Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-02-22
ONLY JONES.

The officers of Her Majesty's Twenty
fourth and Eighty-fourth Infantry were
sitting around their mess table, in Cas-
tletown, the capital of the Isle of Man,
one evening more than thirty years ago
that is, all of them except one; but
then, that one was only Jones. Nobody
minded Jones; even his peculiarities
had begun to be an old subject for
chatting; and, indeed, he had paid
such small attention to their " chatting"
that they had come to find it little pleas
ure, and after some weeks of discom-
fort Lieut.. Jones had been allowed to
choose his own pleasures without much
interference.
These were not eXtravagant. A fa-
vorite book, long walk in all kinds of
weather, and sail when the weather
was favorable He would not drink
he said it hurt his health; he would not
shoot-he said it hurt his feelings; he
would not gamble-he said it hurt his
conscience; and he did not care to flirt
or visit the bellies of the capitalize
said it hurt his affections. Once Capt.
DE Rcuzy lispingly wondered whether
it was possible to "hurt his honor, -
and Jones calmly answered that " il
was not possible for Capt. De Reuzy to
do So"
Indeed, Jones constantly violated all
these gentlemen ideas of proper be-
havior, but, for some reason or other,
no one brought him to account for it.
1t was easier to shrug their shoulders
and call him "queer," or say sit was
only JONES'" or even to quietly assert
his cowardice.
One evening Col. Underwood was
discussing a hunting-party for the next
dav. Jones walked into the room and
was Immediately accosted:
Something new, Lieutenant find
there are plenty of hares on this island,
and we mean to give puss a run to-mor.
row. l have heard you are a good
rider. Will you join us?'
"You must excuse me, Colonel; such
thing is neither in the way of my duty
nor my pleasure"
"You forget the honor the Colone
does you, JONES'" said young Ensign
Powell.
81 thank the Colonel for his court
esy, but L can see no good reason fol
accepting it. am sure my horse viii
not approve of it; and am sure the
hare will not like it; and / am not 9
good rider; therefore, should not en-
joy it."
"You need not be afraid" said the
Colonel, rather sneeringly;" " the country
is quite open and these low ManX walls
are easily taken"
Excuse me, Colonel, l am afraid.
If | should be hurt it would cause my
mother and sisters very great alarm
and anxiety. l am very much afraid of
doing this"
What was to be done with a man so
Obtuse regarding conventionalities and
who boldly asserted his cowardice.
The Colonel turned away, half con-
temptuously, and Ensign Powell took
Jones' place.
The morning proved to be a very bad
one, with the prospect of rising storm I;
and as the party gathered in the bar
racks-yard Jones said earnestly to his
Colonel:
81 am afraid, sir, you will meet with
a severe Storm
"Ithink so, Lieutenant, but we prom
ised to dine at Gwynne Hall, and we
So they rode rather gloOmily away in
the rain. Jones attended to the mill
tary duties assigned him, and then,
about noon, walked seaward. 1t was
hard work by this time to keep his foot
ing on the narrow quay; but amid the
binding spray and mist he saw quite
a crowd of men going rapidly toward
the great shelving Scarlet Rocks, a mile
beyond the town. He stopped an old
sailor and asked:
50 Is anything wrongPh
"a little steamer, sir, off the Calf of
Man; she is driving this way; an infect
l fear she will be on ia rocks afore Ia
night"
Jones stood still moment, and then
followed the crowd as fast as the storm
would let him. When he Joined them,
they were gathered on the summit of q
huge cliff, watching the doomed craft.
She was now within sight, and it was
evident that her seamen had almost
lost all control of her. She must, ere
long, be flung by the waves upon the
jagged and frightful rocks toward
which she was driving. In the lulls 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 doneP" said Jones "a
an old man, whose face betrayed the
strongest emotion.
Nothing, sir, am afrait. If she'd d
managed TO rount a rocks, she would
have go to pieces on the sand, and there
are plenty of men who would have
risket life TO save life. But how are We
TO reach them from this height"
''HOw far are we above waterPn
'This rock goes down like wall,
forty fathoms, SIR"
"What depth of water at the footp'
Thirty feet or more"