The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-02-07

fortnight IN SecIuu-
ed spot among peaceable citizens, but
somehow or other fate ordained that
tho train that was to carry me away
should start. leaving me and my lug
gage behind
"One OF these days you will COL
lapse my friends used to say, and,
like all evil predictions, theirs came
true. l had been fearfully busy.
There had been an avalanche Of
crimes. and the strain had begun to
tell on me. to an obligato accompani-
1nent OF headache, sleeplessness, and
other unpleasant symptoms. With a
mistaken sense of duty tried to cling
to my post, but when | saw I had the
medical faculty against me, l gave
up the battle and promised to take a
rest
The following day: as was walking
down the Rue de la Paix voice like
thunder called out my name. l did
mot see the man, but l knew that in
the whole Of France only one person
possessed such an organ-my old
friend Stanislas Tilon, a captain in
the merchant navy.
Good old Stanfslas, who stood six
feet three. had not only tremendous
voice-everyth!ng with him was big.
lie seized both my hands in his lion
grip. and. having knocked my stick
out OF my hand. and my hat off my
head. be conducted, or rather dragged,
mo ia th> 90 dc In
Fancy meeting you!" he roared. II
came back on Tuesday last. and am
off again the day after tomorrow. But
what's the matter with you? You look
out OF sorts"
THE fact u.s." l said, II am not very
well. The doctors say must take
a holiday"
Down came Stanislas fist, upsetting
all tho dominoes ON the table next to
ours
You want thorough holiday? I'll
give you one. You may bless your
stars you met me. We are running a
regular line of steamers from Borr
deaux to St. Louis, on the African
coast. stopping at Madeira and Ten
criffe. They arc capital boats, carry.
ing only small number Of passen.
gers. am in command of the Gam?
bia, the most comfortable of the lot,
You'll be my guest, and the sea will
put you right in no time. We are go,
ing only as far az Teneriffe, so that
you will be back In three weeks. I'll
give you one Of the two deck cabins,
and you'll be as happy there as a
king We have a splendid cook and
as nice d lot Of passengers as you'd
Wish to meet,
Stania!as proposition tempted me.
My shaken nerves clamored for rest
such as 1 XIV should find on the
,bieh seas! ana, kaer few objections,
immediately oye:I1ied by my friend,
l accepted his invitation.
The following day at two in the aft
ernoon l arrived a; Bordeaux. and
went straight on boaf1. Stanislas wei
coined me with unaffected j3y, and
after an excited and whispered dis
( cussion between him and the stew
ard, the latter took my valise to the
deck cabin on the starboard side.
Our steamer was an ancient tub,
and, no doubt. bit Of roller. yet
che looked comfortable enough, and
IN order to shake of my first unfavor-
able l. preston l made for the CON-
panionway to have a look at my fel.
Low passengers
The steamer was crowded with per-
sons who were saying goodby to their
friends and partaking Of lunch with
them. so that it was impossible for
NE to know who were the passengers.
At four o'rlock. however the hawsers
were cast OF. the engine room bell be-
gan To tiukle it's standby" and we
had started on Our voyage
The rain was coming down in tor.
rents rs descended to the saloon to
join my shipm:stes. Several persons
were slttins! at tho long tables. some
writing. others reading. and I noticed
one, pronounced German type-his
name WAS Won Winter - drinkine
champagne and playing solitaire.
Before ths dinner hour had struck
.Stanislas had introduced me to every
body Besides Won Winter there were
NJ Van Vloot. rich wine importer,
with an aquiline nose and the
shortest legs have ever see be-
longing 10 - man OF his size. and his
wife. stout lady. afflicted with tooth
ache: Mr.. Aylmeg Knowles. Scotch.
man with an expressionlena face, &C.
cempanied his wife and daughter, the
iatter an unusually pretty girl: Father
Glass. a priest; Monsieur Waskywicz,
of no nationality. with comic eyes. fat
cheeks, blue with the razor, who turn.
ed out to be a comedian: DR.. Lopez
an oculist: and Senior Gonzales. a
South American Spaniard, hand.
some aristocratic looking man, whose
temper seemed TO be considerably ruff
fed.
guessed that our ioquacious cap
tain had been talking about me, fol
not otly the passengers watched me
with curiosity. but the crew stared
at me open-mouthed. AS there was
a piano In the saloon. and none in the
smoking room. l decided to make the
latter thy headquarters.
Halo. old chap" roared Stanislas
How do you like your hotel? Where
do you want TO sit at table? Near tina,
pretty Scotch girl. l suppose"
'Since you ask me-" replied, "yor
can place me- between the German
and the lady with the toothache
Neither Of them looks laxative, anc
that lust suits me-"