The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1913-02-27
THE SIEGE OF THE
SEVEN SUITORS
Continued from Preceding Page

cocktail. PINK one. proVlueu-pro
vided"-and she held the waitress
with her eye-"you have the Imported
caviar and your barkeeper knows the
proper frappe of the spirit litter | have
pamed."
Pardon me. madam" replied the
the place. The Asolando serves moth
ing stronger than the pure water OF
its own fount of Castaia. lntoxicants
are not permitted here"
"Intoyicants" repeated the old lady
with asperity do look like per-
son given to intoxication? dare say
your Castalia water is nothing but Gro
ton whose flavor has been destroyed
ty dstillation You may bring me
the sandwich have mentioned and
with 1t a pot of tea. Yes, thank you;
lemon with the tea"
As the girl vanished with the light
tread that marked the service OF the
place again made as to rise, but the
old lady lifted her hand with delay
ing gesture.
.'Pray remain. 1t Is not unlikely
that we have friends and ideas in COM
mon. and as you were seated at tue
seventh table it is possible that some
ordering of fate has brought US to-
gether."
She took from me in the hand which
she had now ungloved the copy OF my
minor poet, glanced at it scornfully and
tossed it upon the floor with every
mark of disdain.
.'What species of mental disorder
does this place represents" she de-
manded-
.'It is sacred TO the fine arts appar-
emily; an endowed tea room where per-
sons of artistic ideals may come to re-
fresh body and soul. Such at least
seems to be the program. This is only
nv second visit, but | have long heard
It spoken of by artists. poets and 9th
ers of my friends"
II am sixty-two years old, young
man. and / beg to inform you that
consider the Asolando the most pre-
posterous thing l have ever heard OF
in this most preposterous city. And
from a casual glimpse OF you l feel
justified in saying that man In your
apparent physical health might be in
better business than frequenting in
midafternoon a shop that seems TO be
a remarkably stupid expression Of
twentieth century anaemia.'
Attendance here is not compulsory"
I remarked defensively.
IF you imply that l must have
sought the place voluntarily let me cor
rect your false impression Immediately.
/ dropped in here for the excellent rea-
son that this shop is the seventh in nu-
merical progression from Fifth aven-
nue."
You were not guided by any feeling
of interest. then. but rather by super
stition?"
"That remark is unworthy of a man
of your apparent intelligence. | was
born on the 18th of November. and all
the. great events of my life have oc-
CURED on the 18th of the MONTH
was relieved to find that she ac-
cepted the tea and sandwiches the
waitress had brought without parley.
1t is with shame | confess that in the
first moments of my encounter | be-
iieved her capable of quarreling with
a waitress. but she thanked the girl
pleasantly, lifting her head with
smile that illumined her face attrac-
lively. Her demand for a cocktail had
not been wholly convincing as to her
sincerity. and wondered whether she
were not playing part of some kind.
She suggested pleasant and wholesome
things
In any event the impression was
wholly agreeable. ! had to do with
a lady and lady of no mean degree.
The marks of breeding were upon her.
and she spoke with that quiet author
ity that is the despair of the vain and
vulgar. her features were small and
delicate. her ringless hands were per-
fectly formed and both face and hands
belied the age to which she had so
frankly confessed. She was more than
twice my age. and there was not the
slightest reason why she should not
address me if it pleased her to do so.
duu ueT OUSeSSlOu as 10 Tue potency VI
the mineral seven was not in itself
proof of an III balanced mind. Musing
thus. ! reached the conclusion that
this encounter was very likely the sort
of thing that happened to patrons of
the Asolando. Ny time has. however.
a certain value. and | began to won
der just how I should escape. I was
about to excuse myself when my COM
panioD suddenly put down her cup
and addressed me with a directness
that seemed habitual in her.
II have formed an excellent opinion
of your bringing up from the manner
in which you have suffered my ad- /
vances II I may so call them. You I
act and speak like gentleman of edu- /
cation. Will yon kindly tell me the /
nature Of your occupation?"
produced one of my professional
cards