New-York tribune., 1908-07-12
AT THE TABLE.

good deal of table length between Ursula
and the interesting passenser-a length that was
filled side by small. sad Hodlander, IN
natty American clothes, who held with the waiter
a solemn conference in Dutch over each article on
the menu; an American husband and wife. both
thin. nervous and ascetic: big young German OF
great beefness; a priest with curly. yellow hair
and an rrepressble smile, and the nondescript sim
gle gentleman. who had commented on Ursula TO
his friend. At close range he nondescrtpt only
in coloring for he had a singuarly keen pair OF
queerish gray eyes and certain alert poise Of
head that suggested fencer. 'Cne of our nice,
sharp business men," thought Miss Basbeu. The
kind that makes large fortune in stoves or screw
nails SOAP and voyage like this hasn't one
thought to rub against another"
Certainly the tacturnity of the American was
noticeable when compared with the conversational
rapids Of the red bearded foreigner who before
dessert rose up and left the table, bearing along
with him his listener.
That evening when Mrs. Hearn and Ursula were
tucked up in chairs. watching the serious
faces of the passengers who felt the first undu-
latings Of the sea, Mr. Hearn issued from the
smoking room
I've been talking to your funny man, Ursula" "
he said, he settled himself beside them. Found
out he is a Dutchman and doctor-just on
from Java. He's been telling yarns in there about
the East. He knows it pretty well. Been there
ten years without break"
Did you hear how he forgot his baggage?'
asked Mrs. Hearn.
oh yes He lamenting that he ever parted
from his black boy Says ne is quite lost without
him. Black boy came all over the Pacific with
him, but he had to drop him at San Francisco.
The boy packed all the things nicely had them
sent across to New York, but. not being used to
having them on his mind, the doctor forgot them
altogether"
Dear me- said Mrs. Bearn. Hes worse than
you are" But Miss Basbleu thought of all the
other absent minded philosophers in history, ana
like the Dutch doctor more than ever. When he
! emerged from the smoking with the dark
young mana Hungarian student of Oriental Ian
guages, Hearn said-she looked IongingIy at the
eloquent wagg1ing Of his head and hands ana
begged Hearn to introduce him to her
possible. Hearn suggested that the nondescrpt
young man. named Taylor. looked like good sort
but the suggestion was received with shrug and
with the hope that the doctor would come by.
But the doctor did not come by. The wind came
up and the grew rougher; the passengers went
downstairs by one and the deck steward be
gan folding up the chairs before the doctor moved
from his place against the rail. Then he and the
Hungarian went back into the smoking room.
The morning broke gray. and the sea was turbu-
lent Miss Basbleu's cabin floor rose and fell so
that she had some difficulty in staggering down the
corridor to take her bath 1t while trying to
do up her hair that she decided she would not go
to breakfast About the kindly Hearn
dragged her up deck, where she lay in that
pleasant comatose condition that the begets
Through haf-shut eyes she the heaving ocean
and the lowering sky; she the rolling deck and
heard the grunts of the Dutch sailors they
fastened down the awning that tapped loudly.
She knew that a few passengers walking
around and stumbling over her extended feet and
falling into chairs in line with other chairs
tanning paided mummes: but all these things were
dull ard muffied, like dream.
In e dream she go by the sad Holander and
the stout captain strutting slowly and many other
figures that she recognized a little. Once there
by q doctor with a red beard, in company
with brown complexioned They looked at
her. and the red bearded made some remark
to his companion and chuckled. pang of wound
ed vanity went through Miss Basbleu It is very
trying to be a ridiculous, plaided mummy