The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-06-26

| ba!"
"Cf cawse I'm shaw. How dare you
question my
i wasn't questionin you. boss, 1
was just astin' YOU"
He resigned himself to the despot
and began to transfer his burdens to
the seat. But he did nothing to the
satisfaction OF the Englishman. Every
thlng must be placed otherwise; the
catch-all here, the pOrtmanteau there
the Gladstone there, the golfsticks
there, the greatcOat there, the rain
coat there. The porter was putting
ike donkey-engine, and mutiny was
growing in his heart. His last COM
mission vas the hanging up OF the
bowler hat.
he stood on the arm of the seat to
reach the high hook From here be
paused to glare down with an ATTEMPT
at irony.
us they anything else?'
NO You may get down."
The magnificent patronage of this
wllted the porter completely He re-
turned to the lower level. and shut
ned along the aisle in a trance. He
was quickly recalled by a sharp:
"Pawtah!"
"Yassah!"
What time does this balIy train
start?"
Ten-thutty, sah"
but it's only ten now"
"Yassah. It'll be ten-thutty a lit.
tie later"
DO you mean to tell me that I've
got to sit hyah for half an hour-1ust
waitin?"
The porter essayed another bit of
irony:
WELL" he drawled, II might tell
the conducta you're ready. And meb.
be he'd start the train. But the time.
table says ten-thutty."
He watched the effect of his satire
but 1t fell back unheeded from the
granite dome of the Englishman.
whose only comment was:
"Oh, never mind. III wait"
The porter cast his eyes up In de-
spair, and turned away, once mora IN
be recalled.
"Oh, pawtah!"
"Yassah!"
I think We'll put on my slippahs."
"Will we?"
you might hand me that large bag.
No, stupid, the othah one. You might
open 1t. No, it's In the othah one Ah,
that's it. You may set it down"
Mr.. WedgewOod brought forth
sort cap and a pair Of red slippers.
Inc porter made another effort to
escape, his thoughts as black as his
race. Again the relentless recall:
"Oh, pawtah, think we'll unbutton
my boots"
he was too weak to murmur "Yas.
sab" He simply fell on one knee
and got to work.
There was a witness to his HELPLESS
age-a newcomer, the American
counterpart Of the Englishman In all
that makes travel difficult for the fell
low travellers. Ira Lathrop was zeal.
Gus to resent anything short of per.
lection, quick and loud of complaint.
apparently impossible to please.
In everything else he was the OBJ
posite of the Englishman. He was
burly. middle-aged. rough, careless In
attire, careless of speech-as uncouth
and savage as one can we'll 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?"
can't tell yet. What's yo' mum.
ba. please"
The answer was the ticket. The
porter screwed up his eyes to read
the pencilled scrawl.
"Numba sem. Heah she is, boss"
Right next to lot of women, III
bet. Couldn't you put me In the mems
end of the carr"
Not ve'y we'll, sub. l 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. He was. In
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 gauPeS hiS cOrdiality acc0rdfna