The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-07-01
AFTER MANY YEARS.

deck chair, tea-cup In hand, as whole
some specimen Of young England
tive feet eleven in f1annels) as you
would meet any day between Port
Said and the Gulf of Alden. His face
showed that he was brimming over
with matter of weighty importance,
so l gathered my self together and
prepared to listen and advise thereon,
for, being an old stager, l was used to
the confidence Of subalterns.
Fact is, I've been hard hit" began
the dragon, sitting down on the deck.
Miss Stanton?' l inquired, sympa-
thetically, for that young woman Oh
her way to marry a planter, had
worked havoc among the unappro-
priated masculine hearts.
miss Stanton! No. l mean the wo-
man 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
husband" l added warningly.
"Oh, no. She's widow. Hunt Of
the Fourth told me all about it, he has
an uncle who has a place close to old
TTinder's, and he Hunt, mean, knew
them we'll 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.
We'll, you know more about her
than l do. Though she is my cabin
companion, have not found her par
ticularly sOciable-"
THAT is just it, one does not get any
ferarder' with her; she won't talk To
anybody
"Well, l don't see how I can make
her
But If you Were to ask her to tea
or something Of the sort
And ask you to meet her, Of course.
l don't mind; SO be here at four to-
morrow" and 1 proceeded to scribble
a note to Hunt Of the FOuth, in con-
sideratlon of his uncle having known
old Trinder.
Somehow. that tee was not a sue.
cess, although the cook surpassed him
self in tea-cakes, and that subtle Ia
vor of stewed cockroaches that pr
vades the ship tea was reduced to a
minimum.
Hunt contributed many anecdotes Of
his uncle (whO knew old Trinder), but
Mrs. Trinder would not be drawn into
conversation.
The sound Of the dressing-bell broke
mp the party, leaving the dragoon baf-
aed in his object, but more in love
than ever. He was one Of those men
who take the complaint seldom, but
badly; and Mrs. Trinder, with her
slim figure, big eyes, sweet smile and
nonosyllables. was in his eyes the
perfection Of womanhood.
You'll come ashore?" said the dra-
coon, four hours later, as we steamed
slowly into harbor at Alden.
l consented, for coaling ship Is not
a delectable place; but in spite of all
pervading dust. Mrs. Trinder could
not be persuaded to accompany us,
and we left her surrounded by
swarm Of native merchants, who, with
unerring instinct, marked her as an
easy prey.
The journey to the empty tanks was
as jolly and dusty as ever Having in
spected the few trees, we commenced
our descent, and in so doing came
across the Worst-tempered Man. In
the coarse Of an eventful life IL has
been my misfortune to foregather
with many bad-tempered mortals, but
thls one could give points to any two
other men of my acquaintance.
He was an ill-favored unwholesome
looking individual with puffy cheeks
and watery eyes, betokening a too
great affinity for the insnuating peg.
HIS carriage had come to grief on the
road, and he was standing among the
debris apostrOphizing From one or
two expressions borne after us on the
breeze, we learned with sorrow that
he was to be fellow passenger to
Bombay.
"On our return to the ship a couple
OF hours later, | found Mrs. Trinder
sitting in her cabin among her pur-
chases' wearing very frightened ex-
preston; she was timid little thing
ana about as fit to knock about t},e
world alone as an unfiedged cunsry.
having evidently been kept in a band-
box all her life.
They've put madman next door"
she began In low voice. Hes
dreadfully violent. Listen"
A string Of Hindustani invectiyes
mingled with blows falling on some
dull substance. and EXPLANATIONS of
'sahib! Sahib" reached >our ears
through the open grating that headed
the partition walls Of the two cabins
and | recognized the accents of the
Worst-tempered Man.
It's only temper" said, reassur
ingly; "vou will get used to that sort
OF thing He's beating his servant,
and you may be sure the boy is well
paid. or he wouldn't stand it. If the
man swears too loudly, I'll speak to
tho captain"