At Rangoon they met a weary Countryman headed in the opposite
direction. He was a hard-faced Customer who was fighting the Climate
with Gin and Bitters, but they fell upon him and wanted to Kiss him
when they learned that he had once met Selena's Uncle at Colorado
Springs.
They told him how to save time in getting across India, and he gave
them a list of Places in China and Japan that might be dodged to
advantage.
Year after year in the months of March and April they continued on
their tedious Way through the burning Tropics.
Sometimes they came to a discouraged belief that the World was one
bluey expanse, disturbed by Flying Fish.
Then they would spend weary Ages along the avenues of white
Lime-Kilns, looking at Countless millions of hungry Brunettes in
fluttering Nighties.
Their principal Occupation, when not setting down Expressions of
Delight on the Post-Cards, was to study Time-Tables and cable ahead
for Reservations.
The Invalid's one desire was to get home and take a regular Bath
before being laid out.
Hong Kong pleased them exceedingly because they learned, by consulting
Mr. Mercator's Projection, that they were on the Home Stretch and,
with Luck in their favor, might live to see another Piece of
Huckleberry Pie.
Japan they liked the best of all. At Yokohama they received a bundle
of Dailies only six weeks old, giving full Particulars of a Wedding
and telling who was about to run for Mayor.
As soon as they were on the Pacific and headed for a refined
Vaudeville Show, they began to recover the brave Spirit of Travel and
blow about what they had seen.
The Towns and Temples and Tombs and Treasures of Art were all jumbled
together, but, by daily reference to Baedeker and Murray, they were
enabled to find out where they had been and what they had seen with
their own Eyes and how it impressed them at the time.
Before touching at Honolulu they were real enthusiastic about India.
They advised the awe-stricken Listener who had not been all the Way
around to be sure and take in Penang and Johore and, if necessary,
they would give him Letters of Introduction.
They said it had been a Wonderful Experience. Yes, indeed. And
broadening. Very. Then Edwin would wander to the front end of the Ship
and want to climb out on the Bowsprit so as to be in Frisco ahead of
anybody else.
He convalesced rapidly as they approached the Golden Gate, for he knew
that in a few days he would unpack for good and gallop down to the
office and not have to worry about Travelling.
The only Dark Cloud on the Shore hung above the Custom House. They
looked at all the Junk wished upon them by the simple Children of the
Far East and didn't know whether to declare it for what it cost or
what it was really worth.
Being conscientious Members of the Church, they modified their Perjury
and smuggled only the usual amount of Carvings and hand-embroidered
Stuff.
Two hours after landing, Edwin saw a Porter-House Steak and burst into
tears.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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