The Washington herald., 1914-07-05

"I was sitting on the veranda Of this
very hotel. sab. began Col. Bunker, "and
the time was q year ago, when a person
who appeared to be a gentleman as
cended those steps and stood before me
to inquire:
to adress Col. Bunker, the hero Of Antie-
tam. Charlottesville. Gettysburg and va
rious other bloody struggles OF the Civil
wah?"
Say yo' have that privilege and
honah,'I replied as rose to give him q
cordial welcome.
Then make me proud by shaking
hands with me and allowing me to intro
duce myself as Asjah Trippsr. / also
! served my country to the best of my
ability, but / did not become a hero and
have my name written Cn the tablets OF
history
That was the way encountered Ma
jan Tripper. sah." said the colonel. and
after handshake We sat down for q
chat II was a hot day and was thirtsy
II would not only have been perfectly
proper for the mAtah to have ordered the
drinks, but as a gentleman he should
have lost no time over IT. Five minutes
went by. then ten. then fifteen, and as
the ma1ah made no sign ! careIessIy OBJ
served that II was dry weather. He
promptly agreed with me, but no drinks
were ordered The matah lauded my
bravery and fattered my heroism, but
he gave no orders 10 the waitah stand
ing in the dosh over there. II was not
my place to do IT. Indeed, sab, IL would
have been beyond all precedent. At the
end OF half an hour l arose 70 end the
dry and painful interview. I gave the
MAJ tah my hand and said:
'Majah Tripper. glad to have meet up
l al nd hRN a.
sab. and now IL you will excuse me 1 will
proceed to my ONCE
Thus We parted. but what did Majah
Tripper do as he left me, sah-as he left
me? Went right across the street and
ordered a mint Julep in a glass q foot
high. and spent fully twenty minutes
sucking down the delicious beverage
through a golden straw, Did TO- q fact,
sab. and II any one had told him he
was no gentleman he would have been
perfectly astounded. OF co'se his ae-
ton strained the relation between US
at once. / could not develop a friendly
feeling 70 such a person-couldn't pos
sibly do II. hero Is but mortal after
all, and what mortal could refuse q mint
iulep on a hot day and after talking ovah
the exciting incidents Of Gettysburg?
/ had a feeling that Majah Tripper was
no gentleman-no gentleman, sah-but at
the same time 1 was not unwilling TO
give him another opportunity to prove
that / was mistaken.
Three days later I met him as I was
crossing the public square on my way
to the Cote House, and he instantly
grasped my hand and began talking about
my heroism on the battlefield. / was in
a hurry, but decided to give the majah
rope. I gave II to him, sab. ! talked to
him TO quarter Of an hour. and I
threw out hints and suggestions which
no gentleman could have failed 10 under
stand and act upon. but the matah was
obdurate When I left him I sought to
make him feel that our relations were
strained, and that a gulf was slowly
opening between US, but I don't think
he caught. I had to go and drink my
self sah-all by myself-but as / left
the saloon l met the majah again. He
was going in TO the same purpose-to
take his drink alone. l recognized his
presence, but haughtily, sah-very
haughtily. Majah Tripper could be no
mo- to me after that. Even the hero
of a dozen hard-fought battles retains
his sensitive feelings. and nothing hurts
them mo- than to see an alleged friend
of his drinking alone. 1t is against the
eternal fitness OF things, sah-the external
fitness that cheers but does not inebriate
"A week or so later was standing up
to a bar to take a constitutional when in
wElks the maJah. He was evidently en-
barrassed at sight of me, but after a
minute he pulled himself together and
said:
~ was looking TO- Co. Bunker, but
he don't appear to be present.
No. sab. he don't I said. I was
looking for Majah Tripper but I reckon
it's too early TO him.
"'As to Col. Bunker says the majah.