Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-11-10
AFTER MANY DAYS.
"I've BROUGHT yo,1r tea.n

GIVE brought your tea"
1t was the voice Of the dragon that
reused me from my siesta as he stood by
my deck chair, teacup in hand, as whole
some specimen of young England Is feet
II in fannels) as you would meet any day
between Port Said and the gulf of Alden.
His face showed that he was trimming
over with matter of weighty Importance,
so gathered myself together and prepared
to listen and advise thereon, for, being an
old stager, was used to the condolences of
subalterns.
"Fact is, I've been hard hit, f" began the
dragon, sitting down on the deck.
sMiss Stanton?" I inquired sympathet-
ically for that young woman, on her way
to marry planter, had worked havoc
among the unappropriated masculine
hearts.
"Miss StantonI No. mean the wom-
an who sits next you at table-the one with
the beautiful eyes,"
"My cabin companion, Mrs. Trinder!
She is probably going out to join her hus-
band" added warningly
VII, liz, DIG q NIuOWs AAuAo VI oiHS
Fourth told me all about it. He has an
uncle who has a place close to old Trinder's,
and he-Hunt, mean-knew them quite
well by sight Old Trinder was old enough
to be her father. He made pile in cotton
or something of the sort and died last
year"
"Well, you know more about her than I
do Though she is my cabin companion
I haven't found her particularly So
ciable''-
"That's just it. One doesn't get any
'forarder' with her; she won't talk to any
body"
swell, don't see how can make herr
"But if you were to ask her to tea or
something of the sort
"And ask you to meet her, of course? I
don't mind, SO be here at tomorrow. I"
And proceeded to scribble a note to Hunt
of the Fourth in consideration of his uncle
having known old Trinder.
Somehow that tea was not a success, al
though the cook surpassed himself in tea
cakes, and that subtle flavor Of stewed
cockroaches that peryades all ships tea
was reduced to a minimum.
Hunt of the Fourth contributed many
anecdotes of his uncle, who knew old
Trinder, but Mrs. Trinder would not be
drawn into conversation She answered
the dragoon's prattle with monosyllables,
her eyes fixed on the misty horizon, where
the mountain range of Sinai was dinly
visible.
The sound of the dressing bell broke up
the party, leaving the dragon baffled in
his object, but more In love than ever. He
was one Of those men who take the COM
plant seldom but badly, and Mrs. Trinder,
with her slim figure, big eyes, sweet smile
and monosyllables, was in his eyes the per-
lection Of womanhood And Mrs. Trinder
was lucky woman, for had known the
dragon intimately for ten years and could
not have wished for better husband my
self.
"You'll come ashore?" said the dragon
four days later as we steamed slowly into
harbor at Alden, and shoal of dusky in
fants surrounded the ship, chanting in
unison their chorus of "have dive"
while boatloads of woolly headed vendors
Of ostrich eggs, feathers and carved curios
from the interior prepared to squeeze their
victims.
1 consented, for coaling ship is not a
delectable place; but, in spite Of all peryad-
ing dust, Mrs. Trinder could not be per
suaded to accompany us, and we left her
surrounded by swarm of native mer.
chants, who, with unerring instinct,
marked her as an easy prey.
The Journey to the empty tanks was
jolly and dusty as ever. Having inspected
the few trees, we commenced our descent.
and in SO doing came across the worst
tempered man. In the course Of an event
full life 1t has been my misfortune to for
gather with many bad tempered mortals
but this one could give points to any two
other men Of my acquaintance and beat
them, and that Is saying good deal, fol
there's nothing like residence in the east
for fraying out the edges of ones temper
even those Of covenanted civilians.
He was an Ill favored, unwholesomt
looking individual, with puffy cheeks and
watery eyes, betokening too great affinity
for the insinuating peg. His carriage had
come to grief on the road, and he was
standing among the debris apostrophizine
the driver and his female relations to thu
third generation in terms that caused my
companion's lip to curl with disgust
From one or two expressions borne after
us upon the breeze we learned with sorrow
that he was to be fellow passenger tt
Bombay.
On our return to the ship a couple Of
hours later ], found Mrs Trinder sitting II
her cabin among her purchases, wearing {
very frightened expression. She was {
timid little thing and about as fltto KNOCK
about the world alone as an unfledget
canary, having evidently been kept in {
bandbox all her life
"They' We put mailman next door, " sh,
began IN q low voice. Hes lreadfully
violent. Listenl''
A string Of Hindoostanee invectives
mingled with blows falling on some dull
substance, and ordinations Of "Sahib
Sahibl' reached our ears through the ope1
grating that headed the partition walls o
the two cabins, and recognized the &C
cents Of the worst tempered man
sits only temper, said reassuringly
you'll get used to that sort Of thing
He's beating his servant, but you may b
sure the boy Is well paid or he wouldn'
stand 1t. II the man swears too loudly
I'll speak to the captain.
beating his servantl How dreadful
Let us 60 up on deck. I"
Outside we came upon the white robet
"boy" rubbing his shoulders, with snil,
Of satisfaction on his face
Sticks" inquired alphabetically.
The "boy" grinned. "Sahib max,
plenty Robbery, he replied.
That night leaning over the PROV Of tn,
vessel, watching the glimmering, fantasti,
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