The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-12-27
A TOURIST FROM INJIANNY
Isret Hart ]

P [5ret Hart
a We first saw him from the deck of I'll
, | Unser Fritz, as that gallant steamer wa
preparing to leave the port OF New Yor
for Plymouth, Havre and Hamberg
Perhaps It was that all-objects at tbs
: moment became indelibly impressed o
the memory of the departing voyager-
: perhaps it was that mere inteTuptin
trivialities always assume undue magni
tude to us when we are waiting for some
; thing really important--but l retain
vivid impression of him as he appeare'
ON the gsngway in apparently hopeless
vet, as it afterward appeared, really trl
umphant, alteration with the German
speaking deck-hsnds and stewards. ii
was not an heroic figure. Glad in
worn linen duster, his arms filed will
bags and parcels, he might have beer
taken for a nackman carrying his lug
gage of his fare. But it was noticeable
that, although he calmly persisted IL
speaking English and ignoring the volu
bic German of his antagonists, he II
some rude fashion accomplished his OBJ
jece without losing his temper or in
crossing his temperature, while mis- for
eign enemy was crimson With rsge and
perspiring with heat; and that presently
having violated 8 dozen of the ship:
regulations, he took his place by the
side of 8 very pretty girl, apparently his
superior in station, who addressed him
as "father" As the great ship swung
out into the stream he was still central
/ figure ON our deck, getting into every
body's way, addressing all with equal
familiarity, impeTturbable to affront or
snub, but always doggedly and consist
entity adhedng to one purpose, however
| trivial or inadequate to the means en-
| ployed. f"You are sittin' on suthin' O.
mine, Miss" he began, for the third or
fourth time, to the elegant Miss Mont
morris, who was revisiting uTope under
high social conditions. ''Jist rise up,
while / get it-'tWon't take mint"
Not only was that lady forced to rise,
but to make necessary the rising snd
discompOsing of the whole MOntmorris
party who were congregated around her.
The missing "suthin" was discovered
TO be very old and tattered Newspaper.
cts the Cincinnatty Times" he ex-
planned, as he quietly teok it up, oblivOus
to the indignant glances of the party.
cts little squoshed By your sittin' on
it, butftlI do to refer to. IPsget letter
from Payris, showin' the prices o. them,
thar hotels and rist rants, and I allOweH
to my darter we might want it on
other side. Thar's one or two -
names thar that rasheF geUst-SrSz
your eyes is stronger ;" but heIc
entire Montmorris party rustled awsS
leaving him with the paper in one handy
the other pointing at the paragraph.
Not at all discomfted, be glanced at the
vacant bench, took possession oft with
his hat, duster and umbrella, disappeared
and presently appeared again with his
daughter, a lank-looking young man,
and an angular elderly female, and so
replaced the Montmorris.
When We were fairly AZ sea he was
missed. A pleasing belief that he had
fallen overheard, or had been left behind.
was dissipated by his appearance one
morning, with his daughter on enc arm |
and the elder female before alluded to on |
the other. The Unser Fritz was rolling /
heavily at the time, but, with his usual |
awkward pertinscitY, he insisted upon |
to walk toward the best part |
of the deck. as he always did, as if it was
a right and a duty. A Iurch brought /
him and his uncertain freight in contact |
with the Montmorrists, there was p mo-
ment o. wild confusion, two or three
seats were emptied, and he was finally /
iEd AWAY DE Lilt ELEndlN dAl ODNiuE5iy !
and ebstrusiyely sick man. But, Wbent
be had disappeared below, it was noticed /
that he had secured two excellent seats /
Ior his female companions. Nobody |
dared to disturb the elder; nobody cared |
to disturb the youngeI-who, it may be
here recorded, had q certain shy re-
serve which checked aught but the civ
lities from the male passengers.
A e., Io4a diaanraroH I
that he was not an inmate of the first,
but of the second cabin; that the elderly
female was not his wife, as peculiarly /
supposed, but-the room mate of his
daughter in the first cabin. These facts
made his various intrusions on the saloon
deck the more exasperating to the Mont
norrises, yet the more difficult to deal
with. Eventually, however, he had, as
usual, his ewn way; no place was sacred,
)r debarred his slouched hat and duster
Tbey were turned out of the engine-TOon
10 reappear upon the bridge; they were
forbidden the forecastle, to rise ghostly
presence beside the officer in bis solemn
of the compass. They would
nave been lashed 70 the rigging on their
way to the maintop, but for the silent
protest of his daughter presence on deck
Most of his familiar conversation was In
man at the wheel"
Hitherto | had contented myself with
fascination of his presence from afsr-
wisely, perhaps, deeming it dangerous to
4 true picturesque perspective 10 alter
my distance, and perhaps, like the best
1f US, 1 fear, preferriBg to keep my own
dea of him than to run the risk of alter
ng it by a closer acquaintance. One
lay when I was lounging by the Stern
-sil, idly watching the dogged ostentS>
ion of the screw, that had been steadily f
after the fashion, ef screws,
hat it was the only thing in the ship
with persisting purpose, the ominous
shadow of the slouched hat and the trail
ing duster fell upon me. There was
nothing to do but to accept it meekly
Indeed, my theory Of the man made me
helpless
I" 1 didn't know until yesterday who
you be-" he began deliberately, "or 4
shouldn't hev been so onsocial. Butt
I've alters told my darter that in per !
misk IS trav'lin' man aught to be keer-
full of who he meets. Pve read some oil
your writin's-read 'em in a paper inl
/ never reckoned I'd meet
ye. Things is queer, and trav' lin bringsi .
all sorter people together. Ny darterI
Looeze suspected it from the start, and
she worried over it, and kinder put me
up to this" h
The most delicate fattery could no, :
have done more. To have been in tn, !
thought of this reserved, gentle girl
who scarcely seemed to notice even thos.
who paid her attention, was--. ,
sShe put me up to t." he contintel
though she herself has kind !
again you and your writins ;
them sort o. low down, and
the folks talked about not TO her style- :
and We know that's woman's mater. and .
she and Miss Montmorris agree on sst
point. But thar's few friends witEPne
round yer as would like to see ye.' He
stepped aside, and dozen men appea,ed ,
in Indian file from behind the fouad- ,
house, and, with a solemnity known
only TO the Anglo-Saxon nature, shook
my hand deliberately, and then dispersed
themselves in various attitudes against
the ratings. They were honest, wells /