Part 51 (1/2)
”Whah dat gemman what get on at P'laski City?”
Ravenel waved his cigar.
”He's out in back garden pickin' flowers! Porter--you--f--ond o'
flowers? 'F you want to go an' pick some I'll--(h-h)--take care car for you. Porter!--here!--I--(h-h)--don't want to be misleading. Mr. March's simply stepped out s--see 'f he can find a f--four-leaf clover.”
LV.
HOME-SICKNESS ALLEVIATED
On the second morning after the wedding and next trip of this train, the sleeping-car was nearly half filled with pa.s.sengers by the time it was a night's run from Pulaski City. To let the porter put their two sections in order, a party of three, the last except one to come out of the berths, had to look around twice for a good place in which to sit together. They were regarded with interest.
”High-steppers,” remarked a very large-eared commercial traveler to another.
”The girl's beautiful,” replied the other, remembering that he was freshly shaved and was not bad-looking himself.
”Yes,” said the first, ”but the other two are better than that; they're comfortable. They're done raising children and ain't had any bad luck with 'em, and they've got lots of tin. If that ain't earthly bliss I'll bet you!”
”They're gett'n' lots of entertainment out of that daughter, seems like.”
”Reason why, she's not their daughter.”
”How d'you know she's not?”
”I mustn't tell--breach o' confidence. Guess.”
”O I guess you're guessing. George! she's--what makes you think she's not their daughter?”
”O nothin', only I'm a man of discernment, and besides I just now heard 'em call her Miss Garnet.”
Their attention was diverted by the porter saying at the only section still curtained, ”Breakfus' at next stop, seh. No, seh, it's yo' on'y chaynce till dinneh, seh. Seh? No, seh, not till one o'clock dis afternoon, seh.”
”Is that gentleman sick?” asked the younger commercial man, wis.h.i.+ng Miss Garnet to know what a high-bred voice and tender heart he had.
”Who? numb' elevm? Humph! he ain't too sick to be cross. Say he ain't sleep none fo' two nights. But he's gitt'n' up now.”
The solicitous traveler secured a seat at table opposite Miss Garnet and put more majestic gentility into his breakfasting than he had ever done before. Once he pushed the sugar most courteously to the lady she was with, and once, with polished deference, he was asking the gentleman if he could reach the b.u.t.ter, when a tardy comer was shown in and given the chair next him. As this person, a young man as stalwart as he was handsome, was about to sit down, he started with surprise and exclaimed to Miss Garnet,
”Why! You've begun----Why, are we on the same train?”
And she grew visibly prettier as she replied smilingly,
”You must be Number Eleven, are you not?”
Coming out of the place the young lady's admirer heard her introduce Number Eleven to ”Mr. and Mrs. Fair,” and Mr. Fair, looking highly pleased, say,
”I don't think I ever should have recognized you!”