Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1865-07-26
NY 0IEER PASSENGER.

/ NY QUEER PASSENGER.
Well, yes sir, | have known some queer
passengers, and it is not two years since /
sailed with the qucerest Of all / was
+ then second mate Of an Indisnan bound
+ to Bengal, and my queer passenger took
liking to me which he manifested in
many ways. lie was tall dark man
| about forty-fye, and was just beginning to
turn grey His face was deeply lined
/ but / could not help thinking it was from
sorrow more than from evil Gentleman
shone most brightly through his mcin and
bearing; and yet, unless when spoken to,
he hardly ever opened his mouth to either
lady or gentleman during the many weeks
he was on board There was some nice
people, too, that trip; an eminent general
and his daughter; q missionary with his
wife and daughter; three light dracoon
officers, one with Victoria star upon his
breast, which he had won by deed of
heroic daring, though n more delicate
looking youth it would be hard to find
Ne had been but short time q sea,
when the queer passenger seemed to have
/ selected me as companion. Every night
he staid on deck during my watch, and it
was not long before began to think that
his mind was not all right; an opinion
+ which | found was shared by his fellow
Z passengers, but on grounds different from
mine. To them his extreme taciturnity,
Z 2, 2 II -, =
straction of manner, his abstaining even
from reading, was the theme of marvel
Tome, his increasing singuIarity of speech.
his sudden starts when pacing the deck at
night, in half-uttered means when he and
| were gazing into the phosphoric waves,
were all proof
One night-it was about six bells-we
two were leaning over the pooprail, talk
ing, On sudden he said excitedly
Now, does not that seem like human
face p
What, sir?' | replied.
Good heavens thcrc~it is" he said,
pointing to a dolphin which, radiant with
phosphorus, was swimming about three
gathoms beneath the surface. told him
what it was, but he muttercd as though
not convinced: and after a minute or
two, added, '.You have many things to
learn, but you are not prepared for this
lc. son"
lie then walked up and down muttoring
much, and frequently looking over the
vessels side, intently into the water. l
4 felt sorry, for l was convinced that hi3
madness was becoming worse, and would
soon lead to something sad | kept by
his side as much as poss bic every night
afterwards, to prevent mishap, and al
though did SO rs unostentutiously as l
could, found he perceived my design
7 lie laid his hand on my shoulder one
night
Walter" said lie, 81 sec it all, and
/ have seen it for some time. 1ou will do
no discrelit to tho family you belong to"
Family, sir?" said I, you cannot
4 know
You, Hickman, I DO know Your Tn
Gle Edward was the dearest friend Of my
boyhood. suspected who you were, from
the likeness, and Ly cross examinations,
whose drift you did not perceive, l pene-
frated your secret Hence it was that
took to you so much
The old ivy-clad home OF my childhood,
the lovc-glowine face Of my dear Uncle
Ned, the sweet serene face of my mother,
the twining gold tresses of my two baby
sisters-au these rushed before me with
magic swiftness, and the tears filed my
ewes. lie went on.
" You have thought me mad; you know
that others thought it too; and yet You
never, am convinced, uttered your sus-
n,.>5aus t5 any one, and this, because yoC
rcied / as somewhat kind to you. II
Ia we acte.l well, Walter. But
y. .-.- ut T mad. l'. 1u.,'ld ,-,arel Oh no"
3:aerent Is mine from Ia WIS., - ~
great satirizt who prayed to God e,~' 'l
his reason should Le saved. Madness
we're rgrEctfulucss. ANA 10 me would bC
? ,nc greatest blessiug-uezt to death
Walter. next 10 death.
II would bo impossible TO describe th
aaraIlinz intensity Of feeling which ii
ssn sepulohral tones Of his voice evince5
Iveutured to sJammer tartas