Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-07-19


1.-THE name, if you please?"
"Ryanne; spelled R-y-a double-n g.
SIave you ever been in County Clare?"
mo, sir" The manager added a
question with the uplift of his eye
brows.
WELL" was the enlightening an
swer, 'you pronounce it as they do
there"
The manager scanned the little slip
of paper in his hand. "Ah, yes; we
have reserved a room for you, sir.
The French style rather confused me. "
This was not offered in irony, or sar-
casm, or satire; mining in Swiss
brain for the saving grace of humor
is about as remuneratiye. as the eX-
traction of gold from sea-water. New
ertheless, the Swiss has the talent Of
swiftly subtracting from a confusion
Of ideas one point Of illumination:
there was q quality to the strangers
tone that decided him favorably. II
vas the voice of man in the habit
of being obeyed; and in these days it
was the power Of money alone that
obtained obedience to any man. Be
yond this, the same nebulous cogita-
ton that had subdued the Arabs out
side acted likewise upon him. Here
was brother.
"Mail?"
81 will see, SIR" The manager SUM-
moned porter. Groom 2OS."
The porter caught up the somewhat
collapsed kit-bag, which had in all evt-
dence received some rough usage in
It's time, and reached toward the roll
Mr.. Ryanne interposed.
II will see to that, my man." terso-
ly.
YES, sir"
Where is your guest-llst?" dc.
manded Mr.. Ryanne Of tho manager.
"The head-porter's bureau, sir. 1
will see 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. RI
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. Mr.
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,
and again he smiled, having discov-
cred that which sent a ripple across
his sleeping sense Of amusement. Ma
jor Callahan, room zoe; Fortune Ched-
soye, 2O5; George P. A. Jones, 210.
"Hm! 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 a voice low and not TN
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 mute]y
for the benefit Of the other, he per-
mitted his eyes to open their widest.
"Tut, tut; that's alright, porter. I
am cursed with the habit Of speaking
my inmost 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 las 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 metaphorcally
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"
mo" Mr.. Ryanne smiled. Shall
I pay for my room in advance?"
ooh, no, sir!" Ten years ago the
manager would have blushed at hay
ing been so misunderstood. "YouT
room is 2OS."
"Will you have boy show me the
way?"
81 shall myself attend to that. II
the room is not what you wish it
/ may be exchanged"
"Tte room is the one telegraphed
for. I am superstitious to degree
On three boats have had fine state
rooms numbered 20S. Twice the nun
Der of my hotel room has been the
same. On the last voyage there were
EOS passengers, and the captain had
made 2OS voyages on the Mediterra
nean."
"Quite coincident."
"Ah, if roulette could be played witt
| -,,oh q oortoiptyp