The Swamp Doctor's Adventures in The South-West: Containing the Whole of The Louisiana Swamp Doctor; Streaks of Squatter Life; and Far-Western Scenes; In a Series of Forty-Two Humorous Southern and Western Sketches, Descriptive of Incidents and CharacterRobb, John S.
General
The Swamp Doctor's Adventures in The South-West: Containing the Whole of The Louisiana Swamp Doctor; Streaks of Squatter Life; and Far-Western Scenes; In a Series of Forty-Two Humorous Southern and Western Sketches, Descriptive of Incidents and Character
Robb, John S.
Southwest, Old -- Social life and customs
The strip of crape around his hat--put there to hide the greasy
band--the thousand dollar bill, and the renovated coat, which looked
like new on the possessor of such a sum, all assured the landlord that
he had been _hasty_. He, therefore, denied the indignity, straight,
said that it was an impertinence of his servant, who had _twice_ before
offended his best guests by his insolence, and assured Tom that he would
discharge the fellow forthwith--pushed back to him the thousand dollar
bill, and begged he would forget the circumstance--indeed, he felt
shocked that such an outrage had been perpetrated upon his _oldest_
friend and customer. These warm expressions mollified Tom's wrath, and
folding up his bill he walked back, resumed his seat, returned the bill
to the southerner, merely remarking he had “brought the landlord to his
feelings,” and cheerfully sipped a _little_ iced champagne. As he left
the table arm-in-arm with his friend, the landlord approached, bowing,
and begged to know where he should send for his trunk, as No. 24, a fine
airy room, which would suit him to a charm, was at present empty. Tom
said he would send the baggage up, and after lighting a choice Havana,
strolled out with an air aristocratic.
In good time, the trunk arrived--a rude one, but _very heavy_. The
landlord winked as the servant bent beneath its weight, and remarked,
as he paid the porterage, that a large quantity of bullion was generally
rather heavy. Tom was in clover--the thousand dollar bill got whispered
about, and one of his creditors, a fashionable tailor, insisted on
trusting him for another suit; he yielded after much persuasion, and it
was astonishing how everything altered with Tom's appearance. His
note was good for any small sum now, and it was a pleasure to make his
acquaintance.
In the course of about six months the landlord thought he would just
hint to Tom that a small check would be agreeable, as they were hard
pushed. The hint was given, and he received a _check_--anything but a
cash one, though. Tom very coolly informed him that the agent who had
raised his hopes was a rascally impostor.
“But the thousand dollar bill, Mr. H.?” said the landlord, inquiringly.
“Was handed to me, by the rogue, to keep up appearances,” coolly
responded Tom.
“I shall seize your baggage, sir!” cried the enraged host.
“I can't help it, my dear fellow,” said Tom; “you know if I had a
'pocket full of rocks,' you should share them, for I like you, vastly--I
do--cuss me if I don't; so keep cool, and keep the baggage until I make
a draw and raise the little sum.”
The trunk was seized, and so roughly that it burst open, when the
landlord discovered that if Tom had no pocket full of rocks, it was
because he had stowed them all in his trunk, and that accounted very
naturally for its being so heavy!
WHO IS SIR GEORGE SIMPSON? AN EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCE ABOUT HIM.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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