Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-05-01

L L,
OF his eyes, d searching power and strange
beguiling tenderness in them. This dig
nlty and this passion of the eyes were con
hrmed to me by his low, firm, sweet voice.
The opinion | formed in the ten or fif-
teen minutes of contemplation, and after
ward from his conversation, was: Here
IS man OF and in the world and society,"
ana yet rare, original, independent be
ing above, perhaps, or at least Il little one
slde from them; at any rate, an inter
eStlng creature, not the potter's clay, rath-
er the potter OF course, an ordinary
individuality could not have impressed a
fellow traveller as he did me in so short a
time. And | was conscious of certain
eXaltatlon in this railroad chance of max
ing the acquaintance of and being enriched
by such rich, strong character. | won
dered whether he were artist, poet, mocha
nlcian, evangelist, actor, or merchant. He
has, as | write-more than two years after
that summer afternoons ride--a place in
another world.
So sharply was | impressed by my com
panIon's appearance, manner, conversa-
ton, and blythe more than those-a GER
tain aroma or magnetic halo which fan
cied his personality to eXhale, that my i'm
aginatiOn constructed a romantic theory of
MS Iilpbtlbit ilit--olIl anu all tA-
ample as wholesome breezes in every close
quarter they might chance. No artisan
was he in his profession, / mused, but ar
tist in that and the life broader than pro
fession.
As we crossed the Spuyten Duyvel my
companion aroused himself from his open
eye nap, and gave attention to the book in
hand, but soon turned from that to the
M flor 70 ,f Ia Jr-
the window led to some desultorv re
marks, and those passed into a converse
tion which, before we passed the opposite
Palisades, had grown as warm and earnest
as the talk Of old friends
What delightful ride that is up the
Hudson River railroad by six or six
thirty train, OF summers afternoOni
There was but little dust that day. 1t had
been sitting one in the city. Before
Sing Sing and seven o'clock the hot sun
sank down behind the Nyack hills. Then
we were able to push up the blinds and
enjoy the full breeze and view.
In moment we plunge from light,
breeze, and freedom into the damp obscu-
rity of a short tunnel, then rush with
changing reyerberations past the high,
shadowed, white walls pierced with hun
dreds of narrow, grated window Sits You
put your face close to the car side, and
peer up with SAD curiosity at the prison
sides; perhaps catch fiash-like picture
in one Of those iron barred frames of
face-merely a bare face seen but for an
Instant-but perhaps you fancy it hard,
desperate cOuntenance marked by
misery and revenge But few seconds for
your gloom. 1t travels not beyond the
massive, dreary walls and the last seutry-
box. a harsh prolonged whistle of the
engine, and we are by the pleasant open
shore again. Some faint pink lines over
the ROckland hills, the river cheerfully
rippled, few sails, away ahead a steam
boat just passing CrOtOn Point. With in
creasing speed we flash by Sing Sing,
screaming as though our monster locomo-
tive Craved some victim TO wet its rails
Now Brandreth's pretty little pill-boX and
factory close under our right; marshy
shore and Outstretched nets on the left
We cross the drawbridge of the CrotOn-
the beautiful river flowing out of a but
partially revealed valley, and spreading
into a bay that looks the picture spot for
puntS and flocks of ducks
Just there, near the south shore of Gro
ton Point, and about quarter of a mile
from the rails, was a sloOp swinging on a
new tack as we saw it, In the sottening
light, little in the shadow of the land,
gently touched by reflection of the west
ern sky, and caught but for glance as
she turned to a new course and we ran
between the gravel banks that open with a
dry yaWn right at the base of the Point
she seemed as a shape seen in the clouds,
as a fading mirage-a mysterious unreal
" and taintness enCOmpassing her as the
atmosphere Of some phantom craft.
l,a- Al. oil
my companion with a sigh, as if the sight
was too quickly shut out.
Yes, - / answered, like brief dream.
shadow in the water, reflection from
some river of the spirit world;" and
gave half laugh as sort of apology for
my romance.
Heretofore in this narrative I have not
given our conversation, but only suggest
ed its character and fervor Now, how
ever, | write the words exactly as spOken)
Then my companion, turning himself TO
me and throwing his arm along the back
of the seat behind mean unconscious
gesture that seemed to take me into his
minds embrace-said with sweet, ner-
vous smile, and a tone of some hesitanCy,
lowering his voice and slowly, carefully
uttcTing his words:
That little picture impresses you eX-
aCtly aS ii does mc-yOur words are just
what mine would be But much more
than this something SO strangely sympa-
thetic between you, good sir, and me,
strangers. ii would seem. ever before this
afternoon. moves me to narrate an Incl
dent which the sight of that phantomlikc
boat recalls The-epi-yeS, | will call it
epiSode-remains with me an inetfaceable
impression, and vet this is the first time |
have mentioned it, Some dOubt-some
instructive sentiment that | cannot analyze
some involuntary check that has come
upon me whenever / have been on the
point of uttering it--haS hitherto prevent
ed me from repeating the facts | was a
witness to, actor in, | may say This re
pugnance, if / may call it so. was not at
all superstitiOus, for the incident had
nothing in it ghoStly To me, nothing Op-
pressive or fearful, only very strange; un-
accountable. certainly, according to our
present lights, but suggesting only Wig
orous train of speculation 10 my thoughts.
However, to give you my little story: |
was invited year ago this summer-by
the way. in this same month of July-to
ioin Young friend Of mine, my nephew,
in coasting voyage in his yacht. | glad
IL accepted, and became one OF small
but very pleasant party for founlght's
cruise. We ran down the Chesapeake,
had some charming trips IN It's waters,
stopped at Fortress Monroe, entirely es-
capped bad weather, and in every way en-
ioyed ourselves fully My nephew Is