Ellsworth American., 1878-10-03
Miseellaneous. q
Only Jones.

The officers OF Her Msjcsty's Twenty
fourth and Eighty fourth Infantry were sit
ting around their mess-tahlc IN Castleiown,
the capital OF the Isle of Man. one evening
more thau thirty years ago-that j.. all Of
them except one; but then, that one was
only Jones. Nobody minded Jones; even
his peculiariiies had begun 10 be an old sub
ject for 'chafilng,' aud, indeed, he had
paid such small attention 10 their chaiin =
thst they had come 10 fnd IL little pleasure,
and after some weeks Of discomfort. Lieu
tenant Jones had been allowed 10 choose
his own pleasures without much interfer-
ence. These were not eXtrsyagant-a ia
vorite book. q long walk in all kinds of
weather, aud a sail when the weather was
favorable. He would not drink-he said
il hurt his health he would not shoot-he
said II hurt his feelings; he would not
gambIe-he said 1t hurt his conscience !;
and he did not care TO iiirt or visit the bellies
of the capitalize said IL hurt his affections.
Once Captain de Reuzy lispingly wondered
II IL was possible 10 hurt his honor and
Jones calmly answered that 'it was not
possible for Captain de- Reuzy To do SO. -
Indeed. Jones constantly violated all these
2enllemens Ideas OF proper behavior, but
for some reason or other, no one brought
him TO account i0r il. IL was easier to
shrug their shoulders and call him queer
or say at WAS only Jones, or even 20 qui-
city assert his cowardice.
One evening Colonel Underwood was dis
cussing hunting party for the next day
Jones walked into the room aud was i'm
mediately accosted:
Something new, Lieutenant. ind
there are plenty OF hares on the island
and We mean 10 give puss run to-mor-
row. have heard you was good rider.
Will you join US!
lou must excuse me. Colonel; such a
thing is neither in my way OF duty nor my
pltasurs.
"fou forget the honor the Colonel does
you. Jones" says young Ensign Powell.
IL thank the Colonel for his courtesy
but can see no good reason for accepting
Ii. | am sure my horse will not approve OF
IL; aud am sure the hare will not like 1t ::
aud am not good rider; therefore, |
should not enjoy ii.
You need not be afraid" said the Col
onel, rather sneeringly; "the country is
quite open. and these low Manx walls are
easily taken"
Excuse me. Colonel. I'm afraid. If |
should be hurt II would cause my mother
and sisters very great alarm and anxiety.
| am very much afraid of doing this.
What was to be done with man so OBJ
tuse regarding conventionalities, and who
boldly asserted his own cowardice: The
Colonel turned away half contemptuously,
and Ensign Powell took Jones place.
The morning proved 70 be very bad
one, with the prospect OF a rising storm.
and as the party gathered in the barracks
yard, Jones said earnestly to his Colonel:
Il am afraid, sir, you will meet with a
severe Storm"
II think so, Lieutenant; but We prom
ised to dine at Gwynne Hall, and We shall
get that tar at any rate.'
So they rode rather glOomily away In
the rain. Jones attended to the military
duties assigned him, and then. about noon,
walked seaward. Ii was hard work by this
time TO keep his footing on the quay, but
amid the binding spray and mist he saw
quite a crowd of men going rapidly toward
the great, shelving, Scarlet Rock, "a mile be-
yond the town. He stopped an old sailor
and asked
"Is anything wrongf"
"A little steamer, sir on Calf OF Man !;
she Is driving this way; an, infect. | fear
she will be on ia rocks afore ta-night."
Jones stood still a moment. and then fol-
lowed the crowd as fast as the storm would
let him. When he joined them they were
gathered on the summit of huge cliff,
watching the doomed craft. She was now
within sight, aud 1t was evident that her
seamen had lost all control of her. She
must ere long be flung by the waves upon
the jagged and frightful rocks toward
which she was drifting. In the lull Of the
wind, not only the booming OF the minute
gun, but also the shouts OF the imperiled
crew. could be heard.
what can be doneg' said Jones TO an
old man whose face betrayed the strongest
emotion.
Nothing. sir. | am afraid. II she'd
managed to rOuDt ia rocks, she would have
| gone to pieces on Ia sand. and there are
| plenty of men who would have risked their
| life 10 save life. But how are we to reach
| them from this height!r
How far are We above water?''
This rock goes down like wall forty
fathoms. sir"
"what depth of water at the foots"
"Thirty foot or more"
| Good, Have you plenty of light. long
roper
Much as you want, sir; but let me tell
| you, sir. you can't live ten minutes down
there. ia first wave will throw you on Ia
rocks and dash you 20 pieces. Plenty Of
us would put you down, sir. but you cans
swim if you get down"
"Do you know. old man. what surf
swimming is? have dived through the
surf at Nukuheva."
| "God bless you, sir. thought no white
man could do the same"
| While this conversation was going on,
Jones was divesting himself Of all super,
Auous clothing and cutting out the sleeves
of his heavy pea-jacket with his pocket
knife This done, he passed some light,
strong rope through them. The men
watched him with eager interest, and Sec
| ing their inQuisitive look. he said:
'sThe thick sleeves will prevent the rope
cutting nv body, ron see,"