The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-11-24
How His Ship Came In.

How his Ship Game In.
Iran across what first struck me as a
very singular genius on my road from
Springfield to Boston. This was a
stout, black whiskered man who sat
Immediately in front of me, and who in
dulged from time to time in the most
strange and unaccountable maneuvers.
Every now and then he would get up
and hurry to the narrow passage which
leads to the door in these drawing
room cars, and when he thought him
self secure from observation, he would
fall to laughing to himself in the most
violent manner, and continue the
healthful exercise until he was as red in
the face as a lobster.
As we neared Boston the demoDsta-
tions increased in violence, save THAT
the stranger no longer ran away to
laugh, but kept his seat aud chuckled
to himself, with his chin deep down
in his shirt collar. But the changes
that those partmanteaus underwent
He moved them here, there, everywhere;
he put them behind, in front of him, on
each side of him. He was evidently
getting ready to leave, but as we were
yet twenty-five miles from Boston, the
idea of such preparations was ridiculous.
If we had entered the city then, the
mystery would have remained unsOlved;
but the stranger at last became so eX-
cited that he could keep his seat no
longer. Some one must help him, as |
was the nearest to him, he selected me.
Suddenly turning as if 1 had asked
him question, he said, rocking himself
to and fro in his chair the meantime,
and slapping his legs and breathing
bard, "Been gone three years ~ "AhH'
"Yes, been in Europe. Folks don't ex-
pect me, but l got through and started.
/ telegraphed them at the last station;
they've got it by this time" AS he
said this he rubbed his hands and
changed his portmanteau on his left to
his right, and the one on the right to
the left. "Got wife ?p said l. "Yes,
and three children, he observed, and he
got up and folded his Overcoat anew,
and hung it over the back of the seat.
"You are pretty nervous over the mat
ter, are you not?" l said, watching
his fidgety movements. "Well, !
should think So" he replied; l haven't
slept sOundly for a week"
"And do you know" he went on tC
say, glancing around at the passengers
and speaking in a low tone, ~ am al.
most certain that this train will run of
the track and break my neck before We
get to Boston. Well, the fact is, have
had too much good luck for one mar
lately. The thing can't last; it ISM
natural that it should, you know. pvt
watched it. First it rains, then i
shines, then it rains again. 1t rains 81
hard you think it's never going to stop
then it shines so bright you think it!
always going to shine; and just as yoU
are settled in either belief you ar
knocked over by a change, to show tina
you knew nothing about it,"
"Well, according to that philosophy,
said I, "you will continue to have sun
shine because you are expecting ;
Storm" at is curious" he returned
"but the only thing which makes m,
think will get through safe is becaus
I think / won't" "Well, that is curl
ous," said l. "Yes," he Veplied, "Pn
amachinist-madea discOvery-nobody
believed it-spent all my money tryiul
to bring it Out-mortgaged my home
all went. Everybody laughed at me
everybody but my wife-fine littl
woman-said she would work her fin
gers off before I should give itup. Wen
to England-no better there cam
within an ace of jumping off Londol
bridge. Went into a shop to earl
money to come home with; then I me
the man 1 wanted. To make a lonj
story short, I've brought $4,000 hom
with me and here l am" "Good 70
your I exclaimed. EYES," said he
1880, 900; and the best of it is, she don
know anything about it. Pve foole,
her so often, and disappointed her so of
lnk I 4 7
nothing about this. When I got m,
money, though, you better believe
struck bee line for home"
"Aud now you will make her happy,
said [.
Happy Why, you don't know
anything about it. SHE'S worked lik
dog while 1 have been gone, trying t
support herself and her children de
Gently. They paid her three cent
a piece for making coarse shirts an
that's the way she'd live half the time
She'll come down there to the depot {
meet me in a gingham dress, aud
shawl a hundred years old, and shell
think she's dressed IN. Oh, she won
have nice clothes after this; oh, no,
guess not ~
And with these words, which implie,
that his wife's wardrobe would soon ri
val Queen Victoria's, the stranger tor
down the passage way again, and get
ting in his old corner, where he ethOugh
himself out of sight, went through th
strangest pantomime, laughing, puttIn
his mouth into the drollest shapes, an
then swinging himself back and fort
in the limited space, as ifhe was "walk
ing down Broadway" full-rigged met
ronOIitan helIe And so till he rOlle
into the depot, and 1 placed myself o.
with q portmanteau in each hand, ha
descended and was standing on the lowe
step ready to jump on the platform.
looked from his face to the faces of tb
people before us, but saw no signs of rec
OgnitiOn.
Suddenly he cried, ''There they arel