The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-04-14

way to the shore, waving his hand in the air as signal to somebody on the quay, no doubt, that he had secured prize. Half-a-doze hands were held up in different directions among the crowd, and as we passed along the quay my attendant was joined by two other men who helped him to carry the portmanteau. We passed along several narrow, tortuous streets, we crossed canal or two of dark and un- inviting appearance, and at last turned into gloomy, handsomely carved gateway, and stopped before heavy, massive door, let into kind of arched recess adorned with carvings of floral and heraldic emblems. The door was opened by an old woman, with an elaborately wrinkled face, who was busy with brooms and mops and pails. My conductor led the way up- stairs-in a narrow, curving staircase all done in red distemper, and remind ing one of the companion ladder of ship-up we went higher and higher, the stairs becoming sleeper, narrower, and more gloomy at every stage. We come to pause at last, and, pushing open a door, my porter led the way into large, bare room-bare of furn- iture that is, for the ceiling was richly decorated, and the panneled walls were adorned with fruit and flowers finely carved, but much hacked and defaced. There were ta- bles all along the room, covered with | oil vnh fvno seemingly of emigrants, were sitting with bags of provender beside them, drinking beer out of huge mugs, and discussing bread and onions, cheese and garlic, with much apparent relish.
 In one corner of the room sat family group of care-worn, homely people, who seemed to be in charge of the establishment. A woman was mending stockings; another was at work with sewing machine; child ren were busy over their lesson books; and pale and studious- looking youth, in spectacles, was making en- tries in big book. To this last my conductor addressed himself, evil dently on the subject of my sojourn there. I should have liked to join in the conversation, but the pale youth spoke only Dutch. Thus I was very much at the mercy of my nondescript porter from the quay, who seemed to be taking carte blanche as to arrange ments for my reception. The young man in spectacles looked puzzled, un- decided but at last he handed key to the porter, who forthwith, in a triumphant manner, shouldered my portmanteau and led the way up more flights of stairs, ever growing darker and sleeper.
 Then we came to really handsome chamber, paneled and carved like the other, but much more elaborately fur nished velvet couches, gilded chairs, mirrors, sconces, clocks, all kinds of bric-a-brac cumbered the room, leav- ing just space for table and a few practicable chairs, and two massive box bedsteads, each occupied by two enormous feather beds. These last two pieces of furniture attracted my attention most. There was not the vestige of any kind of accessories in the way of sheets, pillows, or bolsters :; but the feather beds were deliciously soft and inviting. Dismissing my managing porter with a gratuity, which, for a wonder, he received without grumbling, l locked the door with the huge key, and, kicking off shoes, jumped into the middle of the feather beds. Next moment I was fast asleep.
 l awoke with start and a strange nightmarish feeling about me. Itwas midnight, and all the clocks in the room were chiming the hour, one after another, in every variety of tone. But late as it was, the narrow street below was full of life and noise. Never had I heard such a babel of sounds rising up in the middle of the night, such shouting and laughter; street music, songs from sailors taverns, roar of voices everywhere-everywhere, that is, but in this particular house, which seemed as silent as the grave.
 My room must have been seven floors above the street but the houses opposite were equally tall, and every floor of them was lighted up and wide awake, and doing it's best to swell the general uproar. Just in face of my window a supper party was going on, all in full dress, with choice dishes, and flasks of wine and liquors of every imaginable shape. The sight made me hungry {; was weak indeed, and exhausted from hunger, for had tasted nothing since breakfast, and yet had probably slept away all chance of getting anything to eat.
 It was strange chamber, this of mine; there was no bell-pull or other means of communicating with the world below-plenty of gilt chande-