Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-09-26
The Sturp Teller.
ONLY JONES.


ONLY JONES.
The officers of Her Majesty's Twenty
fourth and Eighty. fourth infantry we're slt
ting round their mess table in Castletown, 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 bis pc
culiarities had begun to be an old subject for
"chafing," and, indeed, he had paid such
small attention to their chatting that they
had come to find it little pleasure, and after
some weeks of discomfort, Lieutenant Jones
had been allowed to choose his own pleasures
without much interference. These were not
extravagsnt-a favorite 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 gam
ble-he said it hurt his conscience; and he
did not care to fiirt or visit the bellies of the
capital-he said it hurt his affections. Once
Captain de Reuzy lispingly wondered If it
was possible to "hurt his honor" and Jones
calmly replied that lit was not possible for
Captain de Reuzy to do so." Indeed, Jones
constantly violated all these gentlemen's ideas
of proper behavior but for some reason or
other no one brought him to account for 1t.
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 ColoDel Underwood was dis.
cussing a hunting party for the next day.
Jones walked into the room and was imme-
distely accosted:
= "Something new, Lieutenant. lind there
, are plenty of hares on the island and we
mean to give puss run tomorrow: ! have
heard that you are good rider. VIII you
join us ?"
"You must excuse me, Colonel; such a
thing is neither in my way of duty nor my
pleasure"
"You forget the honor the Colonel does
you, JONES'" said young Ensign Powell.
II thank the Colonel for his courtesy, but
can see no good reason for accepting it. |
am sure my horse will not approve of it; and
T am sure the hare will not like it; and am
not good rider, therefore, l should not enjoy
it." '-ri
"You need not be afraid" said the Colo
mel, rather sueeringly; the country is quite
open, and these low Maux walls are easily
taken"
"Excuse me, Colonel, I'm afraid. If |
should be hurt it 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 80 obtuse
regarding conventionslities, aud who boldly
asserted his own cowardice3 The Colonel
turned away, half contemptuously, and En.
sign Powell took Jones place.
The morning proved to be very bad one,
with the prospect of rising storm, and as
the party gathered in the barracks yard, Jones
said earnestly to his Colonel:
II sm afraid, sir, you will meet with se-
we're Storm"
II think so, Lieutenant; but we promised
to dine at Gwynne Hall, and we shall get
that far at any rate +
So they rode rather gloomily away in the
rain. Jones attended to the military duties
assigned to him, and then, about noon, walk
ed seaward. 1t was hard work by this time
to keep his footing on the quay, but amid the
binding spray and mist he saw quite crowd
of men going rapidly toward the great shelv-
ing Scarlet Rock, mile beyond the town.
He stopped an old sailor and asked:
lis anything wrong%
"a little steamer, sir, off Calf of Man she
is driving this way; an, infect, fear she will
be on ia rocks afore tanight."
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 gath
cred on the summit of huge cliff watching
the doomed craft. She was now within sight
and it was evident that her seamen had lost
all control of her. She must ere long be
flung by the waves upon the jagged and
frighttul rocks toward which she was driving
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 done?" said Jones, to an
old man whose face betrayed the strongest
emotion.
"Nothing, sir, I'm afraid. Ifshe'd manage
to rount ia rocks, she would have gone to
pieces on ia sand, and there are plenty OF
men who would have risked their life to save
lfe But how are we to reach them from
this height2"
"How far are we above water 2"
"This rock goes down like wall forty
fathoms, sir. %
"What depth of water at the foot ?"
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 ts
rocks and dash you to pieces. Plenty of us
would put you down, sir, but you can't swim il
you get down."
"Do you know, old man, what surf swim
ming isl I have dived through the surf al
Nukuheva."
"God bless you, sir. I thought no white
man could do that same"
While this conversation was going on, Jone:
was divesting himself of all superAuous cloth
ing 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 in
terest, and seeing their inquisitive look, ht
said:
"The thick sleeves will prevent the rope
from cutting my body, you see."
GAY, ay, sir; see now what you are do
ing"
"Now, men, I have only one request; give
me plenty of rope as fast as draw on you
Whom 7 oet on hoard-you know how Il