Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-11-01

daughter to the first cabin. These
facts made his various intrusionS on the
saloon dee& the more eNaSperating 10
the Montmorrisses, yet the more ditli-
cult TO deal with. Eventually, how
ever, he had, rs usual, his own way; no
place was sacred, or debarrcd his
slouched hat and duster. They were
turned out ot the engine-room TO reap
pear upon the bridge; they We're for
hidden the forecastle, to rise i ghostly
presence beside the officer IN the
solemn supervision of the compass.
They would have been lashed to the
rigging on their way to maiutop, but
for the silent protest of his daughters
presence on deck. Most Of his inter-
rupting familiar conversation was ad-
dressed to the interdictcd "man 1T the
wheel"
Hitherto | contented myself with the
fascination of his presence from afar,
wisely, perhaps, deeming it dangerous
to 4 true picturesque perspective to
alter my distance, and perhaps, like
the best Of us, fear, preferring to keep
my own idea of him rather than 10
run the risk of altering it by 4 closer ne
| quaintance. But one day when | was
lounging by the stern rail, idly watching
the dogged ostentution Of the screw,
that had been steadily intimating, after
| the fashion Of screws, that ii was the
only thing in the ship with u persistent
| purpose, the ominous shadow of the
slouched hat and the trailing dustcr
] fell upon me. There was nothing to
do but to accept it meekly. Indeed,
my theory of the man made me help
less.
Il didn't know till yesterday who
YOU be, lie began, deliberately, or |
shouldn't hev been SO onsocial. But
I've always told my darter that in per-
miskiss trav'lin' man ought to be
keerful Of VINO he meets. I've read
some of your Writings EN- in Il
paper III lnjianny-but never reckon
ed I'd meet We. Things is queer, and
travlm brings Ill sort Of people to-
gether. My darter Loueze suspected
We from the first, and she worried over
it, and kinder put me up TO this
The most delicate ilattcry could not
have done more. To have been in the
thought Of this reserved gentle girl
who scarcely seemed to notice even
those who had paid her attention,
WAS
She put me up to it, he continued,
calmly 9 though she herself hez kind
o. prcIudlse again YOU and staur writ
4 ins--thinkln' them sort o low down.
and the folks talked about not in her
style-and yc know that's womcn's
natur, and she and Miss Montmorris
agree on that point But thars Il few
friends with me round yer ez would
! like to see ye."
lie stepped aside and dozen men
appeared in Indian file from behind the
roundhouse,and with solemnity known
only to the Anglo-Saxon nature, shook
my hand deliberately, and then dispers-
ed themselves III various serious atti-
tudes against the ratings. They were
honest, well-meaning countrymen Of
mine, but | could not recall single
face.
There was dead silence; the screw,
| however, ostentatously went on:
Gou see what told YOU" it said,
"Ihis is vapidity and trihing. I'm the
only fellow here with a purpose Whiz,
Ntlh'j ShbSi 1htlSt Sll1tS'
was about to make some remarks OF
a general nature, when | was greatly re-
/ lievedto observe my companions friends
detach themselves from the railings,
and with slight bow and another shake
of the hand, severally retire, apparent
ly as much relieved as myself. My
companion, who had IN the meantime
acted rs if he had discharged himself of
q duty, said
Thar oilers must be some one to
tend to this kind o thing, or thar's no
socableness. | took deppytation into
the Cap'n's room yesterday to make
some propositions, and thar's minister
Of the gospel aboard as ought to be
spoke TO afore next Sunday, and /
reckon its my dooty, onless," headed
with deliberate and formal politeness,
you'd prefer to doit bein, 50 to speak
Il public man.
But the public man hastily deprecat-
ed any interference with tie speakers
functions, and, TO change the conyersa-
tion, remarked that he had heard that
there was a party Of Cooks tourists Oh
board, ana-Were not the preceding
gentlemen of the number? But the
question caused the speaker to lay aside
his hat, take a comfortable position on
the deck, against the rail, and drawing
his knees UP under his chin, TO begin as
follows
Speaking Q Cook and Cooks tourists
I'm my own Cook. | reckon ] calkilate
and know every cent that III spend
't~ixt Evansville, Injianny, and Rome
and Naples, and everything III see.
lie paused moment, and laying Ills
hand familiarly on my knee, said.
Did | ever tell ye how kem to 90
abroad2'