fish.
erman; truth is not in him. You seem
to be keen judge" as they moved
away from the booth.
II suppose it's because I'm inor
dinately fond of the things. I've really
q good collection of Bokhara EN-.
broideries at home in New York"
"You live in New York;" with mild
interest. The Major sat down and
graciously motioned for George to do
the same. II used to live there; twen
ty-odd years ago. But European travel
spoils America; the rush there, the
hurry, the clamor. Over here they
dine, there they eat. There's as much
difference between those two perform.
ances as there is between The Mikado
and Florodora. From Portland in
Maine to Portland in Oregon, the same
dress, same shops, same ungodly high
buildings. Here it is different, at the
end Of every hundred miles,"
George agreed conditionally. (The
Major wasn't very, original in his
views.) He would have shed his last
drop Of blood for his native land, but
he was honest in acknowledging her
faults.
Conversation idled in various chan
nels, and finally became anchored at
Jewels. Here the Major was at home,
and he loved emeralds above all 9th
or stones. He proved to be an engag-
ing old fellow, had circled the globe
three or four times, and had had an
adventure or two worth recounting.
And when he incidentally mentioned
his niece, George wanted to shake his
hand.
Would Mr.. Jones join him with a
peg to sleep on? Mr.. Jones certainly
would. And after mutual health,
aeorge automatically excused himself,
;etired, buoyant and happy. How SIM
1e the affair had been! A fellow
Aculd do anything If only he set his
nind to It, Tomorrow he would meet
Fortune Chedsoye, and may Beelzebub
shrive him If he could not manage to
control his recalcitrant tongue.
As he passed out Of sight, Major
Callahan smiled. It was that old IA
miliar smile which, charged with gen.
tie mockery, we send after departing
fools. It was plain that he needed
another peg to keep company with the
drst, for he rose and gracefully wend-
ed his way downstairs to the bar. Two
men were already leaning against the
friendly, inviting mahogany. There
NJ o1op
Ing between their glasses. The Major
ordered temperate whisky and soda,
drank it, frowned at the magnum, paid
the reckoning, and went back upstairs
again.
Don't remember old friends. eh?'
said the shorter Of the two men,
caressing his incarnadined proboscis.
"A smile wouldn't have hurt him any,
do you think?"
"Shut up!" admonished Ryanne
'You know the orders; no recognition
on the public foors."
e'Why, l meant no HARM" the other
protested. He took a swallow of wine.
"But, dash it! here I am, more'n four
thousand miles from old Broadway,
and still walking blind. When is the
show to start?"
mot so loud, old boy. You've got to
have patience. You've had some good
pickings for the past three months,
in the smoke.rooms. That ought to
soothe you"
"Well, it doesn't. Here come from
New York, three months ago. with q
wad of money for you and great
game in sight. 1t takes a week to find
you, and when do Well, you
know. No sooner are you awake. than
what? OF you go to Bagdad, on the
widest goose-chase man ever heard
of. And that leaves me with nothing
to do and nobody to talk to. l could
have cried yesterday when / got your
letter saying you'd be in today"
'Well, got it."
'The rug?"
Eyes. 1t was wild; but after what
I'd been through needed something
Wild to STEADY nv nerves: some bis