The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-06-29

took out bit OF more or less uSefuI
fancy stitching and set to work like
another Dorcas. Her needle had not
dived in and emerged many times be-
fore she was holding 1t up ss . weap-
on of defense against a sudden hu-
man mountain that threatened to
crush her.
A vague round face, huge and red
as a rising moon, dawned before her
eyes and from 1t came an uncertain
voice:
"Esscuzhe me. mad'm, no fensh in.
tended"
The words and the breath that car.
ried them gave the startled spingter
an instant proof that her vis-a.vis did
not share her prohibition principles
or practices. She regarded the ele
phant with mouse-like terror, and the
elephant regarded the mouse With
elephantine fright, then he removed
himself from her landscape as quick
ly as he could and lurched along the
aisle, calling out merrily to the por
ter:
Chauffeur! chauffeur; don't 20 so
fasht round these corners"
He collided with a small train boy
singing his nasal lay, but it was the
behemoth and not the train-boy that
collapsed into a seat, sprawling as
helplessly as mammoth oyster on
table-cloth
The porter rushed to hts aid and
hoisted him to his feet with an un-
easy sense OF impending trouble. He
T, felt as II someone had left q mon
strous baby on his doorstep, but all
he said was:
Tickets, please"
There ensued q long search, fat,
fabby hands Topping and fumbling
from pocket to pocket. Once more
the porter was the discoverer.
Il see it. Don't look no mo-. Here
1t is-up in yo' hatband." He lifted
1t out and chuckled. Had 1t right
next his brains and couldn't remem.
ba!" He took up the appropriately
huge luggage Of the bibulous wan
! derer and led him to the other end of
the aisle.
"Numba two is yours, sab. Right
heah-all nice and cosy, and already
! made up"
The big man looked through the
curtains into the cabined confinement.
and groaned:
That! Haven't you got a mans
size berth?'
Sorry, sab. That's as big a bunk
as they Is on the train"
Have l got to be locked up in that
pigeon-hole for-for how many days
is 1t to Reno?"
! "Reno?" The porter greeted that
! meaningful name with smile. Were
ioo In Reno the-the-mawnin' OF
The fo'th day, sab. Yassah." He put
The baggage down and started away,
but the fat man seized his hand. with
great emotion:
Don't leave me all alone in there
porter, for I'm broken-hearted man.
rs that so? Too bad, sah."
Were you ever broken-hearted
man. porter?"
Always, sah."
did you ever put your trust in g
false-hearted woman?"
often, sah."
was she ever true to you, por
ter?"
Never, sah."
Porter, we are partners In mis-
sis-ery."
And he wrung the rough, black hant
with solemnity that embarrassed
the porter almost as much as 1t woul'
have embarrassed the passenger him
self If he could have understood wha
he was doing The porter disengage
himself with a patient but hasty:
I'm afraid you'll have to 'scuse me-
got to hep the other passengers o
bOde"
? Don't let me keep you from you
duty. Duty is the-the-" But b
could not remember what duty wa
1 and he would have dropped off
sleep, if he had not been startled b
a a familiar voice which the porter ha
luckily escaped.
"Pawtah! Pawtah! Can't you rails
r this lighter rather can't you lowe
- It? Pawtah! This light Is SO 4
K fernally dim l can't read.
a To the Englishman's intense amaz
d ment his call brought to him not II
h porter, but rising moon with II
profound query:
r "Whass a III thing like dim ligf
It when the light of your life has gol
- Out?"
~ beg your pardOn?"
d Without further invitation, &
Y. mammoth descended on the Englis