The Washington herald., 1909-03-14

ing from deep leather chair in
H&eIlgE2F smoking room Of a fashionable up
kR&S7g1lYl town club and with slight. yet posi-
tive gesture expressive OF disgust. des-
peration and ennui left short time
ward this same young gentleman. Clarence Feather
stone by name, might have been seen to kick open
the swinging door Of a most jingy and disreputable
cafe not far from the water front
Here he found the rabble gathered about
bar, but the remainder of the cafe almost
deserted. after swift guilty glance
pany he emitted sigh Of satisfaction and relief
and dropped into a chair secluded table. Almost
Immediately a gigantic negro waiter shambled
to him. his shining countenance contorted into
most unmistakable grin Of recognition Mr.. Feath-
erstone greeted him with delicatey elaborated con
deseension and gave his order As usual. Matthew
ne said. frownng slightly, usual"
The negro pulled face he received the
direction bowed with almost exaggerated soemni-
", then quickly disappeared the front door
Two minutes later he back with a paper sack
in his hand and vanished again into the kitchen
whence he presently reappeared, bearing tray on
his this tray three small and manifestly
unripe bananas. one large onion Of the Spanish or
Bermuda variety cigars. and bottle Of cheap
Jamaica
With sobriety Of demeanor almost ritual. the
negro set the tray the table before Mr.. Feather
stone. swabbed off plate with his napkin after the
manner # his kind. and. after certain other Gus
tomary servfe attentions stood waiting expectan;ly
With severely critical eye Mr.. Featherstone SUR
veyed the collation. before him and then placed a
Of money in the ready palm Of the waiter
" All right. Matthew said he courteously, waving
aside the thanks OF his dusky servitor. -" I shall
qure hing further at present" And as the wait
ambIed with avidity curiously in contrast
10 the previous restraint OF his department Mr.
Featherstone seized Of the small and unripe
bananas his left hand, dexterousiy stripped of the
peel with thumb and forehnger or his right. and
fell devouring the immature fruit with every mani
festation Of pleasure
This first banana Mr. Featherstone dispatched with
extreme celerity; then after a hasty bite at the
onion. he likewise peeled and devoured the second
banana Returning 70 the onion again with a dreamy
and retrospective .ook his eye young man fell
TO nibblins IL pensively and from the preoccupa-
tion of his was clear that his mind ran
far aheld. Yet until the last curling morseI was
did he leave of; almost instantly thereafter he
turned to the third banana, and, though the gentty
o his breeding was stU evidenced by the delicate
fastidiousness OF his movements he consumed the
fruit also with unabated
He poured for himself glass OF the raw
spirit and drained il neatly Then lighting a ci-
gar OF inferior quality, he leaned back his
and, putting Iuxurously seemed to have abandoned
himself 10 a rapt and oblivous contemplation his
inner consciousness
For perhaps five minutes Mr.. Featherstone had
been thus occupied when young noticeable for
his prematurely hair the briance his deep set
eyes and the alert yet lofty expression his
features left vicinity the bar walked directly
across the room, and haIting on the other side OF
the table at which Mr.. Featherstone was seated ac-
costed him.
Pardon me-" said the newcomer in tones Of the
most engaging candor. And as with trace ~ an
noyance his finely modelled features Mr. Feather
stone looked up, the stranger continued "wil you
be good to crafty curiosity which let me as
sure you Is neither idle nor vulgar. by telling me
why you partake Of unusually a supper?F
Mr FeatherstOne regarded the stranger Ianguid-
ly through his cigar smoke. then replied briefly:
chose dear sir, 10 sup after fashion which
you have been good enough 10 observe for the rea-
that bored
The gray haired young man frowned with a puz-
zled air and pursued: My insistence will perhaps
seem unpardonably impertinent you but could Won
a NOR de60 1v1
that the consequences Of such a repast would seem
a change unwelcome even to the most insurerable
ennui."
Al this. with a gesture Of resignation Mr. Featb-
erstone rose, drew back second chair. and invited
the stranger TO be seated You seem decent sort ,
he remarked. the gray young man accepted
his proffered hospitality. possible that a
discussion Of the matter with unpreudced stranger
will prove profitable also. Ny name" he
added. reseatinR himself is Clarence Featherstone
Mine said the other is Evans-Hartley Evans.
Let me assure that much appreciate your kind
ness
The kindness" returned Mr.. Featherstone
adroity, " is yours. VIII you join in a glass Of
rum. Mr. Evans? 1 can warrant it to be the rawest
spirit 10 he found north Of the Indies No? A cigar
then? The rankest weed. I quite certain to be
met with in the entire city"
With expression akin to that Of pain Mr.
Evans accepted and lighted the cigar. then regarded
Mr.. Featherstone expectantly.
i said observed the latter. after he had par
taken Of solitary glass Of the liquor I supped
e
marked for the that I bored but let me
disabuse you OF the supposton that my purpose was
to vary the tedium of life by illness. is true that
l shall unavodably be ill-perhaps as usual for two
davs. possibly, sometimes occurs. for three per-
haps indeed. seems ultimately probable It will this
time be the death OF me-but that all has been
said is merely ncdent-the penalty exacted by
nature from foohardihood.
No. l sought 20 relieve my boredom through a
different faculty And by boredom, my dear Mr.
Evans. please understand that I not mean the
dullness OF single unoccupied evening but the es-
sential and chronic tedium Of one whose tempera-
ment and condition that nothing whatever
interests him. Indeed. with exception, have
never really been excited about anything. Ny means
are such that have neither the biting stimulus
poverty nor yet the leisure indulge in the elegant
diversions OF the dllettanti my work merely the
dull. despairing routine Of an Office: the so-called
manly sports seem to insunerabIy futile and in
consequent the usual dissipations gded youth
unendurably offensive TO Of my fastdious tenn
per. In short, esteemed sir I bored"
Mr- Evans, who for reason had allowed his
cigar to go out, nodded his head in assent That
he observed suavely. q understand. But why my
dear sir. should it move you to sup three green
bananas. a Bermuda onion. and bottle OF rum?'
Il have come 10 that" pursued Mr. Feath-
erstOne once. some years ago. 7 became desperate
and expended three months vacation and all my
ready capital lion hunt in the wilds OF Africa.
That IS the occasion in my life when I have been