The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-01-29

already sold and others reserved but
not paid for. Presently he faced
Webster at the counter.
'"The outlook is very blue," he an
nounced. However. have one berth
4 In No. 81 reserved by a gentleman
who was to call for it by two o'clock
| today" He looked at his watch. 1T
lis. now quarter Of one. If the reser-
! walton isn't claimed promptly at two
| O'clock shall cancel it and reserve
| for you both berths in that room. II
| you will be good enough to leave me
your name and address / will tele-
phone you after that hour. In the
meantime, you may make reservation
of the other berth in the same state
room. feel very confident that the
reservation in No. 81 will not be called
for, Nr.-er@"
"Webster-John S. Webster. You
are very kind, indeed. I'm at the st.
Charles"
"Be there at a quarter after two,
Mr.. Webster, and you will hear from
me promptly on the minute" the clerk
assured him; whereupon Webster paid
for one berth and departed for his
hotel with a feeling that the clerks
report would be favorable.
True to his promise, at precisely
quarter after two, the ticket clerk
telephoned Webster at his hotel that
the berth in No. "a had been cancelled
! and the entire stateroom was now at
his disposal ...u.-
IF you will be good enough to give
me the name of your valet" he con-
Guided, II will fill in both names on
my passenger manifest and send the
tickets to your hotel by messenger i'm
mediately. You can then sign the tick
ets-I have already signed them as
witness-and pay the messenger"
"Wcll, haven't engaged that valet
as yet" Webster began.
"What's the odds? He's going to
miss the boat, anyhow. All require
is 4 name" H.. H.. -. ,.
'"rlat ought to be 4 simple request
to comply with. Let me see!"
Il read book once, Mr.. Webster.
and the valet in that book was called
Andrew Bowers"
Bowers is fine old English name
Let us seek no further. Andrew Bow.
ers it is"
'Thank you. All you have to do
then is to remember to sign the name,
Andrew Bowers, to one ticket. Don't
forget your Wallets name now, and ball
everything up" and the clerk hung up,
laughing.
Half an hour later boy from the
steamship office arrived with the tick
cts, collected for them. and departed.
leaving John Stuart Webster Singh
lar]y pleased with himself and at
peace with the entire world.
A large" dinner at Antoine's that
night (Webser had heard of Antoine's
dinners, both large and small and was
resolved not to leave New Orleans I'M
til he had visited the famous restaur-
anD. and stroll through the pictur-
esque old French quarter ard along 'the
levee next day, helped to render his
enforced stay in New Orleans delight
full, interesting, and instructive. For
Sunday he planned an early morning
visit to the old French market, around
which still fingers much of the pic
turesQue charm and cOlOrful romance
Of day that is dOne-tlat echo of
yesterday, as it were, which has left
New Orleans an individuality as dis
tnct as that which the olden, golden,
goddess days have left upon San Fran
| cisco.
lie rose before Six O'Clock, there
fore: found taxi, with the driver
sound asleep inside, at the curb in
front of the hotel; gave the latter his
instructions, and climbed in.
Opposite Jackson Square the cloy-
ing sweetness Of palmetto, palm, and
fig burdened the air. Above the
rumble Of the taxi he could hear the
distant babel Of voices in the French
market across the square, so he
halted the taxicab, alighted, and handed
tho driver a bill. :, =,
II want to explore this square," he
said. TTc had recognized it by the
heroic statue Of General Jackson peep
ing through the trees. It'll walk
through the square to the market, and
you may proceed to the market and
meet me there. Later we will return
to the hotel"
A Creole girl-starry-eyed, beauti-
full, rich with the glorious coloring of
her race-passed him bound for the
cathedral across the square, as Web
ster thought, for she carried a large
prayer book ON her arm. His glance
Followed the girl down the walk.
Presently she halted. A young man
rose from a bench where he evidently
had been waiting for her, and
bowed low, his hat clasped to his
breast, as only Frenchman or a
Spanish grandee can bow. Webster
saw the Creole girl turn to him with a
little gesture Of pleasure. She ex-
tended her hand and the young man
kissed it with old-fashioned courtesy.
John Stuart Webster with reverent
and wistfuI eyes watched their meet
ing.
.'Torty years DID," he thought, "and
I haven't spoken to a dozen women
that caused me second thought, or
who weren't postmistresses Or biscuit