Litchfield enquirer., 1869-04-15
NEW uNCoMMERo1AL SAMPLES.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.
ABOARD SHIP.

my journeys AS OAcOm AIovcticA
 for the firm of Human Interest Brothers
 have not slackened since I last reported of them, but have kept me continually on the move. Il remain in the same idle employrZ ment I never solicit an order, l never get auy commission, I am the rolling stone that gathers no moss--uniess any should
 by chance be found among these Samples.
 Some half dozen years ago. found
 myself in my idlest, dreamiest, and least accountable condition altogether, on board ship, in the harbors of the city of New York, in the United States of America. or all the good ships adoats mine was the good steamer RUSSIA. CAPTAIN Cook. Cunard Line, bound for Liverpool What more could I wish .for?f 7 .tsia5lI s; lfaa aa! [
 I had nothing to wish for but a prosper. ous passage. My salad days, when l was green of visage and sea-sick,, being gone with better things land worse) no coming event cast its shadow before. -..fe-ar4s
 might, hut few. moments previously, have initiated -Sterne, and said, "' And yet, methiuks, Eugsnius'-laying my fore finger wistfnlly on his coat sleeve thus and yet, methiEks, Eugenius, 'tis but sorry work to part with thee, for what fresh fields 2. my dear Eugenirs =. can be
 fresher than thou art. and in what pastures
 new shall find Eliza-or call her. Euge-
 nins, if thou wilt, Ann1e' "-I say I might
 have done this; but 4Engenius was gone,
 and hadn't done it. 41 'S's'{E = y''' was resting on sky light on the hur- ricane deck, watching the working of the ship very slowly about, that she might head for England. It was high noon on most brilliant day in April, and the beautiful bay was glorious and glowing. Full many ut, has had IT oxaaY1 , come down, down, down. itself like down.. ] until it lay deep in all the ways of men,
 and particularly, as it seemed, in my way,
 for I had not gone dry-sbod many hours 1 for months. Within two or three days last past had I watched she featilery fall setting in with the ardor of a new idea, inste ad of dragging at .1e skirts of worn out win ter. and permitting glimpses of fresh I voung spring But bright sun and a Clear sky had melted the snow in the great
 crucible of nature, and it had been poured
 out again that morning over sea and land,
 transformed into myriads of gold and sil-
 yer sparkles sd aad dfIrs1 sairalf3
 The ship was fragrant with flowers.
 Something of the old Mexican passion for
 flowers may have gradually passed into North America, where flowers are 5luxuri- ously grown and tastsfully combined in the richest profusion; but, be that as it
 may such gorgeous farewells in flowers
 had come on board, that the small officers cabin on deck, which tenanted, bloomed
 over into the adjacent scuppers, and banks
 of other flowers that it couldn't hold smade Ia garden Of the unoocupied tables m the passengers' saloon. These delicious scents of the shore, mingling with the fresh airs of the sea, made the atmosphere 2 dreamy,
 an enchanting one, And so, with the
 watch aloft setting all the sails, and with
 the screw below revolving at mighty rate,
 and occasionally giving the ship an angry shake for resisting, fell into my idlest
 ways and lost myself. .,.s aaq ..s.os, As. for instance. whether it was lying there, or some other entity even more mys-
 terious, was q matter was far too, lazy to
 look into. What did it signify to me if it
 were Tor to the more mysterious entity
 if it were he? Equally as to the remem-
 brances that drowsily ,foated by me-7or by
 him-why ask when, or where, the thing happened? Was it not enough that they
 befel at sometime, somswhere9 r .5e,'..!
 There was that assisting at tho Church Service on board another steamship. one Sunday, in stiH breeze. Perhaps on the
 passage out. No matter. Pleasant to hear tho ship's bells go, as like, church-bells as they could; pleasant to sec the watch of
 duty mustered, and come in; best hats, best Gnsrnseys, washed hands and faces, smooth cd headA But then arose . set of circunl4 stances 90 rampantly connical, that no
 check which the gravsst intentions could
 put upon them would hold them in hand Thus the scene: Some seventy psssengefs I assembled at the saloon tables. Prayer books on ltablsGL IL Ship rolling heavily Panse. No minister aRdmorl hss related
 that modest young clergyman on board has responded to the ecaptain's request that he3wia officiate. Pause again. and very heavy rolling. ..i,0 IeriA .2usoa91aa1o Closed double doors suddenly burst open, and two strong stewards skate in, support. ing minister between them; General ape l pearance as of somebody picked up, sdrunk and incapable, and under conveyance to
 station-house. Stoppage, pause. and par
 ticularly heavy rolling. Stewards watch
 their opportunity. and balance themselves,
 but tcannot balance minister; who, fstEug- gling with dropping head and . back
 ward tendency, seems determined to return
 below, while they are as determined that
 he shall be got to the reading desk in midi saloon. Desk portable, sliding away down . long tahles aiming itself ct the breasts of, various members of the congregation Here the double doors, which have been
 carefully closed by other stewards. fly open
 again. and: worldly passenger tumbles. ins
 seemingly with Pale Ale designs: who, seeking friend. says; ssss sssJoelg Perceiving ineongruity. says. s's.' Hulleo! Beg your par dor! r ii- and tumbless ont again. All this time the congregation have been breaking npiinto sectsr-as the manner of congrega,, ] tions often isr--each sect sliding away by itself, and all pounding the weakest sect
 which slid first into the corner. Utmost point of dissent soon attained in every cor her, and violent rolling. Stewards at length make dash; conduct minister to the mast in the centresof the sal0on which
 he embraces with both arms; skate ont;
 and leave him in that condition to arrange ahars with HOek.qfsa9 snuegsfr,E2 4 T asi4 :, l There was another Sunday, when an of l icer of the ship read the Saryice. It was quiet and impressise,. until we fell upon
 the dangerous and perfectly unnecassary 1eaperiment of striking up hymn.o Alter it was given out, we all rose. But everY.
 body leitiit to somebody else to begin. Si-
 lence resulting the officer e(no singer him self rather responsibility gave uss tka, .first
 liaeaeaip, upon which .. rosy pippin of an old gentleman. remarkable thronghoutsthe