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shouting and skylarking in and began to romp； scuffle； wash； and
otherwise entertain themselves。 He lingered yet a little longer to offer
the hospitalities of his room and his book shelf to Tracy and ask him a
personal question or two：
〃What is your trade？〃
〃Theywell； they call me a cowboy； but that is a fancy。 I'm not that。
I haven't any trade。〃
〃What do you work at for your living？〃
Oh； anythingI mean I would work at； anything I could get to do； but
thus far I haven't been able to find an occupation。〃
〃Maybe I can help you； I'd like to try。〃
〃I shall be very glad。 I've tried； myself； to weariness。〃
〃Well； of course where a man hasn't a regular trade he's pretty bad off
in this world。 What you needed； I reckon； was less book learning and
more bread…and…butter learning。 I don't know what your father could have
been thinking of。 You ought to have had a trade； you ought to have had a
trade； by all means。 But never mind about that； we'll stir up something
to do； I guess。 And don't you get homesick； that's a bad business。
We'll talk the thing over and look around a little。 You'll come out all
right。 Wait for meI'll go down to supper with you。〃
By this time Tracy had achieved a very friendly feeling for Barrow and
would have called him a friend； maybe； if not taken too suddenly on a
straight…out requirement to realize on his theories。 He was glad of his
society； anyway； and was feeling lighter hearted than before。 Also he
was pretty curious to know what vocation it might be which had furnished
Barrow such a large acquaintanceship with books and allowed him so much
time to read。
CHAPTER XII。
Presently the supper bell began to ring in the depths of the house； and
the sound proceeded steadily upward； growing in intensity all the way up
towards the upper floors。 The higher it came the more maddening was the
noise； until at last what it lacked of being absolutely deafening； was
made up of the sudden crash and clatter of an avalanche of boarders down
the uncarpeted stairway。 The peerage did not go to meals in this
fashion； Tracy's training had not fitted him to enjoy this hilarious
zoological clamor and enthusiasm。 He had to confess that there was
something about this extraordinary outpouring of animal spirits which he
would have to get inured to before he could accept it。 No doubt in time
he would prefer it； but he wished the process might be modified and made
just a little more gradual； and not quite so pronounced and violent。
Barrow and Tracy followed the avalanche down through an ever increasing
and ever more and more aggressive stench of bygone cabbage and kindred
smells； smells which are to be found nowhere but in a cheap private
boarding house； smells which once encountered can never be forgotten；
smells which encountered generations later are instantly recognizable；
but never recognizable with pleasure。 To Tracy these odors were
suffocating； horrible； almost unendurable； but he held his peace and said
nothing。 Arrived in the basement； they entered a large dining…room where
thirty…five or forty people sat at a long table。 They took their places。
The feast had already begun and the conversation was going on in the
liveliest way from one end of the table to the other。 The table cloth
was of very coarse material and was liberally spotted with coffee stains
and grease。 The knives and forks were iron； with bone handles； the
spoons appeared to be iron or sheet iron or something of the sort。
The tea and coffee cups were of the commonest and heaviest and most
durable stone ware。 All the furniture of the table was of the commonest
and cheapest sort。 There was a single large thick slice of bread by each
boarder's plate； and it was observable that he economized it as if he
were not expecting it to be duplicated。 Dishes of butter were
distributed along the table within reach of people's arms； if they had
long ones； but there were no private butter plates。 The butter was
perhaps good enough； and was quiet and well behaved； but it had more
bouquet than was necessary； though nobody commented upon that fact or
seemed in any way disturbed by it。 The main feature of the feast was a
piping hot Irish stew made of the potatoes and meat left over from a
procession of previous meals。 Everybody was liberally supplied with this
dish。 On the table were a couple of great dishes of sliced ham； and
there were some other eatables of minor importancepreserves and New
Orleans molasses and such things。 There was also plenty of tea and
coffee of an infernal sort； with brown sugar and condensed milk； but the
milk and sugar supply was not left at the discretion of the boarders； but
was rationed out at headquartersone spoonful of sugar and one of
condensed milk to each cup and no more。 The table was waited upon by two
stalwart negro women who raced back and forth from the bases of supplies
with splendid dash and clatter and energy。 Their labors were
supplemented after a fashion by the young girl Puss。 She carried coffee
and tea back and forth among the boarders； but she made pleasure
excursions rather than business ones in this way； to speak strictly。
She made jokes with various people。 She chaffed the young men pleasantly
and wittily； as she supposed； and as the rest also supposed； apparently；
judging by the applause and laughter which she got by her efforts。
Manifestly she was a favorite with most of the young fellows and
sweetheart of the rest of them。 Where she conferred notice she conferred
happiness； as was seen by the face of the recipient； and； at the same
time she conferred unhappinessone could see it fall and dim the faces
of the other young fellows like a shadow。 She never 〃Mistered〃 these
friends of hers； but called them 〃Billy；〃 〃Tom；〃 〃John；〃 and they called
her 〃Puss〃 or 〃Hattie。〃
Mr。 Marsh sat at the head of the table； his wife sat at the foot。 Marsh
was a man of sixty； and was an American； but if he had been born a month
earlier he would have been a Spaniard。 He was plenty good enough
Spaniard as it was； his face was very dark； his hair very black； and his
eyes were not only exceedingly black but were very intense； and there was
something about them that indicated that they could burn with passion
upon occasion。 He was stoop…shouldered and lean…faced； and the general
aspect of him was disagreeable； he was evidently not a very companionable
person。 If looks went for anything； he was the very opposite of his
wife； who was all motherliness and charity； good will and good nature。
All the young men and the women called her Aunt Rachael； which was
another sign。 Tracy's wandering and interested eye presently fell upon
one boarder who had been overlooked in the distribution of the stew。
He was very pale and looked as if he had but lately come out of a sick
bed； and also as if he ought to get back into it again as soon as
possible。 His face was very melancholy。 The waves of laughter and
conversation broke upon it without affecting it any more than if it had
been a rock in the sea and the words and the laughter veritable waters。
He held his head down and looked ashamed。 Some of the women ca