The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-11-19
By SEWELL FORD

luHuy. Auu Lnen afterwards, When
little Mrs. Blair joins Oggie and
Pinckney by smokin' a cigarette in
the lobby, some of the old ladies
went bug-eyed at the sight. Next
Pinckney is moved to dance, so he
slips a five-spot to the orchestra
leader and gets him to switch from
the afternoon concert stuff to a jozzy
one-step, and him and Madge Blair
springs their new shimmy SILVER I'M
til most of the old girls who was
peekin' in got gaspy. And Oggie has
to horn in by substitutin' at the traps
and introducin' a few stunts seldom
seen on any stage.
So, take it by and large, we were
quite frisky lot. 1 saw the house
manager givin' us the once over, but
he only smiles good natured. Most
likely he'd looked up Pinckney's
name on the register and was more
or less tickled to have a real smart
setter like that drop in on him, no
mattre what antics he pulled. For a
while there we owned the place, as
you might say. Specially after we
decided to stay all night and engaged
some of the best suites.
Somehow, though when I ran
across the Gillises, sittin' quiet in a
corner and watchin' the proceedin's
like couple of knot-hole patrons at
ball game, I felt kind of sorry for
'em. I'd only had sort of noddin'
acquaintance with Alonzo at home,
but it seemed to me that here was
nv chance cue to forward with the
friendly hail. So I dies
"Well, Mr.. Gillis," says I, strollin'
up casual, "off on a little tour, eh?"
He admits that he is and intro
duces Mrs. ellis.
"Going on up into the mountains
tomorrow, are your" I asks.
NO." says he. ''We-we're stay
ing here for a couple of days"
ooh, you are?" says I. Don't you
find it sort of lonesome, knockin'
around this way by yourselves"
ga little" says he. Mother and
me don't get away from home much
and we amt used to these swell
hotels. But it'll be different when
the bunch gets here, I expect"
"Eh?" says I. "What bunch?"
"The Knights" says he.
81 don't get you yet" says I.
"Why, the Noble knights of Nine
vah," says he. "We're havin' our an
nual conclave here, you know,
startin' tonight. Lookin' for about a
hundred and fifty of 'em to show up.
They ought to be rollin' in soon, some
of 'em."
"You don't say?" says I. "Noble
Knights of Ninevah, Ell? What kind
of an order is that?"
Benevolent, fraternal and protec-
tive" says Alonzo, as if he was quot
in from a prospectus. "The insurance
feature don't amount to much, but
we're strong on the fraternal part.
Got a lot of our castles established
up through this section, mainly in the
small towns. And once year we get
together at some place like this and
have good time. Get special rates,
you know, by coming at the end of
the season.
81 see," says I. "And you're a
little ahead of the others"
eyes," says Alonzo, Thought I'd
be on hand and see that everything
was all fixed for u.s."
Maybe you're one of the oficers?"
suggests.
Alonzo mods. Exalted Supreme
Grand" says he.
"Gosh!" gasps. "All that? Why,
you must be the big noise"
81 suppose I am" says he. "You
see, 1 went into the order when it
was first organized, about Is years
ago, and I've been workin' up ever
since. 1 was elected Exalted Supreme
Grand a year ago last fall and have
another twelve months to serve"
"Well, WE'LL" says I, starin' at him.
"But what do you do at these af-
fairs?"
1--WE start with our annual banquet
tonight" says he. "Therell be
speeches and musin and so on. Then
there'll be the annual ball, and to-
morrow we'll have our baseball game
and other sports. Always manage to
have a good time somehow or other.
You know?"
1 didn't then, but do now. First
off I was goin' to give Pinckney and
the others a bunch of what was on
the cards, but on second thought
decided not. Might be more inter
estin' to keep it to myself and see
what happened. And for while