The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1912-07-04

collapsed kit-bag, which had In all ~
dence received some rough usage In
its time, and reached toward the ron.
Mr.. Ryanne interposed.
II will see to that, my man. ter1o.
~.
Yes, sir"
Where is your guest-list?" de-
manded Mr.. .Ryanne Of the manager.
"The head-porter's bureau, sir.
will SEQ If you have any mail" Tho
manager passed into his own bureau.
1t was rather difficult to tell whether
this man was an American or an Eng
lishman. His accent was western, but
his manner was decidedly British. At
any rate, that tone and carriage must
be Fashioned by good English sover-
eigns, or for once his judgment was
at fault.
The porter dashed upstairs. Me-.
Ryanne, his bundle still snug under
his arm, sauntered over to the head
porter's bureau and ran his glance up
and down the columns of visiting
cards. Once he nodded with approval.
ana again he smiled. having discov-
cred that which sent a ripple across
his sleeping sense of amusement Ma
jor Callahan, room 2O6; Fortune Ched-
soye, 205; George P. A. Jones, 210.
Him! the Major smells of County
Antrim and the finest whisky in all
the isle. Fortune Chedsoye; that is a.
pleasing name; tinkling brooks, the
waving green grasses in the mead
ows, the kline in the water, the fleet
ing shadows under the oaks; a pas.
toral, bucolic name. To claim For
tune for mine own; happy thought"
As he uttered these poesy express
sions aloud, in voice low and not un-
pleasing, for all that it was banter
ing, the head-porter stared at him with
mingling doubt and alarm; and as if
to pronounce these emotions mutely
for the benefit of the other, he per-
mitted his eyes to open their widest.
, "Tut, tut; that's alright, porter.
am cursed with the habit Of speaking
my Utmost thoughts. Some persons
! are afflicted with insomnia; some fall
asleep in church; think orally. Beast
! ly habit, eh?"
The porter then understood that he
was dealing not with a species of
mild lunacy, but with that kind of
light-hearted cynicism upon which
the world Gas porters know it, had set
/ its approving seal. In brief, he smiled
family; and if he had any pleasantly
to pass in turn, the approach Of the
manager, now clothed metaphorically
in deferentialism, relegated it to
the limbo of things thought but left
! unsaid.
Here is letter for you, Mr.. Ry-
anne. Have you any more luggage?"
"No." Mr.. Ryanne smiled. "Shall
pay for my room in advance?"
ooh, no, sir!" Ten years ago the
manager would have blushed at hav-
/ ing been so misunderstood. "Your
room is 208."
"Will you have q boy show me the
way"
II shall myself attend to that. If
the room is not what you wish it
may be exchanged"
"The room is the one I telegraphed
for. I am superstitious to degree.
On three boats have had fine state
rooms numbered 2O8. Twice the mum.
Der of my hotel room has been the
same. On the last voyage there were.
208 passengers, and the captain had
made 208 voyages on the Mediterra.
nean."
"Quite coincident"
"Ah, if roulette could be played with.
such certainty"
Mr.. Ryanne sighed, hitched up his
bundle, which, being heavy, was begin
ming to wear upon his arm, and signi-
fed to the manager to lead the way.
AS they vanished round the corner
to the lift, the head-porter studied the
guest-list. He had looked over it a
dozen times that day, but this was the
first instance Of his being really in
terested in it. AS his chin was fresh
1y shaven he had no stubble to stroke
to excite his mental processes; so
he fell back, as we say, upon the con-