Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-11-24
From the Chicago Tribune.
BLINKEY.

AS years come upon us, and the hab
its of Memory begin to supplant those
of Hope, much of tinsel and glitter of
ife's drama falls like very scales from
our eyes; true merit stands forth in
spite of the obscurity of its possessor,
and natural qualities assert their due
superiority to over those which blind
fortune alone will often be found to
have conferred. / have selected for
my heroine in the following sketch a
poor girl, born and bred almost saw
age, and occupying, after her transition
to what is known as civilization, but
very humble round of the worldly lad
der; yet it will be seen that she had
claims OF no mean order upon our con-
sideration and respect. These claims [
venture to present with reasonable
hope of the readers acceptance, though
she herself would have blushed at the
thought of fame.
But little more than two short de-
cades have Iapsed since the bark Dol
phin set out on q trading voyage from
Singapore. Under the auspices of IA
vorable breeze and tide, the verdant
shores Of the Straits of Malacca were
soon passed, ahd the China Sea was en-
tered, across which the vessel stretched
her way direct for Borneo. After hav-
ing been becalmed for day or two off
Cape Datee,-a well-known promontory
projecting its huge outline far into the
sea,-the wind freshened almost to a
gale; and, IN few hours anchor was
cast off the Sontubong entrance Of the
Sarawak river, there TO await the food
tide which should carry the gallant ship
and her crew to Kuching, the port of
her destination. A few miles above this
place, the business of the exchange of
commodities with the Malayans of the
region was carried on during a some
what protracted stay of nearly a month.
At first the inhabitants were ap-
preached with all the caution which a
reputation for unmitigated ferocity and
treachery so naturally suggested. A
short acquaintance, however, soon con-
vinced the adventures that whatever
might be the general characteristic of
the race, the people with whom they
were now dealing possessed many fine
and generous qualities, and the most
friendly relations were, in short time,
established between the natives and
their visitors. The ship herself soon
became place of attractive resort to
those living in the neighborhood of her
anchorage ground: and, of an evening.
her deck generally presented lively
scene of mirth and social amusement.
in which the elder as well as the young
er of both sexes freely joined. Swim
ming parties were also frequent: in
deed, the Dolphin was oftener reached
from the shore by the unas-
sisted stroke of the arm than
by that of the paddle. In this
exercise, the girls, whose graceful
dresses were in no way disordered by
the submerslon, were very expert. Lit
tie prizes offered by the crew We're
eagerly contended for by these 1.-the
young creatures; and string of glass
beads Or other shining trinket was worn
by the delighted victress with all the
conscious pride of the winner of an
Isthmian crown. But by far the most
successful in the pursuit of these aquat
ic honors was Qumma- gong binga, the
orphan daughter of a Dyak, formerly
OF Sarebas; and SO great a favorite did
she shortly become with the Dolphins
that her name would have rung from
every lip If it had not been for its utter
unpronounceability to sailors tongue.
1t Jack has weakness, it is for short
handles - and SO the last two sylla-
bles OF the jawbreaker were at first
adj pied in lieu of the whole; these
a ain soon gave way to ssBlinkey"--
OF alone on account of the fancied
proximity in sound, but because of
peculiar droop of the upper lid of one
of the eyes, which, while it sufficiently
marked the expression OF. the girls
eountenance, did not in the least de-
tract from her beauty-for of thisit was,
on all sz.--s, admitted that she naa ner
fl share.