Evening journal., 1910-02-26
A Profitable Pair of Trousers
BY Katharine Brook

lllC OlOOk-
I Nasty night. sir " he began. "'Your
luggage at the customs2 All. there's
good deal OF trouble with them here. Yes.
sir ! can get YOU some dinner and I've
a nice bedroom, my boy shall show you.
Here. Henry, show the gentleman the
front room. You're very wet sir. Let
me take your overooat
7 shrank from his grasp mo. no. Til
go TO my room at once. Up these stairsg
No. my lad. you go first" CFor indeed.
I was not sure how mucn he would sec
OF my legs on that steep staircase.l "Yes.
am wet, very wet I tell YOU that
don't like sitting In these damp clothes,
so I'll go straight to bed and have my
dinner there. and YOU can get my clothes
dried. Anything 90 oat viii DO. some
cold meat or whatever is ready"
In 1--WE minutes the hoy was back with
tray Of food and a bottle Of beer
you've been very quick" / said. "You
see / am not in bed vet but III put my
clothes outside for YOU by and by"
The moment tho boy was gone I at
tackled tho food like wolf. everything
disappeared under the stress OF my
thirty hours fast Then having put my
top coat my Jacket and boots outside
tho door lost no time IN gottng my
weary body into that Good hedd." II
was midnight however. before I could
slcep Tor there was an extra festive
party assembled IN tho bar below me,
and / knew them by tho familiar music
hall chorusos to he the crew of somo eng
nsh vessel. Lord, what a row they
made
Towards eleven there was even an at
tempt at n dance. then some horseplay.
during which one victim managed TO
stumble mp the stairs TO somewhere near
my door. only TO be pursued and bump
cd down again by his friends In man
nor which must surely have been con-
ducive TO bruises.
Come out of that. its closing time "
called tho voice Of l. Goodwin. and after
a little moro rollicSing they all trooped
out and tho inn WAS closed for tho
, night
"Tve brought you some hot water
SIR" " said tho boy Henry next morning,
and here's your clothes quito dry,
please "
The moment no was gone 7 rang the
bell violently. my trousers bring me my
trousers
HiAN WASH HAN AA'Nt''A" 'AAf NfNftN
only the two coats and the boots
"Cal your father to me. What docs
this meang Where arc my trousors?'
Get the gentleman his trousers AT
= once, Henry "
= "'Thore wasn't mono. father, said the
q boy. beginning to whmper 1.-THE gen.
ucman didn't have any trousers
d DO you suggest" asked. with an aw-
fui calm. "that 7 travelled hero from
7 Smyrna without any trousersf'
y The boy continued to murmur. well
l. there wasn't none when tho landlord
struck I'm. "Wcil. sir 7 can't understand
p IT, There's no ono staying here but your
n self. and there's been no ono ON thes'
stairs but me and Henry.
20 Except" ! replied. except that drunk
70 On rabblc you rad here last night, max
L. ing such a damned noise that I couldn'
lr get 20 sleep until Heaven knows wha
/? hour And I distinctly heard the black
r, guards fooling about on the stairs, an
IT so did you. for l heard you shouting +
e. them"
IN "'Wen yes sir. so I aid, but ] can
We think that they stole your bags. "
"And I can't think anything else. an
le don't know who are the magistrate
lN OF WHO iuNhn Hii't eHNA A'N''N ''Nrt'''
IN this baliy country, but TN thunderi
~ soon find out II have TO scour the tow
an In my shirt. and fancy this won't
nd the last you'll hear about it,
he oh. don't do that sir said poe
IL T. Goodwin, getting pale and hdget'
lie 'sRather than have any trouble J.
II. give you a pair OF trousers. I'm muc
~ about your size SIR I think you migt
I'd manage "-
ut Damn it ALL man" said. do 70
C. think I'm making an this fuss about jus
I'd pair Of bags? Why. they weren't eve
" new ones. Can't you see? It's not III
Il clothes I'm so upset about. SIS what wa
as I'm the pockets. There's my keys to star
L. with. I shall have TO get new locks o
co an my luggage. and OF course my cash
r Yes. I know / ought to have taken It OF
1e before giving the clothes 90 tho boy. bt
r. YOU could see for yourself / was ahor
a. done up Anyway there were betweo
e- fifteen and twenty pounds I'm my pooi
he ets."
al ITS not likely. sir that I could max
in good such sum- " said the LANDLORD
as and anyway. I've only got your wor
ny for it,
you'll find that's good enough whe
he YOU know who J am, Dragged IAN
OF YOU can either call a cab or lend II
st some breeches. either way m going
lid have a. chat with the police.
M In the end the landlord parted with
m pair OF pants and ten pounds Ia cas-
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