The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-31
CHAPTER Iii.

4G E& CHAPTER XII.
Presently the supper bell began to ring in
the depths Of the house. and the sound pro-
coeded steadily upward, growing in inten-
sity all the way up toward the upper floors.
The higher it came the more maddening
was the noise, until at last what it lacked
of being absolutely deafening was ma de
mp of the sudden crash and clatter of
al avalanche Of boardors down the uncar-
peted stairway. The peerage did not go to
meals in this fashion. Tracy's training had
not fitted him to enjoy this hilarious
geological clamor and enthusiasm. He had to
confess that there was something about this
extraordinary o%utpouring of animal spirits
which he wonld have to get Injured to be-
fore he could accept it. No doubt in time
sshs would prefer it; but he wished the pro-
cess might be modified and made just a
3litule more gradual and not quite so pro-
nounced and violent. Barrow and Tracy
followed the avalanche down through an
ever increasing and ever more and more
aggressive stencil of bygone cabbage and
kindred smells; smells which are to be
found nowhere but in a cheap private board
ing house; smells which once encoun-
tered can never be forgotten; smells which
encountered generations later are instantly
recognizable, but never recognizable with
pleasure. To Tracy these odors were suffo-
eating, horrible, almost uncomfortable; but
l 3 AL 4. Big 1hy gg ssssssn ahd tB SID ea nssahips s,.la AZ 4
dining-room where thirty-fiye or forty peo-
pie sat at q long table. They took their
places. The feast had already begun and
the conversation was going on in the
liveliest way from one n of the table to
the other. The table cloth was of very
-. - = 49,. 4 .v,,r 1;1rroJl, o>.&A.
with coffee stains and grease. The knives
and forks we're iron, with bone handles,
tho spoons appeared to be iron, or
sheet iron or something of the sort. The
tea and coffee cups were of the conlmonest
and heaviest and most durable stoneware,
All the furniture of the table was of the
comElonest and cheapest sort. There was
q single large, thick slice of bread by each
boarder's plate, and it was observable that
he economical it as If he were not expect
ing it to be duplicated. Dishes of butter
were distributed along the table within
reach of peoples arms, if they had long
ones, but they had no private butter plates.
The butter was pc haps good enough and
was quiet and we'll behaved. but it had
though nobody commented upon
that fact or seemed in any way dis.
turbed by it. The main feature of the
feast WAS a piping hot Irish stew made
of the potatoes and meat left over from a
procession of previous meals. Everybody
was literally supplied with this dish. On
the table were a couple of great dishes of
sliced ham, and there were some other eat
ables Of minor neutrality-suspicious., and
New Orleans molasses and such things.
There WAS also plenty of ten and coffee OF
an internal sort. with brown sugar and con-
densed milk, but the milk and sugar supply
was not left at the discretion of the board
-. I.,A ,un, rnAs1,.o3 ~,,A - kno.ly - . So ne, I'LL
one spoonful of sugar and n of con-
densed milk to each cup and no
more. The table was waited upon by two
stalwalt negro women, who raced back
and forth from the bases of supplies with
splendid dash md clatter and energy.
Their labors were supplemented after q
fashion by the young girl Puss. She car
the boarders, but sho made pleasure excur-
sions rather than business ones i'll this way,
to speak strictly. She made jokes with
various people. She chatfed the young
men pleasantly and wittily, as she sup.
posed, and us the rest also supposed. ap
parently, Judging by the applause and
laughter which she Got by her efforts
Man1festly she was a ~favorite with most of
the young follows and sweetheart of the
rest of them. Where she conferred notice
she conferred happiness, rs was seen b.,
the face of the recipient; and at the sams
time sne conferred unhappiness-one could
see it fall and dim the faces of the Other
"Mlstered" these friends of hers, bu1
called Thorn s.Billv," Tom" john" anl
they called her "puss" or 'lInttio."
Mr.. Marsh sat ut the head of tho table,
his wife sat at the foot. Marsh was Il mar
of 60. and was an American; but If he hat
been born a month entlier he would have
been n Spaninfd. He was plenty gooG
a,,cI1ryI Syn, In r] az ~ VINO. biS fnaa rNx
very dark, his hair was very black. and his
eyes were not only exceedingly black but
were very intense, and there was something
about them TINT Indicated that they could
burn with passion upon occasion. lie was
stoop-shouldered and loan-faced, and thu
general aspect of him was disagreenble; he
was evidently not Il very compantonablt
person. III looks Went for anything, hs
was the very opposite of his wife, who was
all motherliness and charity. good will anu
good nature. All the young men ant
tho women called her Auut Rachel,
which was another sign. Iracy's wan
6oring and Interested eye presently
fell upan one boarder who had been
overlooked in the distribution Of tho stew
He was very pale and looked AZ ii he hue
but lately come out of " sick bod. and also
as il no ought to- get back into it again Il:
soon M possible. His face was very mel
nncholy. I he waves of laughter nnd cott
vershtion broke npot ~ wlthouG AtlectltE
it amy more than If 1t had been n rock il
tho sea and the words aud laughter verita-
Bile waters. lilo held his head down An,
looked ashamed. Some of tho women eas
glances OF pity toward him from time K
time in a furtive and h~alf-afraid way, ant
someof tho youngest OF the men plainl,
had compassion on tho young fellow
n compassioE exhibited i'll their faces
but not in any more actise or compro'
missing way. But the great majority
OF the people present showed entire indif
ference to the youth aud his sorrows
Marsh sat with head down, but one conlt
catch the malicious CLEAN OF his aye