Bridgeton pioneer., 1885-03-19

shower about him.
You're cold, old fellow" said the tray
eler taking the shivering heather by the
sleeve and drawing him nearer to the stove.
That's right. Put down your concertina
and rub your fingers. 1t makes you look
more alive and less like a refugee from the
exhibition in Baker Street. BY the way"
nodding at the pagoda-shaped hat, which
began TO let fall great drops which hissed
upon the stove, II suppose that's movable"
He took it by the brim i'll his gloved thumb
and finger, and, removing it with q serious
comedy flourish of poii,eness, laid it gently
on the floor.
At this moment Fifine entered with the
two glasses the traveller had demanded, and
proffered one to each of the guests. The
Englshman took his, and disposed of it
with an air of RELISH but the other regarded
his glass doubtfully, and shifted at its con-
tents with some suspicion. Finally he tasted
it, and twinkled, tasted it again and twin
kled more brightly, and, fitting the little
glass very gradually, emptied it of its last
drop and set it on the table, very much with
the look of an automaton in motion.
Now NebuchadneZzar," said the English
man. ''do you know that l don't greatly like
that? There's look of the cat in the dairy
about you; kind of facial pretense of never
having so much as heard the name of cream,
which argues TO my mind a constant con-
cupiscent contemplation of the dairy door,"
Fifne stood smiling.
"Does he understand monsieur"
Not word responded the traveller
LAY the tab.e for two, Fifne; and serve
supper at once.
But monsieur will not sup with that in.
divdual there?'
But yes, my charming Fifine. Why not:
Monsieur is q musical artist. am musi-
cal artist also. We will eat together, eh,
Nebuchadnezzar? And,-dispatch, Fifine.
am hungry"
Fifine withdrew, half vexed, half laugh
ing, and wholly puzzled. The traveller drew
off pair of bearskin gloves, revealing hands
of singular whiteness and delicacy, but
broad at the finger tips, and capable. Nov
that it was possible to see more of him than
it had been, he came out handsome young
ster than otherwise. His head was well set
on pair of broad shoulders, and his figure,
which looked at once strong and agile,
showed to much advantage in many-plait-
| ed tourist coat of dark tweed, confined at
| the waist by belt of the same material,
/ tight-fitting tweed breeches which showed
the tournure Of a shapely leg, and boots of
dark brown leather, reaching to the knee,
and laced in front from the instep to the
ankle.
Now, NebuchadneZzar," said the trav-
eler, returning TO the stove, and chatting his
hands above it, you will probably have a
| twinge or two of rheumatism after this
experience l am not used to take my meals
in vapor bath, but, in the sacred name of
hospitality, bid you steam as much as you
please. You don't mind my calling you
Nebuchadnezzar, do you?" The China
mans almond-shaped, impassive eyes wan
dered all over him, without curiosity, ap-
proval, or disapproval. do you know, Neb-
| uchadneZzar," said the traveller, you Ori-
entail gentry have discomposing way with
you, as if you scorned all the world too pro-
foundly to care to show it. Damp and i'm
pecunious Celestial stranger, am ill at ease
before you. l dare say you are thinking
what an ass l am to go on jawing in a Ian
guage of which you don't understand sy-
liable. Let US make channel of communi-
cation them" He took a tumbler from the
table and tapped it twice or thrice with his
finger mi Nebuchadnezzarw The Cees-
tiaPs mind had wandered; but at the change
of tone he looked up, and assumed an atti-
tude of studously polite attention. GLASS;"
said the traveller. tapping at the goblet.
Glass" He set it down again, and took
up knife, which he held daintily between
finger and thumb under his guests nose
Knife"
Knife" said the visitor in a reedy voice.
Glass" He nodded at the knife, and
pointed yellow finger at the tumbler. Then
he nodded at the traveller.
The traveller nodded back at him vehe.
mently, and, dropping the knife upon the
table, touched himself rapidly and lightly on
the head and breast.
Smith," he said, with an aspect almost
tragic "Bill Smith," The Celestial wrinkled
his forehead as if in inquiry. smith," re-
peated the traveller, renewing his panto-
mime. "Bill Smith,"
"Ahw responded the Celestial twinkling
again, but family.
"Eh?" cried the traveller, lunging lightly
at him across the stove and tapping him on
the breast. "Eh?'
"Chi Lung" responded the heather, bow
ing. The traveller bowed in answer; and
when Fifine entered with the soup the two
were bobbing at each other across the stove
with an aspect of profound seriousness on
either side. The broad-set Flemish woman
sat down the tureen and burst out laughing.
DuL ilc 10 ulOll ~ oCC, llab
she said, blushing after her laugh.
The savory odor of the soup reached the
travellers nostrils so temptingly that he be-
came all at once most ravenously hungry,
and with affected hustle he placed chair
for his visitor, and motioned him toward il
with a sweep of the left hand. The China
man drew back little and raised palms of
protest; but his host put an end to his OBJ
jections by laying hand on either shoulder
and forcing him into the chair. Taking his
own place he served the soup briskly, and,
spreading napkin upon his knees, signed
10 his companion to begin. What the lonely
Celestial thought of all this was necessarily
a secret. His features were as expression
less as human features well can be, and he
did not even twinkle over the soup as he
had twinkled over the Geneva. But in imi.
tation of his host, he spread napkin ovel
his knees, and then attended his further
movements. When his host took little
pepper and little salt upon the point of his
knife from the tiny glass stand between
them, he followed suit. When his host stir
red those condiments into his soup with a
spoon, he followed suit again, and when