Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-07-05

collapsed kit-bag, which had in an evi.
dence received some rough usage in
Its time, and reached toward the roll.
Mr.. Ryanne interposed.
i will see to that, my man." terse-
ly.
"Yes, sir"
Where is your guestlist?" de-
manded Mr.. Ryanne of the manager.
The head-porter's bureau, sir. I
Will see If you have any mail" The
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. Mr..
Ryanne, bis 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 q ripple across
bic sleeping sense Of amusement. Ma.
jor Callahan. room i0s; Fortune Ched-
soye. 205; George P. A. Jones, 80.
HIN! the Major smells Of County
Antrim and the finest. whisky In all
the Isle. Fortune Chedsoye; that 10 q
pleasing name; tinkllng brooks, the
waving green grasses In the mead.
ovs. the kline In the water, the aeet.
Ing shadows under the oaks; a pas
toral, Z bucolic name. To claim For.
tune for mine own; Z happy thought"
A he uttered these poeiy sxpres-
sions aloud, In q voice low and not un-
pleasing, for all that It was banter.
Ing, the head.porter stared at him with
minsling doubt and alarm; and a. II
to pronounce these emotions mutsly
for the benefit Of the other, he per.
mitted his eyes to open their widest.
Tut, tut; that's alright, porter. |
fam-cursed With lie habit ;othspesking
my Utmost thoughts. Some persons
are affiicted 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
hght-heartsd cynicism upon which
the world (as porters know it) had ret
Ito approving seal. In brief, he smiled
family; and II 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 a letter for you, Mr.. Ry.
anne. Have you any more luggage ?"
NO" Mr.. Ryanne smiled. Shall
pay for my room in advance?"
"Oh, no, sir!" Ten years ago the
manager would have blushed at hav-
ing been so misunderstood. "Your
room is 2OS."
will you have . boy show me the
way%
Il shall myself attend to that. II
the room is not what you wish II
may be exchanged"
The room Is the one ! telegraphed
for. / am superstitious to a degree.
On three boats. have had fine state
rooms numbered POS. Twice the mum.
Der Of my hotel room has been the
same. On the last voyage there were
2OS passengers, and the captain had
made 2OS voyages on the Mediterra,
nsan."
quite a coincident."
"Ah, II roulette could be played with
such certainty"
Mr.. Ryanne sighed, hitched up bis
bundle, which, being heavy, was begin.
ming to wear upon bis arm, and slgnl.
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 II a
dozen times that day, but this was the
first instance Of his being really in.
terested in II. As his chin was fresh.
ly shaver he had no stubble 10 stroke
to excite his mental processes; 90
he fell back, as We say, upon the con.