sunshine sketches of a little town-第4部分

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And　it　was　just　at　the　moment　when　Mr。　Smith　said　this　that　Billy；
the　desk…clerk；　entered　the　room　with　the　telegram　in　his　hand。

But　stopit　is　impossible　for　you　to　understand　the　anxiety　with
which　Mr。　Smith　and　his　associates　awaited　the　news　from　the
Commissioners；　without　first　realizing　the　astounding　progress　of　Mr。
Smith　in　the　three　past　years；　and　the　pinnacle　of　public　eminence　to
which　he　had　attained。

Mr。　Smith　had　come　down　from　the　lumber　country　of　the　Spanish　River；
where　the　divide　is　toward　the　Hudson　Bay；〃back　north〃　as　they
called　it　in　Mariposa。

He　had　been；　it　was　said；　a　cook　in　the　lumber　shanties。　To　this　day
Mr。　Smith　can　fry　an　egg　on　both　sides　with　a　lightness　of　touch　that
is　the　despair　of　his　own　〃help。〃

After　that；　he　had　run　a　river　driver's　boarding…house。

After　that；　he　had　taken　a　food　contract　for　a　gang　of　railroad
navvies　on　the　transcontinental。

After　that；　of　course；　the　whole　world　was　open　to　him。

He　came　down　to　Mariposa　and　bought　out　the　〃inside〃　of　what　had　been
the　Royal　Hotel。

Those　who　are　educated　understand　that　by　the　〃inside〃　of　a　hotel　is
meant　everything　except　the　four　outer　walls　of　itthe　fittings；　the
furniture；　the　bar；　Billy　the　desk…clerk；　the　three　dining…room
girls；　and　above　all　the　license　granted　by　King　Edward　VII。；　and
ratified　further　by　King　George；　for　the　sale　of　intoxicating
liquors。

Till　then　the　Royal　had　been　a　mere　nothing。　As　〃Smith's　Hotel〃　it
broke　into　a　blaze　of　effulgence。

From　the　first；　Mr。　Smith；　as　a　proprietor；　was　a　wild；　rapturous
success。

He　had　all　the　qualifications。

He　weighed　two　hundred　and　eighty　pounds。

He　could　haul　two　drunken　men　out　of　the　bar　each　by　the　scruff　of
the　neck　without　the　faintest　anger　or　excitement。

He　carried　money　enough　in　his　trousers　pockets　to　start　a　bank；　and
spent　it　on　anything；　bet　it　on　anything；　and　gave　it　away　in
handfuls。

He　was　never　drunk；　and；　as　a　point　of　chivalry　to　his　customers；
never　quite　sober。　Anybody　was　free　of　the　hotel　who　cared　to　come
in。　Anybody　who　didn't　like　it　could　go　out。　Drinks　of　all　kinds　cost
five　cents；　or　six　for　a　quarter。　Meals　and　beds　were　practically
free。　Any　persons　foolish　enough　to　go　to　the　desk　and　pay　for　them；
Mr。　Smith　charged　according　to　the　expression　of　their　faces。

At　first　the　loafers　and　the　shanty　men　settled　down　on　the　place　in
a　shower。　But　that　was　not　the　〃trade〃　that　Mr。　Smith　wanted。　He　knew
how　to　get　rid　of　them。　An　army　of　charwomen；　turned　into　the　hotel；
scrubbed　it　from　top　to　bottom。　A　vacuum　cleaner；　the　first　seen　in
Mariposa；　hissed　and　screamed　in　the　corridors。　Forty　brass　beds　were
imported　from　the　city；　not；　of　course；　for　the　guests　to　sleep　in；
but　to　keep　them　out。　A　bar…tender　with　a　starched　coat　and　wicker
sleeves　was　put　behind　the　bar。

The　loafers　were　put　out　of　business。　The　place　had　become　too　〃high
toned〃　for　them。

To　get　the　high　class　trade；　Mr。　Smith　set　himself　to　dress　the　part。
He　wore　wide　cut　coats　of　filmy　serge；　light　as　gossamer；　chequered
waistcoats　with　a　pattern　for　every　day　in　the　week；　fedora　hats
light　as　autumn　leaves；　four…in…hand　ties　of　saffron　and　myrtle　green
with　a　diamond　pin　the　size　of　a　hazel　nut。　On　his　fingers　there　were
as　many　gems　as　would　grace　a　native　prince　of　India；　across　his
waistcoat　lay　a　gold　watch…chain　in　huge　square　links　and　in　his
pocket　a　gold　watch　that　weighed　a　pound　and　a　half　and　marked
minutes；　seconds　and　quarter　seconds。　Just　to　look　at　Josh　Smith's
watch　brought　at　least　ten　men　to　the　bar　every　evening。

