El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-05-23
SmtthsOn on the Continent
"HEY were openly counting!
A short story.
It was IN the Continen


1t was in the Continental
= train running down to Naples.
SmithsOn. clerk in a London shipping
office-on the most ambitious vacation
Of his life-was the chief spectator. The
tall, dark Italian who vas talking to
the young couple in an animated sTvle
did not seem at all embarrassed by their
conduct
Smithson shifted his corner seat and
tried not to look in their direction
But MS glance repeatedly STayed to
the olive cOTplCXiOned girl. Jet haired
brilliant eyed, whose adOrer, as young
and sun tinted as herself, embraced
her neck with his right arm, and fon-
died her fingers with his other hand.
Smithson had remembered he was in
Italy-the country of romance He
felt more at ease. To show his toIer-
ance he would beg match Ignorance
of Italian was nothing TO man cross
ing the continent TO catch a German
liner for the return Mediterranean trip
all TO be achieved In a fortnight.
After several genial glances at the
trio, which seemed TO give great Of
fence, he took out his pipe. and fix
ing his eyes on the tall, dark man. he
pointed TO his empty bowl and struck
an lmaglnary match on his trousers
A direct insult could not have caused
a more startling Outburst. It came like
a gunshOt-
-lnSuitet
A less STEADY eye would have QuaiIed
beneath the Italians flashing gaze BUt
SmithsOn had noticed tine curious, be-
witching light in the orbs Of the beau
tlful girl, which were directed toward
his face. and he replied grandly-
Not at all.'
The dark man retOrted with a tor
rent OF sentences.
Smithson might have used the single
Italian word ne knew, apologize" Bur
he recalled the ADVICE given him by an
uncle at Dover; Nephew, If you get
into d vocal dilemma with a foreigner
meet VOlubllity with vOlubility-reCite
poetry. anything but don't falter ana
above all, gestiCulate and smile"
Sentence on sentence still stumbled
from the dark man a look Of sOftness
had come into the eyes Of the girl op-
pOsIte, but she chung Il. her lover. as II
the little clerk We're a, bold highway
man.
smithson began: Look here-you
.'InsuIte, InsuIte,~ the dark man
stOrmed on SmithsOn turned to face
him more fully, drawing his left leg on
to the seat Then. in accord with his
uncle's advice, a beaming smile on his
face, right hand extended OratOricalIy.
he began an apOsthrOphisatiOn-
Most WOrdy assailant. 1 deeply re-
EreL having thus aroused you but / am
not used to SpOOninE in a railroad car
at least only do it when L can-that
is, ] am not used-We Englishmen are
not used 10 seeing II take place openly
IN the daytime K shocks my-Our
mOdeSty. in shOrt-COnfOund YOU. man
let me get a word In.
But the man sprang to his feet and
lowered over him
There was no longer any reinsurance
IN the beautiful girls face When the
little clerk soI5hL II she criEged before
his glance, and the tall man moved 20
screen her from view
The train slowed down slightly DC
caslOnaly the little clerk cast a furtiVe
glance at the scenery flying by. He
could think only OF poetry as a means
of Stemming the others tide Of wrath.
He leaned back. and with the smile Of g
seraph looked up at him and began in
pathetic, pacifyinS tones
Il am out of humanity's reach.
Never hear the sweet music Of speech,
start at the sound OF my own"
It was electrical The Italians face
relaxed. The anger went out Of his
black eyes. He bowed maguifioently
and stepped aside, and after vOluble
explanation to the lovers. sat down
SmlthsOn Whistled mentally. "PheW.
He thinks I've apOlOgized-"
Presently the tall man turned. and,
10 SmltnsOn's gold watch,
What You speak English?" Smith
son proudly exposed TO view the face
of the watch.
a leetle" was the answer.
All four were now smiling. The beau
tiful girl. especially. seemed gratified.
at the calm after the storm. The train
ran into the station
Naples suesuOnedrfdlu rdlu rdlum
Naples SmithsOn. exclaimed.
AnDOli,' the Italian answered You
'Ratherl"
With a pleasant farewell the lovers
departed in a carriage, and SmithsOn,
casting after the beautiful girl a re-
gretful glance, accompanied the tall
man on foot to a restaurant An ex-
perience to tell the chaps at home" he
told himself can't stand vacation
without Incident
But he grumbled when, after a meal
Of delicate dishes which ne could
scarcely swallow, the proprietor Of the I
rest urant neglgently placed before
him a bin for two.
No, no, you mistake" he said easily. I
'SiI. our price stammered the pro- I
prietOr. reprOachfuIly. And the dark
man nodded assent.
But I've not brought yOu-yOu I
brought me- SmithsOn expOstulated-
He offered five francs, half the sum
:
The proprietor rejected it with a tor
rent Of protest, endless as the dark
mans in the train.
Smiling as before, Smithson repeated
the verse which mad then acted 50
soOthingly- 1t had no effect Finally
he exploded; u wish I knew Paradise /
Lost I'd recite the whole book at yOu-"
As last resort with forced smile he
.'The boy stood on the burning
deck"
.'Burnindek?" the proprietor inter-
rupteI- What ess -burnindek%
"COnfound your SmithsOn Numbered,
That's where the boy stood DO YOU
think I'm going 10 listen to you fel-
lows EARNING without saying word2-
a passing gendarme entered Pro-
test was useless. As an alternative to
accompanying the officer. SmithsOn
paid 10 francs and stamped into the
street.-The gendarme accepting from
the proprietor one franc for settling
the dispute.
On his way to the landing stage.
whittier he went to inquire if his liner
were in, SmitnsOn felt for his watch.