Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-10-29

noble gentlemen round the table are
are-what you mentioned2'
| ," Every man OF them, replied the
old gentlepan, looking round with al
air of parental pride that would have
beiitted the Mother Of the. Gracehi, we
are all alike here. tIa eafal 90
"'Butin this case stammered |, your
Excellency's own self Il hardly dare
hint such thing must be--a--'1 Y II
Precisely SO. answered he With a
beniguant smile; I'm q conYic., too
the Oldest Of the lotP
| II remained speechless while the gov
ernor, evidently BATTERED by my emotion,
proceeded to point out in detail the
varied beauties Of his selection. This
gentleman on your right, he bsgan,
with the air OF Q oolnnoisseur oriticising
an undoubted Titan, 'signalized him
self by one Of the boldest acts Of ven.
geance on record-scaling the wall Of an
enemy's house with a knife het@oon his
teeth, and staying him on the spot. Uf-
fortunately land yet not unfortunately,
as II procured me the pleasure of my
friends aequaiHtance) the slain. man
happened to be the near relation Of an
official Of high rank; need | say any
more? The senior on my left hand had
an unhappy difference with his wife who
alone was to blame in the matter) he
attempted to soothe her with dase OF
medicine, which unhapplly succeeded
ill-you will divine the rest. The two
gentlemen next in order were concerned
in-an heroic attack on the house Of an
obnoxious minister some time since
and certain Jewels being missed suspicion
wrongfully fell upon them. AS to the
senior opposite gar aa aneAfH
And so on another quarter ofan hour.
In fact las old Virgil says in that pas
sage that used to puzzle me at Eton), if
had hundred tongues, and voice Of
iron, | could not rehearse all their
crimes. Suffice II to say, that of all the
villains then unchanged,S the most atrog
cious appeared to be these friendly open
hearted gentlemen with whom / had
been hobnobbing so affablY for the last
hour. Atlast, wheptk governor paused
for a lnoment to take breath, / ventured
TO inquire what achievement had earned
him his promotion.
:" Nothing very important answered
he, pgrelesaly; merely an absurd story
about some forged notes that appeared
one morning, 4
nc -: was the last straw which broke
the camePs back. instantly feeollected
that | had at least dozen things of the
last Importance to say to the skipper,
and must 90 on board again at once;
while the governor, lamenting my 'un
timely departure, announced his inten-
ton Of seeing me down TO the shore--a
courtesy which / could very well have
dispensed with. But the. heat, and the
governor stories, and the recent start
ling revelation had so upset me, that las
Puneh's sailor says) you might have
knocked me down with the butt-end of
musket. Allthe way down to the'beach
felt as II every bough that brushed my
clothes were trying to pick my pocket,
and as if the very ground under my feet
we're going to start up and knock my
brains out. ~ r.l
A last we came out in front Of the
little jetty, where, TO NY great delight, l.
found the skipper just going on board.
The Governor, wishing me every pros
perity, took ceremonious leave of me;
while |, standing up in the stern OF the
boat, responded as usual, May your
Excellency live thousand years! And
may it be as long before | see you
again added |, mentally, as we shot
Gway FROM the Gh9Fa ,r,psa f
well, senior, asked the skipper,
with one Of his peculiar grins, as, few
hours later, we watched. the receding
coast of the island, how did his Excel
lency's hospitality please you2
"'The dinner was worthy OF Don Sc
hastian, answered J but can't say as
much for the company. 1t seems to me-
my friend, that you re among rather Q
suspicious set.
"'What would you have, senhor2' re-
piled he, with a shrug; we poor fellows
must live somehow, with the blessing OF
the saints we manage to make our
trade keep Us, I'm sure such nQbla |
senior would never think ofsaying any
thing that might harm q poor contra
bandista who has hard work to get gar |
lie to his breadP fl aiaaI Ii, 4
The appeal was a foreible one; and |
It was tGnaered additional convincing |
by the fact that not man OF the crew
was without weapon of some kind |
while honest Diego (James; the Spanish |
form is Diego himself had brace
Of yeTy buginess.like pistols stuck In his
and Q knife nearly ss lang as
q bayonet at bis side ] reflected that, 1
after all, it, was no business of mine,
and that it would be, cruel to worry a
gang of poor devils who had never done
me any harm; SO answered very read
liz that the secret was perfectly sais With |
me.T 9ld lT 1baf' fsnl
Now then, let's be moving; we shall
get back to Chamouni in time for the |
able d'hote if we step out. p"
THE above story is literally true, the 7
3nly addition being the ohaTaeteT as
signed to the Portuguese skipper who
vas in reality very honest fellow
. .rr----------s-- Hr ~ |