The Shamrock and the Palm

           Onenightwhentherewasnobreeze,andCoralioseemedcloserthanevertothegratingsofAvernus,fivemenweregroupedaboutthedoorofthephotographestablishmentofKeoghandClancy.Thus,inallthescorchedandexoticplacesoftheearth,Caucasiansmeetwhentheday’sworkisdonetopreservethefulnessoftheirheritagebytheaspersionofalienthings.

           JohnnyAtwoodlaystretcheduponthegrassintheundressuniformofaCarib,andpratedfeeblyofcoolwatertobehadinthecucumber-woodpumpsofDalesburg.Dr.Gregg,throughtheprestigeofhiswhiskersandasabribeagainsttherelationofhisimminentprofessionaltales,wasconcededthehammockthatwasswungbetweenthedoorjambandacalabash-tree.Keoghhadmovedoutuponthegrassalittletablethatheldtheinstrumentforburnishingcompletedphotographs.Hewastheonlybusyoneofthegroup.IndustriouslyfrombetweenthecylindersoftheburnisherrolledthefinisheddepictmentsofCoralio’scitizens.Blanchard,theFrenchminingengineer,inhiscoollinenviewedthesmokeofhiscigarettethroughhiscalmglasses,impervioustotheheat.Clancysatonthesteps,smokinghisshortpipe.Hismoodwasthegossip’s;theotherswerereduced,bythehumidity,tothestateofdisabilitydesirableinanaudience.

           ClancywasanAmericanwithanIrishdiathesisandcosmopolitanproclivities.Manybusinesseshadclaimedhim,butnotforlong.Theroadster’sbloodwasinhisveins.Thevoiceofthetintypewasbutoneofthemanycallingsthathadwooedhimuponsomanyroads.