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little absent…minded。 At the end of another half…hour she said； 〃Please；
why do you grin so steadfastly at vacancy； and yet look so sad？〃
I explained that I always did that when I was reflecting。 An hour
passed； and then she turned and contemplated me with her earnest eyes and
said； 〃Why do you cry all the time？〃 I explained that very funny
comedies always made me cry。 At last human nature surrendered； and I
secretly slipped my boots off。 This was a mistake。 I was not able to
get them on any more。 It was a rainy night； there were no omnibuses
going our way； and as I walked home； burning up with shame； with the girl
on one arm and my boots under the other； I was an object worthy of some
compassionespecially in those moments of martyrdom when I had to pass
through the glare that fell upon the pavement from street…lamps。
Finally； this child of the forest said； 〃Where are your boots？〃 and being
taken unprepared； I put a fitting finish to the follies of the evening
with the stupid remark； 〃The higher classes do not wear them to the
theater。〃
The Reverend had been an army chaplain during the war； and while we were
hunting for a road that would lead to Hamilton he told a story about two
dying soldiers which interested me in spite of my feet。 He said that in
the Potomac hospitals rough pine coffins were furnished by government；
but that it was not always possible to keep up with the demand； so； when
a man died； if there was no coffin at hand he was buried without one。
One night； late； two soldiers lay dying in a ward。 A man came in with a
coffin on his shoulder； and stood trying to make up his mind which of
these two poor fellows would be likely to need it first。 Both of them
begged for it with their fading eyesthey were past talking。 Then one
of them protruded a wasted hand from his blankets and made a feeble
beckoning sign with the fingers； to signify； 〃Be a good fellow； put it
under my bed； please。〃 The man did it； and left。 The lucky soldier
painfully turned himself in his bed until he faced the other warrior；
raised himself partly on his elbow； and began to work up a mysterious
expression of some kind in his face。 Gradually； irksomely； but surely
and steadily； it developed； and at last it took definite form as a pretty
successful wink。 The sufferer fell back exhausted with his labor； but
bathed in glory。 Now entered a personal friend of No。 2； the despoiled
soldier。 No。 2 pleaded with him with eloquent eyes； till presently he
understood； and removed the coffin from under No。 1's bed and put it
under No。 2's。 No。 2 indicated his joy； and made some more signs； the
friend understood again； and put his arm under No。 2's shoulders and
lifted him partly up。 Then the dying hero turned the dim exultation of
his eye upon No。 1； and began a slow and labored work with his hands；
gradually he lifted one hand up toward his face； it grew weak and dropped
back again； once more he made the effort； but failed again。 He took a
rest； he gathered all the remnant of his strength； and this time he
slowly but surely carried his thumb to the side of his nose； spread the
gaunt fingers wide in triumph； and dropped back dead。 That picture
sticks by me yet。 The 〃situation〃 is unique。
The next morning； at what seemed a very early hour； the little white
table…waiter appeared suddenly in my room and shot a single word out of
himself 〃Breakfast！〃
This was a remarkable boy in many ways。 He was about eleven years old；
he had alert； intent black eyes； he was quick of movement； there was no
hesitation； no uncertainty about him anywhere； there was a military
decision in his lip； his manner； his speech； that was an astonishing
thing to see in a little chap like him； he wasted no words； his answers
always came so quick and brief that they seemed to be part of the
question that had been asked instead of a reply to it。 When he stood at
table with his fly…brush； rigid； erect； his face set in a cast…iron
gravity； he was a statue till he detected a dawning want in somebody's
eye； then he pounced down； supplied it； and was instantly a statue again。
When he was sent to the kitchen for anything； he marched upright till he
got to the door； he turned hand…springs the rest of the way。
〃Breakfast！〃
I thought I would make one more effort to get some conversation out of
this being。
〃Have you called the Reverend； or are〃
〃Yes s'r！〃
〃Is it early； or is〃
〃Eight…five。〃
〃Do you have to do all the 'chores；' or is there somebody to give
you a〃
〃Colored girl。〃
〃Is there only one parish in this island； or are there〃
〃Eight！〃
〃Is the big church on the hill a parish church； or is it〃
〃Chapel…of…ease！〃
〃Is taxation here classified into poll； parish； town； and〃
〃Don't know！〃
Before I could cudgel another question out of my head； he was below；
hand…springing across the back yard。 He had slid down the balusters；
headfirst。 I gave up trying to provoke a discussion with him。 The
essential element of discussion had been left out of him； his answers
were so final and exact that they did not leave a doubt to hang
conversation on。 I suspect that there is the making of a mighty man or a
mighty rascal in this boyaccording to circumstancesbut they are going
to apprentice him to a carpenter。 It is the way the world uses its
opportunities。
During this day and the next we took carriage drives about the island and
over to the town of St。 George's； fifteen or twenty miles away。 Such
hard； excellent roads to drive over are not to be found elsewhere out of
Europe。 An intelligent young colored man drove us； and acted as guide…
book。 In the edge of the town we saw five or six mountain…cabbage palms
（atrocious name！） standing in a straight row； and equidistant from each
other。 These were not the largest or the tallest trees I have ever seen；
but they were the stateliest； the most majestic。 That row of them must
be the nearest that nature has ever come to counterfeiting a colonnade。
These trees are all the same height； say sixty feet； the trunks as gray
as granite； with a very gradual and perfect taper； without sign of branch
or knot or flaw； the surface not looking like bark； but like granite that
has been dressed and not polished。 Thus all the way up the diminishing
shaft for fifty feet； then it begins to take the appearance of being
closely wrapped； spool…fashion； with gray cord； or of having been turned
in a lathe。 Above this point there is an outward swell； and thence
upward for six feet or more the cylinder is a bright； fresh green； and is
formed of wrappings like those of an ear of green Indian corn。 Then
comes the great； spraying palm plume； also green。 Other palm trees
always lean out of the perpendicular； or have a curve in them。 But the
plumb…line could not detect a deflection in any individual of this
stately row； they stand as straight as the colonnade of Baalbec； they
have its great height； they have its gracefulness； they have its dignity；
in moonlight or twilight； and shorn of their plumes； they would duplicate
it。
The birds we came across in the country were singularly tame； even that
wild creature； the quail； woul