Every　morning　Mr。　Smith　was　shaved　by　Jefferson　Thorpe；　across　the
way。　All　that　art　could　do；　all　that　Florida　water　could　effect；　was
lavished　on　his　person。

Mr。　Smith　became　a　local　character。　Mariposa　was　at　his　feet。　All　the
reputable　business…men　drank　at　Mr。　Smith's　bar；　and　in　the　little
parlour　behind　it　you　might　find　at　any　time　a　group　of　the　brightest
intellects　in　the　town。

Not　but　what　there　was　opposition　at　first。　The　clergy；　for　example；
who　accepted　the　Mariposa　House　and　the　Continental　as　a　necessary
and　useful　evil；　looked　askance　at　the　blazing　lights　and　the　surging
crowd　of　Mr。　Smith's　saloon。　They　preached　against　him。　When　the　Rev。
Dean　Drone　led　off　with　a　sermon　on　the　text　〃Lord　be　merciful　even
unto　this　publican　Matthew　Six；〃　it　was　generally　understood　as　an
invitation　to　strike　Mr。　Smith　dead。　In　the　same　way　the　sermon　at
the　Presbyterian　church　the　week　after　was　on　the　text　〃Lo　what　now
doeth　Abiram　in　the　land　of　Melchisideck　Kings　Eight　and　Nine？〃　and　it
was　perfectly　plain　that　what　was　meant　was；　〃Lo；　what　is　Josh　Smith
doing　in　Mariposa？〃

But　this　opposition　had　been　countered　by　a　wide　and　sagacious
philanthropy。　I　think　Mr。　Smith　first　got　the　idea　of　that　on　the
night　when　the　steam　merry…go…round　came　to　Mariposa。　Just　below　the
hostelry；　on　an　empty　lot；　it　whirled　and　whistled；　steaming　forth
its　tunes　on　the　summer　evening　while　the　children　crowded　round　it
in　hundreds。　Down　the　street　strolled　Mr。　Smith；　wearing　a　soft
fedora　to　indicate　that　it　was　evening。

〃What　d'you　charge　for　a　ride；　boss？〃　said　Mr。　Smith。

〃Two　for　a　nickel；〃　said　the　man。

〃Take　that；〃　said　Mr。　Smith；　handing　out　a　ten…dollar　bill　from　a
roll　of　money；　〃and　ride　the　little　folks　free　all　evening。〃

That　night　the　merry…go…round　whirled　madly　till　after　midnight；
freighted　to　capacity　with　Mariposa　children；　while　up　in　Smith's
Hotel；　parents；　friends　and　admirers；　as　the　news　spread；　were
standing　four　deep　along　the　bar。　They　sold　forty　dollars'　worth　of
lager　alone　that　night；　and　Mr。　Smith　learned；　if　he　had　not　already
suspected　it；　the　blessedness　of　giving。

The　uses　of　philanthropy　went　further。　Mr。　Smith　subscribed　to
everything；　joined　everything；　gave　to　everything。　He　became　an
Oddfellow；　a　Forester；　A　Knight　of　Pythias　and　a　Workman。　He　gave　a
hundred　dollars　to　the　Mariposa　Hospital　and　a　hundred　dollars　to　the
Young　Men's　Christian　Association。

He　subscribed　to　the　Ball　Club；　the　Lacrosse　Club；　the　Curling　Club；
to　anything；　in　fact；　and　especially　to　all　those　things　which　needed
premises　to　meet　in　and　grew　thirsty　in　their　discussions。

As　a　consequence　the　Oddfellows　held　their　annual　banquet　at　Smith's
Hotel　and　the　Oyster　Supper　of　the　Knights　of　Pythias　was　celebrated
in　Mr。　Smith's　dining…room。

Even　more　effective；　perhaps；　were　Mr。　Smith's　secret　benefactions；
the　kind　of　giving　done　by　stealth　of　which　not　a　soul　in　town　knew
anything；　often；　for　a　week　after　it　was　done。　It　was　in　this　way
that　Mr。　Smith　put　the　new　font　in　Dean　Drone's　church；　and　handed
over　a　hundred　dollars　to　Judge　Pepperleigh　for　the　unrestrained　use
of　the　Conservative　party。

