Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-05

head so persistently with his eyes that that
irritated young man, with the pride Of
race bubbling within him, would have
openly resented the performance II he had
not given a promise to Mr.. Smith on this
very point only a short half-hour before.
Such a state of things could not last
long without bringing about an open
breach. and Swizzle-Stick Smith, with his
vast experience, saw this earlier than any
body, and made his arrangements accord
ingly.
He tried hard to write letter, but his
pen was not in the mood for intelligent
calligraphy. So he had to fall back on
verbal instructions and a verbal message.
Mr.. Assistant" he said. when at last he
put down his knife and fork, and the house
boy handed him his pipe and a match.
Mr.. Assistant. 1 intended to make you a
bearer Of dispatches, but the gout's got
into my COMPOUNDED fingers this morning
and I doubt If even Slade could read my
writing. So We'll just have to do the thing
informally. We must have some more of
that spot-white-on- blue cloth, and you
must post off to the Smooth River factory
and bring it back with you. 1t seems to
be in heavy demand just now, though why
1 can't imagine. I've been on the coast
twenty-five years now, and l can no more
foretell the run of native fashions than
l could the day I landed. But there 1t Is
and though I'm sure Slade won't want to
part. you must just make him. Say We'll
pay him back in salt. He's sure to be
short of salt. 1 never yet knew Slade to
indent for half as many bags Of salt as his
trade required. You needn't hurry. If
you're back here in three days time that
will be quite soon enough You can take
a hammock, of course"
Thanks, very much. but I'd rather
walk"
well. just as you please. You must
commander what carriers you want from
Slade."
So 1t came to pass that when the sun
had dropped to point whence 1t could
throw decent shadow. and the sea breeze
mingled a bracing chill even into a tenn
perature of eighty. Carter set off along the
beach, with Whte-Man' s-Trouble balancing
mildew-mottled Gladstone bag on his
smartly-shaved Uranium, in attendance. On
one side of him Africa was fenced off by a
wall of impenetrable greenery; on the other
the Atlantic bumped and roared and cream
ed along the glaring sand. On the horizon
the smoke of a Liverpool palm oil tank
called from him the usual coasters sigh
"Oh, Carter" said his valet when they
had left the factory buildings well out of
earshot, you plenty much fine. and you no
lib for Steamah."
1T was about time I tidied up When
we get back the factory I'll teach YOU
how to pipe-clay shoes"
The Krooboy thought over this PROPOSE
ton for some minutes. Then said he: It
fit for tell you, Carter, dem last white man
l pipe-clay shoes for, he lib for cemetery
in two week. Savvy. Carter? Two week"
"All right, don't get so emphatic.
WASH uouDllHS YOU But m going to
risk the cemetery all the same. You may
start by providing me with one pair of
clean shoes day, and when I get the
taste of cleanliness again, maybe I'll run to
two. Savvy?'
"Savvy plenty" grumbled White-Man's-
Trouble. and then presently: "You no fit
for steamah palaver? You no lib for homer"
NO. I'm not going home yet awhile"
But you plenty-much fine"
Yes" admitted Carter. II caught sight
of myself in widowed pyjamas and fort
nights beard, and was struck with the
general flthiness of my personal appear
ance. Savvy?"
''savvy plenty. Oh Carter. you lib for
wife palaver? Dem plenty-much fine clothes
always one of the customs before wife
palaver."
The Krooboy pondered over this discov-
cry during the next two miles of the march
and then said he. "Oh, Carter?'
.'Well?"
Dem Slade. You savvy seegar?"
Il suppose so. Why?"
Il Smith dash dem Slade one box
seegar an he got what Slade said no fit
for before Oh. Carter, you dash dem
Slade one box seegar," said White-Man's-
Trouble, and he treated his employer to q
knowing wink.
Whatever for?"
Because then, after he got dem seegar,
he sell you Laura for half dem price he
ask before"
ter half tickled, half annoyed.
But White Man Trouble stopped, put
down the yellow Gladstone bag on the bak-
Ing sand and pointed to the blue parallel
tribal tattoo marks between his broWs II
Krooboy, sar. / no bushboy, sari lib