in triumph to Harp
Alley. Two of the staterooms had been vacated at Gibraltar, and so all
difficulties connected with the transfer were easily overcome.
"Gassigaloopi" was a tower of strength in himself; he was a retired
Italian politician and spoke so many languages that when he got excited
he mixed them thoroughly, utterly routing all contestants in any
arguments that might come up. He was a human geyser, and when his
linguistic power got under full headway he fairly tore up all the
tongues by their roots and trampled them under foot in the rush of his
stinging invective. Although of Italian origin, "Gassy" was born near
the site of the Tower of Babel, and its propinquity and influence gave
him that varied volubility in expressing fine shades of meaning in many
languages that made him the pride of the profession of which he was a
distinguished light. His ebullitions were frequently hurled at the
"boots" for neglecting his oxfords, placed outside his stateroom door,
but soon afterward he became himself again, much to the general joy of
the Alley.

[Illustration: THE ABDICATION OF THE SULTAN, ABDUL HAMID II.--HIS LAST
RIDE THROUGH THE STREETS OF CONSTANTINOPLE]

"Fumigalli" smoked so much that he gave all his time to thought, and we
used him to plan future triumphs for us. Though he thought much he
produced but little. We all knew that he was evolving great projects
mentally, but somehow he could not get them out in front of the
spot-light. His one great achievement was calling a meeting of protest
against the Senor's boredom in the smoking-room. The meeting was held
and two resolutions were drafted to be read at dinner in the saloon;
but somehow no one liked to hurt the Senor's feelings, and they were
never read.

The "Condensed Milkmaids" were a pair of small, temperamental, clever
girls, so trim and smart that one would think they had just left the
Trianon Dairy Farm in Versailles Park, after having milked a pint of
cream for the Queen, or for the royal favorite, Comtesse Du Barry.
They wore Louis the XIV. (Street) high-heeled slippers, and were purely
decorative. Having no part in the executive management they knew their
place and kept it.

A young lady and her mother from New England (both members), gave the
Alley a boost at the last concert. The daughter played a violin solo,
accompanied by her mother, with such attack, feeling and technique that
if Paganini had been on earth he would have taken off