Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1912-03-21

escape, his thoughts as black as his
face. Again the relentless recall:
"Oh, pawtah, think we'll unbutton
my boots"
He was too weak to murmur "Yas.
sah." He simply fell on one knee
and got to work.
There was a witness to his helpless
rage-a newcomer, the American
counterpart Of the Englishman In all
that makes travel difficult for the fel-
low travellers. Ira Lathrop was zeal.
GUS to resent anything short of per-
fection, quick and loud of complaint.
apparently impossible to please.
In everything else he was the op-
posite of the Englishman. He was
burly, middle-aged, rough, careless in
attire, careless of speech-as uncouth
and savage as one can well be who Is
plainly man OF means.
1t was not enough that freeborn
Afro-American should be caught kneel.
ing to an Englishman. But when he
had escaped this penance, and ad-
vanced Hospitality to the newcomer.
he must be greeted with snarl.
Say, are you the porter of this car.
or that mans nurse?"
II can't tell yet. What's yo' num-
ba. please?"
The answer was the ticket. The
the pnnci'!cd scrawl.
"Nunba I'm. Heqh she is, boss"
"Eisht next to lot OF women, I'll
bet. Couldn't you put me in the mems
end Of the carr"
mot vey well, sub. reckon the
cab is done sold out"
With growl Of rage, Ira Lathrop
slammed into the seat his entire hand
baggage, one ancient and rusty valise.
The porter gazed upon him with in
creased depression. The passenger
list had opened inauspiciously with
two of the worst types of travellers
the Anglo-SaXon race has developed.
But their anger was not their worst
trait IN the porter's eyes. lie was, In
a limited way, an expert in human
character.
When you meet stranger you re-
veal your own character in what you
ask about his. With some, the first
question is, Who are his people?"
With others, What has he achieved?"
With others, "How much is he WORTH"
Each gauges his cordiality according
to his estimate.
The porter was not curious on any
of these points. He showed a demo-
cratic indifference to them. His one
vital inquiry was:
How much will he tip?"
His inspection of his first two
charges promised small returns. He
buttoned up his cordiality, and de-
termined to waste upon them the ir-
reducible minimum of attention.
1t would take at least bridal
couple to retsore the balance. But
bridal couples in their first bloom
rarely fell to the lot Of that porter, for
what bridal couple wants to lock it.
self in with crowd of passengers for
the first seventy-two hours OF welded
bliss?
The porter banished the hope as a
vanity. Little he knew how eagerly
the young castaways from that
wrecked taxicab desired to be bridal
couple. and to catch this train.
But the Englishman was restive
again:
"Pawtah! l say, pawtah!"
"Yassah!"
What time are we due in San Fran
cisco?"
"San Francisco? San Francisco?
We are doc thah the evenin' Of the
foth day. This bein' Monday, that
ought to bring US in abote Thuzzday
evenln'."
The Yankee felt called upon to
check the foreign usurper.
"Porrterr!"
"Yassah!"
Don't let that fellow monopolize
you. He probably won't tip you at
ALL"
The porter grew confidential:
"Oh, | know his kind, sab. They
don't tip you for what you do do, but
they're ready letter writer's to the
superintendent for what you don't
do"
"Pawtah! I say, pawtahl"
Here, porter"
The porter tried to initiate the
Irish bird, and be in two places at
once. The American had a coin IN
his hand. The porter caught the gleam
of 1t, and fitted thither. The Yankee
growled:
Don't forget that I'm on the train,
and when we get to Frisco there may
be something more"
The norter had the coin In his hand.