The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-12-11

old friends" .s 49,, rw
! Long and confidential was our couvers
ton, and varied were the feelings which
excited. There can be few more 'interestiu
events in mans life than the unsxpeete
meeting with an old friend. There is
mournful pleasure IN recalling the past, i
contrasting the sad experience Of mature
years with the sanguine and glowing antic
pations Of cur youth. For q few passin
moments We forget the march of time, W
look back through tae long vista Of year.
and once more, the warm and Joyous, an
fresh feelings Of youth seem to gush forth
and to soften and revive our world seare
and hardened hearts. So it was With %.
The present was for while forgotten b
ma We we're living ia the past. aud lou
and joyful we're our bursts Of merri eat whel
We talked Of old jokes and adventures
And then again, the thought came over u
like chilling blight, suffusing our eye
with tears, that the curtain Of death bat
Allea over most Of our young and cheerful
fellOw-actors on the esrly stage Of life. 1
was with saddensd and subdued hearts VI
dwelt upon the brief career Of some Of ou
early compapions, and We sat for few
minutes in silence, musing upon the vicissi
tudes Of human life. At last, With forcet
atterr' at merriment, Musgrave exclaimed
in the words Of an old sea diHy-'Ha'a
Come. Erisvips's fO4y.
20, let ne re te'Iy;
n nNn. hyVn q
shore
''Replenish your tumbler. Frank, continued
be; i'we'l talk no more Of the past; that I
gone beyond recall but let US make tht
most Of the present. We have not many
hours before US; and / have heard nothi ns
Of your adventures since we parted, NOT
you Of mine. Set a good example, and
begin"
"My story is soon told" said !; for as
you remarked before. time has been flowing
on. for me. quiet and undisturbed I have
no adventures to relate-no stirring acci.
dents BY 6eld or food; mine hsS been q
humdrum, peaceful life, unmarked BY va
riety, save those common ones which would
be uniHteresting to man Of travel and ad
venture, like yourself"
''Nothing connected with my old friend
can prove undressing" said Musgrave,
$50, pray commence your tale"
Thus urged, began as follows:
i continued at school twO years after you
90 suddenly left it. and was thea bound a p
prentice to lawyer in this town. did not
much like the profession which had been
chosen for me; but there was no help for it.
I knew that my father had no interest, and
that / must trust entirely to my own exer-
tons for provision for my future life.
therefore applied myself diligently to my
duties, and soon had the good fortune to
gain the confidence of my employer. had
been with him about three years, when he
sent me to a neighboring village to wait up
on client Of his, This gentleman was a
retired pOst-captain. a man who had seen
much service. and had been often and Sc
serelY wounded;
He was, as bad been before informed,
as smart an officer as ever trod ship s
deck his whole heart was 10 his profess
sion and his long residence on shore had
broken him of bis habit of interlarding his
conversation with sea.phrases and he de-
lighted in talking over the adventures of
bis past life to all who would hsten to him.
Notwithstanding his peculiarities, he was
universally loved and respected. he was a
hospitable, kind-hearted man, and ga gen.
tleman of Natures own making" forl
though be was little wanting in externa,
polish, bis actions proved bin worthy Of ths
title. had often heard of him before, but
had never CHANGED to meet him. was
much pleased with him at first sight there
was so much warmth and frankness in bis
reception of me, and felt at home with
him IN a minute. He was a man of short
stature, upright as a dart, with iron-grey
hair. aad q keen, quick eye, and bad on,
when met him on the avenue to bis house,
an old rusty hat, pinched up in the rims,
and placed transversely on bis head, 50 as
to look like "fOre-and-after," as be called
it, or. as We would say. cooked hat.
''Oh." interrupted Musgrave, you need
not take the trouble Of explaining sea
terms to me, for they are as natural to me
as my native tongue" "-J
81 forgot" replied 1, H'that you are chip
Of the same block; so will continue my
yarn-you see have picked up little sea
lingo, too"
After / had transacted my business with
Capt. Trimmer. he pressed me to stay and
partake Of family fare. "
1--WE pipe to dinner at SIX bells" said
be: ''three o'clock, / mean. You will have
plain fare and sailors welcome, which you
know is warm one, either to friend OF
foe." s.E1r sZi ".
I accepted this frank invitation With plea
sure, and ss ID still wanted an hour to DIN.
ner time, be proposed that we should take
ga cruise" through the grounds It'll the
grub was ready" During the walk, be
amused me greatly, with his tales of the sea-
but l was often Obliged to request him tc
interpret terms, which were as unintclligible
to me as Hebrew or Sanscrit. He laughed
heartily at my ignorance, but did all in hi,
power to enlighten me.
~You have not had the benefit Of a sea
education, so what can we expect of you
I'll tell you what, my young friend-I'C
as soon cOue athwart the haws of sharl
as a lawyer Ono offence to yO,'), but, some
bow or other, like the cut Of your jib
and think we shall be good friends, never
theless." -.....
"Oh," said I, alluding to my profession
al visit tfT am not the LAWYER hut the Ia aw
yer's GUant eO~risr-tbe pilot-fsh, not tn
shark"
He laughed heartily, and kept banterinI
me on the sharking prOpensities of my trib
in such an amusing manner that | coul'
ner bell rang.
"Ah there's pipe to dinner at last =
come along youngster, let's see if you cal
take your grub as well as you can take
joke"
/ W. l:-oI olo~n G. liz on1u dau ohfoF