The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-09

the wine gardens that we happened
to pass. AT one OF these places we
got separated somehow. and Juan ana
| found ourselves alone. Finally we
two brought up before brilliantly
illuminated resort in d small by street,
and feeling tired. we entered. The
place was a large cafe. and numbers
of men were seated at small marble
topped tables, quietly drinking beer,
wine or coffee. In the rear was an
other room, beyond which, through
two large windows that touched the
floor, we could see the pillars of a
balcony that oVerhung an open space,
either street or a canal
For half an hour or so. perhaps an
hour, Juan and / sat in that cafe
slipping black coffee. There was a low
hum of converse ton about the room
rather soothing than otherwise. Sud
denly there came the stamping of
many feet on the pavement outside,
gradually drawing toward the door.
The screen door tapped open and
dozen or more roughly clad British
sailors entered. 1t requires no keen
ness of observation to recognize. a
British seaman-his appearance
shriekS the fact at you, even were it
possible for him to keep his mouth
shut for ten successive minutes. Then
| these fellows We're all half drunk. and
only Britishers drink in packs. The
drink as the tigers hunt-alone or i'll
pairs.
The sailors We're too noisy to be
agreeable, and the walters tried to get
rid of them. but that was impossible.
Finally they were served some beer at
a large table by themselves III a corner
of the room. This seemed TO quiet
them for a while and no further notice
was taken of their presence.
Presently one of the Britishers arose
and pounded the table with his glass.
The hum of voices stopped.
Attention there, ye damned Dutch
dagoesi' began the sailor i'll an ag-
gressive tone, 'listen there, while 1 tell
We who l am. l am Bill Shocks. of
New Bedford-yesSir, l am an Ameri-
can, an don't you fergit it,
This Introduction received a round
of applause from Bills mates.
eco it. Yank,' shouted one, tell 'em
'oo We are"
'Yessir,'' continued Bill 81 am
man wot we seldom meets an | kin
| lick any damned dago Wot walks on
two feet, or or four. for that matter,
| if thera be any
/ Here he glared savagely about the
/ room. finally resting his eyes on Juan
| ana me. He was drunk. evidently,
! but il was that kind of a drunk where
a man retains all the animal senses
and is hunting for fight.
"Yessir" he said. II am a-lookin' at
We, We red-headed lobsters-my eyes is
on We, an | kin lick the two of We at
| once
My companions swarthy features
turned livid. His little black must
ache drooDed over the corners of his
mouth. AS | have said before. Juan
understood some English.
Besides the British seamen there
was almost a score of other men in
| natives of the civ. Most
of them were now laughing, for, not
understanding the Americans Ian
guage, they took it as a bit of humor.
| At the same table with Juan and my
self sat young Australian soldier.
sergeant, / believe, to judge by the
short sword at his side. Whether he
| understood English or only read the
sailors facial expression, l can't say
but he did not laugh. He took mat
tiers seriously. And his mustache
dropped too.
well" continued my loquacious
| countryman, "scein as how there amt
no fight in any of We, I'll ask We all to
go to hell"
Whereupon he lifted his glass and
heayed it directly at our table. 1t
struck the young soldier. not hurting
| him in the least but splitting beer over
his trousers. For one brief moment
there was Il deep eXDectant silence;
| then came a sharp Scrape against the
! stone floor. and the young soldiers
| chair shot backward from under him.
| With a bound he reached the sailor,
| hurled him to the floor, and there held
| him down. his fingers clutching the
| seaman's throat, his knee on his chest.
! But. the Austrian'S advantage was for
| only a moment.
Eat 'em, boys" shouted one of the
Englishmen. give EN- ell"
| Up they all sDrang and threw them
I % rrVin0 him
down by their brute weight. Before
| they could seriously injure him he
| had a dozen allies. The walters and
guests sprang to his assistance and
| endeavored to beat off the Englishmen,
| but that was no easy task
| In q moment the room was in a saw
| age turmoil. Chairs were used as
weapons, tables upset. flying bottles
| crashed into mirrors. curses and cries
| of pain mingled with the noise of
| splintering glass-all one mad uproar.
Near IS we were, Juan and l could
not avoid being in it. A blow from
! one of the Englishmen almost sent
me to the floor.
"Ye damned Turk. 'ad my heye on
you 1 heard him yell. I hit back
| and ho rolled under table. but an
] other fellow sprang at me and we
grappled. He fixed his teeth in my
! shoulder. I tried TO grasp the sheath
| ed it. Suddenly he threw back his
head. gave yell, his hold loosened
and he dropped to the floor. | caught
/ just a Photographic glimpse of the
| Austrian sergeant before me. his
naked sword in his hand. but in an
other second he disappeared in the
! melee.
Just what happened or what / did
remains but indistinctly in my mind
l saw the flash of knife blades saw
pale, blood-spattered faces writing
men on the floor, and everywhere was
| blood-bloOd.
Then came a lul. The Englishmen
RULED themselves together in one
corner, while the Austrians did the
same opposite. In the wreck streWn
space between lay four men quivering
IN spasmodic jerks. A yell, a wild
rush and the fight was on again. All
fought furiously. as hungry animals
fight. But the Englishmen We're fight
ing to reach the door; they We're be-
ing severely punished. Suddenly there
shot into the room the uniform of a