So　it　came　about　that；　little　by　little；　the　antagonism　had　died
down。　Smith's　Hotel　became　an　accepted　institution　in　Mariposa。　Even
the　temperance　people　were　proud　of　Mr。　Smith　as　a　sort　of　character
who　added　distinction　to　the　town。　There　were　moments；　in　the　earlier
quiet　of　the　morning；　when　Dean　Drone　would　go　so　far　as　to　step　in
to　the　〃rotunda〃　and　collect　a　subscription。　As　for　the　Salvation
Army；　they　ran　in　and　out　all　the　time　unreproved。

On　only　one　point　difficulty　still　remained。　That　was　the　closing　of
the　bar。　Mr。　Smith　could　never　bring　his　mind　to　it；not　as　a　matter
of　profit；　but　as　a　point　of　honour。　It　was　too　much　for　him　to　feel
that　Judge　Pepperleigh　might　be　out　on　the　sidewalk　thirsty　at
midnight；　that　the　night　hands　of　the　Times…Herald　on　Wednesday　might
be　compelled　to　go　home　dry。　On　this　point　Mr。　Smith's　moral　code　was
simplicity　itself；do　what　is　right　and　take　the　consequences。　So
the　bar　stayed　open。

Every　town；　I　suppose；　has　its　meaner　spirits。　In　every　genial　bosom
some　snake　is　warmed；or；　as　Mr。　Smith　put　it　to　Golgotha
Gingham〃there　are　some　fellers　even　in　this　town　skunks　enough　to
inform。〃

At　first　the　Mariposa　court　quashed　all　indictments。　The　presiding
judge；　with　his　spectacles　on　and　a　pile　of　books　in　front　of　him；
threatened　the　informer　with　the　penitentiary。　The　whole　bar　of
Mariposa　was　with　Mr。　Smith。　But　by　sheer　iteration　the　informations
had　proved　successful。　Judge　Pepperleigh　learned　that　Mr。　Smith　had
subscribed　a　hundred　dollars　for　the　Liberal　party　and　at　once　fined
him　for　keeping　open　after　hours。　That　made　one　conviction。　On　the
top　of　this　had　come　the　untoward　incident　just　mentioned　and　that
made　two。　Beyond　that　was　the　deluge。　This　then　was　the　exact
situation　when　Billy；　the　desk　clerk；　entered　the　back　bar　with　the
telegram　in　his　hand。

〃Here's　your　wire；　sir；〃　he　said。

〃What　does　it　say？〃　said　Mr。　Smith。

He　always　dealt　with　written　documents　with　a　fine　air　of　detachment。
I　don't　suppose　there　were　ten　people　in　Mariposa　who　knew　that　Mr。
Smith　couldn't　read。

Billy　opened　the　message　and　read；　〃Commissioners　give　you　three
months　to　close　down。〃

〃Let　me　read　it；〃　said　Mr。　Smith；　〃that's　right；　three　months　to
close　down。〃

There　was　dead　silence　when　the　message　was　read。　Everybody　waited
for　Mr。　Smith　to　speak。　Mr。　Gingham　instinctively　assumed　the
professional　air　of　hopeless　melancholy。

As　it　was　afterwards　recorded；　Mr。　Smith　stood　and　〃studied〃　with　the
tray　in　his　hand　for　at　least　four　minutes。　Then　he　spoke。

〃Boys；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　be　darned　if　I　close　down　till　I'm　ready　to
close　down。　I've　got　an　idee。　You　wait　and　I'll　show　you。〃

And　beyond　that；　not　another　word　did　Mr。　Smith　say　on　the　subject。

But　within　forty…eight　hours　the　whole　town　knew　that　something　was
doing。　The　hotel　swarmed　with　carpenters；　bricklayers　and　painters。
There　was　an　architect　up　from　the　city　with　a　bundle　of　blue　prints
in　his　hand。　There　was　an　engineer　taking　the　street　level　with　a
theodolite；　and　a　gang　of　navvies　with　shovels　digging　like　fury　as
if　to　dig　out　the　back　foundations　of　the　hotel。

〃That'll　fool　'em；〃　said　Mr。　Smith。

Half　the　town　was　gathered　round　the　hotel　crazy　with　excitement。　But
not　a　word　would　the　proprietor　say。　Great　dray　loads　of　square
timber；　and　two…by…eight　pine　joists　kept　arriving　from　the　planing
mill。　There　was　a