The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-30
CHAPTER Viii.
GrisWold Emeroent.

~ vssss
GrisWold Emeroent.
Half an hour or such matter after
the hue-and-cry runaway from the
curb in front Of the saloon two doors
above. Mr.. Abram Sonneschein. dealer
in secondhand clothing and sweat
shop bargains. saw a possible GUS
toner drifting across the street, and
made ready the graphing hooks of
commercial enterprise.
There was little suggestion of the
tramp roustabout, and still less, per.
haps, of the gentleman, about the per-
son who presently emerged from the
Sonneschein emporium. A square far
Their on he selected BARRIERS shop of
clearly promise. An hour later, reach.
ing the retail district. he strolled past
many brilliantly lighted shops until
he found one exactly to his liking. A
courteous salesman caught him up at
the door, and led the way to the des-
ignated departments.
BY this time Mr.. Sonneschein's hes
liant and countrified customer had un.
dergone complete metamorphosts.
No longer reluctant and hard to
please, he passed rapidly from coun.
ter to counter. making his selections
with manlike celebrity and certainty
and bargaining not at all. When he
was quite through, there was enough
to furnish generous travelling ward.
robe; a head-to-foot change Of gar
MEETINGS with surplus to fill two
lordly suitcases: so he bought the
suitcases also, and had them taken
with his other purchases to the Dress
ing ROOM
All traces of the deck-hand Gavitt,
and Of the Sonneschein planter-cus.
toner having been obliterated, there
remained only the paying Of his bill
and the summoning of a cab. Oddly
enough. the cab. when it came, proved
to be four-wheeler driven by little,
wizen-faced man whose thin, high.
pitched voice was singularly familiar.
THE Hotel Chouteau?-yis, SORT.
Will you Place hand me thin grips?
can't lave me harrses."
The drivers excuse instantly tied
the knot of recognition, and the man
who had just cremated his former
Identities swore softly.
All things considered, it was the
Griswold Of the college-graduate days
the days of the slender patrimony
which had ~ Mt ol{,od tho Ntororv ho
ginning-who presented himself at
the counter of the Hotel Chouteau at
half-past nine o'clock on the evening
OF the Belle jules arrival at st. Louis,
wrote his name in the guest-book and
permitted an attentive bell boy to re-
lieve him Of his two suitcases.
The clerk. rotund little man
with promising bald spot and a per-
manent smile, had appraised his latest
guest in the moment of bookkeeping.
and the result was small triumph for
the Olive street furnishing house. Next
to the genuinely tailor-made stands
the quality Of verisimilitude; and the
keynote of the clerks greeting was
respectful affability.
Glad to have you with US. Mr.. Girls
void. Would you like a room. or a
suite?"
Neither; II I have time to get my
supper and catch a train Have you a
railway guide?"
There is one in the writing room
But possibly I can tell you what you
wish to know. Which way are you
going?"
Without stopping to think OF the
critical happenings which had inter-
vened since the forming of the i'm
pulsive resolution fixing his destina-
ton, GriswOld named the chosen field
for the hazard of fresh fortunes. and
its direction.
North; to q town in Minnesota
called Wahaska. Do you happen to
know the placer"
The clerk smiled and shook his
head.
Plenty Of time. is there?" Griswold
asked.
"Oh, yes. Your train leaves the ter
minal at eleven-thirty; but you can
get. into the sleeper any time after
eight o'clock"
Seated at well-appointed table in
the Chouteau cafe, Griswold had ample
time to overtake himself in the race
reconstructiye. and for the. moment the
point Of view became frankly Philis-
tine. The luxurious hotel, with its
air Of invincible responsibility; the
snowy napery, the cut glass, the
shaded lights. the deferential service;
all these appealed irresistibly to the
epicurean in him. 1t was as IL he had
come suddenly to his own again after
an undeserved season of deprivation,
and the effect of 1t was to push the
haraships.and ,rc..ls OF the preceding
weeks and- months into a far-away
past
he ordered his supper deliberately,
ana while he waited for its serving,
Raglnation cleared the stage and. Set