The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-10-17
" A Tourist From Injianny."
BY BRET HARTE.

We first saw him from the deck of the
Unser Fritz, as that gallant steamer was
preparing to leave the port of New York
for Plymouth, Havre and Hamburg
Perhaps it was that all objects at that
moment became indelibly impressed on
the memory of the departing voyager;
perhaps it was that mere interrupting
trivialities always assume undue magni-
tu'ie to us when we are waiting for some
thing really important; but 1 retain q
vivid impression of him as he appeared
on the gangw"y iu apparently hopeless,
yer, ss 1T ait-rward appeared, really
Triumphant alteration with the German, =
speak ny .teck hands and stewards. Fl,
~as ~, heroic fgnre. Clad in wori
iineu dnsttr, his fms filleu with bag.
aud parcels, he might have been takel
Tor q hackman carrying the luggage q,
his fare. But It was noticeable that, al
though he calmly persisted in speakin,
English and ignoring the voluble Ger.
man of his antagonists, he. in some rud.
fashion, accomplished his object withou'
losing his temper or increasing his tenn
persture, while his foreign enemy war
crimson with rage aud perspiring with
heat, and presently, having violated
dozen of the ships regulations, he took
his place by the side Of very pretty
girl, apparently his superior in station,
who addressed him as "father." As the
great ship swung ont into the stream,
he was still central figure on our deck,
getting into everybody's way, address,
ing all with equal familiarity, imperturb-
able to affront or snub, but always dog
gedly and consistently adhering to one
purpose, however trivial or inadequate
10 the means employed. "You're sittin'
on suthin' O. mine, miss, he began for
the third or fourth time to the elegant
Miss Montmorris, who was revisitig Eu-
rope under high social conditions. "Jist
mint" Not only was the lady forced to
rise, but to make necessary the rising
and discomposing of the whole Mont
morris party who were congregated
around her. The missing "sutin'" was
discovered to be a very old battered
newspaper. "It's the Cincinnatty
Times" he explained, as he quietly
took it up, oblivious to the indignant
glances of the party. "It's a little
squoshed by your sittin' on it, but it'll
do to refer to. It's got letter from
Payris, shown the prices O. them thar
hotels and rist'rants, and I allowed to
my darter we might want it on the other
side. Thar's one or two French names
thar that rather gets me-mebbee your
eyes is little stronger" but here the
entire Montmorris party rustled away,
leaving him with the paper in one hand
the other pointing at the paragraph.
Not at all discounted, he glanced at the
vacant bench, took possession of it with
his hat, duster and umbrella, then dis
appeared, and presently appeared again
with his daughter, lank. looking young
man, and an angular elderly female, and
80 replaced the Montmorrises. Il
When we were fairly at sea he was
missed. A pleasing belief that he had
fallen overheard, or had been left be-
hind, WAS dissipated by his appearance
one morning, with his daughter on one
arm, and the elderly female before re-
ferred to on the other. The Unser Fritz
was rolling heavily at the time, but with
his usual awkward pertinacity he insist
cd upon attempting to walk toward the
best part of the deck. as he always did,
as if it were right and duty. Alurch
brought him and his uncertain freight
in contact with the Montmorrises; there
was a moment of wild confusion, two or
three seats were emptied, and he was
finally led away by the steward, an obvi-
ously and obtrusively sick man. But
when he had disappeared below it was
noticed that he had secured two excel
lent seats for his female companions.
Nobody dared to disturb the elder, no.
body cared to disturb the younger-who,
it may be here recorded, had certain
shy reserve which checked aught but
the simplest civilities from the mascu.
line passengers.
A few days later it was discovered
that he was not an inmate OF the first,
but of the second cabin; that the elderly
female was not his wife, as popularly
supposed, but the room mate of his
daughter in the first cabin. These facts
made mis- various intrusions on the saloon
deck the more exasperating TO the Mont
morrises. yet the more difficult to deal
with. Eventually, however, he had. as
usual, his own way; no place was sacred.
or debarred his slouched hat and duster
They were turned out Of the engine.
room to reappear upon the bridge; thew
were forbidden the forecastle, to rise
ghostly presence beside the officer in his