The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-09-18
CHAPTER 1.
Husbands and Wife.

~ ROCK was breakfasting out Of
doors in the cheerful little gar
den Of the Hotel Chatham. The
sun streamed warmly upon the
concrete foor Of the court just beyond
the row of palms and oleanders that
fringed the rail against which his Her
aid rested, that he might read as ne
ran, so to speak. He was the only per-
son having dejeuner on the terrace"
as he named it to the obsequious wait
er who always attended him. Charles
was the magnet that drew. Brock to
the Chatham. that excellent French no
tel with the excellent English name
Charles was standing, alert but pen
sive, quite near at hand, ready to re
plenish the bowl with honey. Brock
was especially fond Of it. Brock
had gone to the Chatham for years just
because Charles was q fixture there
Charles spoke the most execrably pic
turesque English, served with puncd-
liousness that savored almost Of the
overbearing. and boasted that he had
acquired tae art of making American
cocktails during a five weeks residence
In the United States.
1t was lazy morning. Brock was
happy He was even interested when
a porter came forth and unraveled
long roll OF garden hose, with which
he abruptly began to splash water
upon the concrete surface Of the court
without regard TOR distance or direc-
ton. Moreover. be- proceeded to water
the palms. operating from a spot no
less than twenty feet away. until the
faithful Charlie, restored him to earth
by means Of certain subdued injunc-
lions and less moderate gesticulatiOns.
from 4hlch 1t could be readily gather
ed that ''msieur was eating, not bath
ing" WhcreupoE the utterly uncrush
ed porter sp!asl!ed water at right an
giles, to Brooks relief. "M'sieur will
pardon the boy" apolOgized Charles in
deepest humility, taking much for
granted 1T will be very warm today
Your serviette, m'sieur-it is damp.
Pardon" He few away and back with
another napkin. "Of course. m'sieur,
the Chatham is not the Waldorf" he
announced deprecatingly. "Parbleu,"
beating himself on the forehead, ~
forgot. M'sieur does not like the Wal
dorf Eli. bien. Paris is not New York
no." Having sufficiently humbied
Paris he withdrew into the back
ground. rubbing his hands as If he
were cleansing them of something IN
slightly. Brock spread one of the h't
tered biscuits with honey and inwardi!
admitted that Paris was not New York
He was good looking chap Of thir
ty or therea bouts. an American to the
core, bright eyed. keen witted, smooth
faced. viriIe From boyhood's earliest
days he had spent a portion of his
summers in Europe. Two or three
years of his life had been employed in
the beaux arts. fruitful years. for
Brock had not wasted his opportuni-
ties. He had gone in for architecture
and building. Today he stood high
among the younger men in New York.
prosperous. successful and menace to
the old cry that son of the rich can
not thrive in his fathers domain.
Nowadays he came to the old world
for his breathing spells. He was able
to combine dawdling and development.
without sacrificing one for the other.
- wherein lies the proof that his yaca-
tons were not akin to those taken by
most Of us.
The fortnight in Paris was to be
followed by week I'm st Petersburg
and brief tour of Sweden and Nor
way. His stay in the gay city was