The Savannah morning news., 1904-10-03
HAM LEWIS SLEPT ON DECK.
From the New York Sun.

AAiC ANON LOAAN 1900
The Hon. ]. Ham Lewis of the state
Of Washington was passenger on the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. liner Statendam,
which sailed from Rotterdam on Sept.
10 and arrived in New York, after
rough voyage. on Sept 90. Friends VINO
met Mr.. Lewis at the pier remarked
the eareworn curl of his pale pink
whiskers. 1t was not until yesterday
that it became known in these parts
what was the matter. 1t was the
only piece of real live news that has
come out of Democratic national head
quarters since the campaign opened.
1t appears, according to the story,
that the Hon. Ham was assigned to a
stateroom on the upper deck, along
with two Dutchmen, one of whom is
professor in a Pennsylvania conserv-
atory of music. The other is civil
engineer from The Hague, coming to
America to study the methods of Yam
kee engineers.
On the first night out all three turned
in about midnight. The professor lost
no time in falling into his beauty sleep.
For a few minutes the breathing was
only deep and regular. Then there
were a few staccato shorts, followed
by the gradual development or a
snore fugue sonoroso, in comparison
with which the pumping of the engines
and the roar of the ocean We're like
distant lullabies. Not being as well
acquainted as they might be, neither
Mr.. Lewis nor the Dutch engineer said
anything for an hour or more. Neither
could sleep, however, and finally j.
Ham, being fairly sure that the en-
gineer was awake, inquired:
How do you like it, my friend, as
far as he's gomez"
do you not think we should send
by the doctor? Maybe he is not we'll
a little" suggested the engineer.
Excellent idea,' said j. Ham, en-
Enthusiastically. Suppose you call the
doctor You never can tell how the
sea will affect musicians"
Perhaps we would better wait lit
tie. Possibly he is only dreaming of
Wagner symphony" replied the engi-
neer, not just liking, apparently, the
idea that he should beard the doctor.
Maybe he'd dream italian if we
could get him off his back and on his
side" suggested Lewis at the end of
another hour.
'"Try it," replied the engineer. 81
have yet my eyes to close"
]. Ham, laid hold on the professor
as on barrel. The fugue was broken
for a, moment by a snort or two and
went merrily on again.
With the first sign of the dawn Mr..
Lewis and the engineer dressed and
went on deck. The next night and
the next were like the first. and on the
| fourth Mr.. Lewis got desperate. He
must have sleep. About midnight he
| disappeared from the smoking room,
| to return after a little in his pajamas.
Folding himself up in the biggest chair
| he could find, he slept fitfully. The
engineer explained to the few late sit
| ters why the American statesman ap-
peared in the smoking room in paja-
| mas.
In some way the professor heard
about it the next day, and with tears
in his eyes and tremor in his voice
offered his apologies to Mr.. Lewis.
II will not disturb the sleep of any
one, least of all one who has shown so
much forbearance," he said. ut is
who will sleep in the smoking room,
in the steerage, on deck, anywhere,
hereafter. You shall lose no more
sleep on account of me-"
The Hon. J. Ham. protested for
awhile but the professor insisted, SO
the Washington statesman managed to
get five good nights sleep out of nine.