A Gentleman Vagabond and Some Others

was in search of his very particular friend, Mr. John Hardy of Madison Square, and the personage in brown and brass was rather languidly indicating

e curves of his well-developed legs, and ended in a sprawl that half covered his shoes. I recognized, too, a carpet-bag, a n

s a gift from his dead wife, all that remained unmortgaged of a vast colonial estate on Crab Island in the bay, consisting of several thousand a

John Talbot of Pocomoke. This had been greatly to the surprise of many eminent Pocomokians, who boasted of the purity and antiquity of the Talbot blood, and who could not look on in sile

ms that his ancestors came over in the Mayflower, that his grandfather fought with General Washington, and that his own early life had been spent on the James River. These statements, to thoughtful Pocomokians, seemed so conflicting and improbable, tha

d loftiest Pocomokian, would have cared to trace the Slocomb blood farther back than its graft upon the Talbot tree. Neither would the major. In fact, the brief honeymoon of fiv

e sap of the primeval family tree quite dry in the process. In fact, it was universally admitted that could the constant drain of his hospitality have been brought clearly to the attention of the original proprietor of the estate, its draft-power would have raised that distin

e justice and humanity of slavery and the omnipotent rights of man,-white, of course,-and he had, strange to say, fallen into the peculiar pronunciation

shifting politics of his State ever honored him with a staff appointment of like grade. When pressed, he would tell you confidentially that he had really inherited the title from his wife, whose first husband,

nky, oblivious of everything but the purpose in view

he letter with the number in it, so I came over here to Delmonico's-Jack dines here often, I know, 'cause he told me so. I was at his quarters once myself, but 't was in the nigh

course, but promotions

ves right opposite.

here and there with his delight at seeing me looking so well, his joy at being near enough to Jack to shake the dear fellow by the hand, and the inexpressibl

of the major's house on the island, of which club Jack Hardy was president. They all deligh

a moment's notice to welcome the unexpected friend. In another instant I had rung Hardy's bell,-third on right,-and Jeffer

ech is as faultless as his dress. He is clean, close-shaven, immaculate, well-groomed, silent,-reminding me always of a mahogany-colored Greek professor, even to his eye-glasses. He keeps his rooms in admirable order, and his household accounts

, the major gave way to some such outburst as he would have inflicted upon the domestics of his own establishment, forgetting for the time the superior position to which Jefferson's breeding and education entitled him, I cannot say, but certain it is that while to all outward appearances Jefferson served the major with every indication of atten

would have bestowed on the contents of a Bond Street Gladstone, indulging in a prolonged chuckle when he found no trace of a most important part of a gentleman's wardrobe,-none of any pattern. It was, t

ty of whiskey and cigars on the sideboard, and that"-here Jefferson glanced at the bag-"and th

but you can put the whiskey and the cigars on th

morning, I could detect, under all his deference and respect toward his master's guest, a certain manner and air plainly imply

ng on patent leather, and the adoption of a black alpaca coat, which, although it wrinkled at the seams with a certain home-made air, still fitted his fat shoulders very we

h, the whole enlivened by a pair of twinkling eyes, you forgot for the moment that he was not really the sole owner

van. "Draw up a chair; have a mouthful of mocha? Jefferson makes it delicious. Or shall I call him

e unlimited comforts of life,-juleps, cigars, coffee, cocktails, morning papers, fans, matches out of arm's reach, everything that soul could covet and heart lo

ing yo' eye over that garden in the s

tucked another cushion under his head, elongated his left leg until it reached the w

for days. We, of co'se, have at home every variety of fish, plenty of soft-shell crabs, and 'casionally a canvasback, when Hardy or some of my friends are lucky enough to

nce at the major's sprawling attitude, noiselessly withdrew. The major must have caught the expression on Jefferson's face, for he dropped his telescope leg, and straightened up his back, with the sudd

k's. I s'pose it is the influence of yo' New Y

ferson, but he raised

aling-wax in a suit of black co't-plaster. They were easy-goin' and comfortable. Yo' interest was their interest; they bore yo' name, looked after yo' children, and could look after yo' house, too. Now see this nig

s fat chin with his thumb and forefinger-"we had, of co'se, a lot of niggers; but this man Anthony! By gravy! when he filled yo' glass with some of the old madeira that had rusted awa

d many years ago, colonel, but I can see him now just as plain as if he stood before me, with his white cotton gloves, white vest, and green coat with brass buttons, standin' behind Mrs. Slocomb's chair. I can see the old sidebo'd, suh, covered with George III. silver, heirlooms of a century,"-this

received a telegram from a very intimate friend of mine, a distinguished Baltimorean,-the Nestor of the Maryland bar, suh,-informin' me that he was on his way South, and that he would m

next day, and that I wanted the best dinner that could be served in the county, and the best bottle of wine in my

h the delicacies of the season. After the crabs had been taken off,-we were alone, Mrs. Slocomb havin' gone to Baltimo',-I said to the judge: 'Yo' Honor, I am now about to delight yo' palate with the very best bottle of old madeira that ever passed yo' lips. A wine that will warm yo' heart, and unbutton the top button of yo' vest. It is part of a special importation presented to Mrs. Slocomb's father by the captain of one of

knee against it, and fo'ce the do'.' I kne

ed out, 'Why, major,

t say a word. This is my affair. The lo

he, 'I done did all I c'u'd, an' dere ain't no way 'cept breakin' down

won't have you breakin' yo' lo

at. I'm d--d if you shan't taste that win

ht not to drink yo' high-flavored madeira; my doctor told me only last week I must stop that kind of thing.

a bottle of any kind of wine in my cellar for five years." Here t

ality; I have not a word to say. Anthony, go upstairs and get the bottle.' And we drank the judge's whiskey! Now s

nd among them the rightful host, just returned after a week's absence,-cu

, Ja

but also for Jack himself, and that while he had not the slightest compunction in sharing or, for that matter, monopolizing his hospitality

him loved him. The major really interested him enormously. He represented a type which was new to him, and which it delighted him to study. The major's heartiness, his magnificent disregard for meum and tuum, his unique and picturesque mendacity, his grandiloquent manners at times, studied, as he knew, from some example of the old regi

know, pleased J

s, dragging up the most comfortable chair in the room, forcing him into it, and tucking a cushion under his head, or ringing up Jefferson every few moments for some new luxury. These he would catch away from that perfectly trained servant's tr

colt-a pure creation on the moment of the major-would certainly beat the record and make the major's fortune, and inquiring with great solicitude whether the major felt quite sure that the addition to the stables which he contemplated would be large enough to accommodate his stud, with other similar inquiries which, while indefinite and tentative, were, so to

s widow-Major John Talbot of Pocomoke, suh," this impressively and with sudden gravity of tone,-placing his stables, his cellar, and his servants at their disposal, and arranging for everybody to meet everybody else the following

d be host, servant, cook, chambermaid, errand-boy, and grand seigneur again in the same hour, adapting himself to every emergency that arose. His good-humor was perennial, unceasing, one constant flow, and never checked. He took care of the dogs, unpacked the bags, laid out everybody's linen, saw that the sheets were dry, received all callers so that the boys might sleep in the afternoon, did all the disagreeable and uncomfortable things himself, and let everybody else have all the fun. He did all this unconsciously, graciously, and sim