The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-11
day of her departure.

up at the anchorage about mile from
the shore. It was a lovely afternoon,
and could see that the steamer which
was to carry me on was already prepar'
ing for her departure. The boat was
alongside, my traps were safely slowed
in her, and nothing remained but to bid
Allie goodby. AS soon as this was &C.
complished | went down the gangway,
took my seat in the stern. and we push
ed off. Ten minutes later / was on
board the steamer Van Tromp, had paid
my passage money, secured my berth
and was waiting to see what the next
item of the programme would be.
From the deck of the Dutch vessel, as
she swept by US rA'er full sail, her
course set for Bats.-fa, the Lone Star
looked as pretty craft as any man
could wish to see. noticed, however,
that during the three months she had
! been in her own harbor her color and
indeed her whole appearance had been
entirely changed. When first / had
made her acquaintance. she was white
as the driven snow; now she was Pc
culiar shade of red Her bows seemed
| buffer than when | had seen her last.
Indeed from the present shape and con-
struction Of her masts and gear it would
have been extremely difficult to tell her
for the same vessel,
AT 6 o'clock and in the eye of glori-
Gus sunset we got up our pressure and
steamed out to sea. OF that voyage there
is little to tell. The Van Tromp was
clumsy old tub of an almost obsolete
pattern, and by the time we reached
Tanjong Prick, as the seaport of Bata-
via is called, had had about enough
of her.
Once there, repacked my bag and
stepped on to the wharf, resolved to
take the first train to the city. Arriving
there, drove direct to the hotel whose
name Allie had given me and booked my
room.
Batavia is pretty place, and at the
time of our visit it was looking it's best.
So far had seen nothing of Allie, and
did not like to make inquiries concern
ing her lest by so doing l might excite
suspicion. To while away the time till
dinner lit cigar and, seating myself
in the long veranda that surrounded the
house, read my book, keeping watch
full eye on the folk about me all the
time.
Shortly before O'Clock l noticed that
the Dutch ladies in my neighborhood
ordered afternoon tea and partook of it
in the veranda. Not to be outdone, l
followed their example. But just as 1
was about to pour myself out a cup an
interruption occurred which presently
assumed annoying proportions.
The table, on which my Malay boy
had placed the tray, stood in the full
glare of the afternoon sun, and this be.
ing hotter than liked l babe him move
it nearer to the wall, and to facilitate
matters myself took up the tray OH which
my cup stood trimming full Just as he
was putting the table down, however,
two strange ladies turned the corner of
the veranda and came toward u.s. The
taller and younger of the two was fine
dark woman, with wealth Of beautiful
brown hair rolled tightly behind her
head. She was dressed in we'll fitting
travelling dress, wore what 1 believe is
called sailor hat and walked with a
carriage that would have even attracted
in the most crowded street in
the world. Her companion was an older
woman and, il one might judge by ap-
pearances, nearer 60 than so, with q
fine, aristocratio face and considerable
quantity of gray hair heaped in little
corkscrew curls all over her head
Whn,, tbo,, 49,. Al 4
stood, l stepped back to let them pass,
but in doing so came into collision with |
the younger lady. How it happened I |
cannot say, but the result was in every
way disastrous. The tray slipped and !
would have fallen had l not caught it !
in time, but the cup of tea was too |
quick for me and fell to the ground |
splashing the young lady's pretty gray
dress beyond hope of remedy in it's de- |
scent. The cup and saucer were broken |
into hundred pieces. For a moment !
the fair sufferer stood silent, hardly, | |
suppose knowing what to say, but when |
commenced my apologies and wanted |
to run to my room for cloth with |
which to wipe her dress she found her |
voice aud said with strong American
accent:
"You must do nothing of the kind. |
1t was all my fault. Ideclare I'm down.
right sorry
l FASTENED to assure her that / could |
not let her take the blame upon herself,
and once more begged to be allowed to
sponge the tea off her dress. This, how
ever, she would not permit me to do.
"It won't hurt" she assured me for
the twentieth time, land if it did it's
Ill old dress, so don't bother yourself.
But now, look here, you've been depriv-
ed OF your tea, and that's not fair at
all. Say, won't you come right along to
our veranda AID take cup with us?
You're English, l know, and it's real
nice to have somebody who speaks our
own tongue to talk to. Promise Yes
right away and we'll be off. -
There was something so frank about
her that, though didn't at all want to
go, / could not resist her. So. uniting