Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1879-05-06

/ think that neither OF us could have
analysed or satisfactorily explained our
mutual attraction. but it is certain that
my old class mate Manson and ] were
fast friends. He was Il most lovable
fellow, but had begun, long before our
college course came to an end, to show
that apparent lack of interest in life that
distinguishes what we call bldSe man
and this at times to degree at once
amusing and exasperating.
Not long ago a party of US, in the
pleasant smoking-room of q Pacific
steamer, were talking about one Of our
fellow-passengers-rather poor speci-
men of this class-then of the class it.
self; and the Oldest member of the little
group, who had been lighting his cigar
very deliberately with the little wire
which one dips in spirits of wine, re-
sumed his seat with the remark, delivered
with great emphasis:
"Well. gentlemen, it's dreadful thing
for young man to have no enthusiasm. y
The expression brought Manson to my
mind. / do not know why | had not
thought of him before, but "reminiscences
now crowded in rapidly upon me and
sat for some moments looking out at the
blue waves of the Pacific, and oblivious
of the nice points of the discussion
Finally it seemed opportune to me to
narrate to the party some of the circum-
stances under which my friend and had
been thrown together.
He was, as our old schoolmaster once
said. fortunate in his choice ofa father -
and | feared that the tendency which
have mentioned would be developed by
life of virtual idleness: and when we
had parted, and only knew of his do
ings through his letters, and those OF
mutual aequaintances, there was every
reason to believe that my forebodings
were correct. He made a short trip to
Europe, region which he described as
"slow, and then nominally entered on
a business life. His abilities were ex-
cellent, and his perceptions quick, but
after he had been for some time partner
in firm, friend wrote me that when
he met him in the street, and ayked him
where his Office was, he received the
reply:
g don't know. They've moved since
I've been there"
l Twas travelling some years later from
India to Europe. We had a fine steamer
from Calcutta, and some most agreeable
people on board. 1t was Just bout the
time that some of the officers who had
served in the mutiny were getting theil
furlough, and fine fellows they were
My roommate, a stout, jolly-lookino
man with red side-whiskefs, was in the
Residency at Lucknow, and was suffer.
ing from wasting disease, but lie was
good shot and they could not spare him
and he used to tell me how. when the,
had loaded his rife, they would pror
him up on his mattress until he could
sight a sepoy and then sink back again
All these men had been through terrible
experiences, but they were delighted al
going home. and were generally in tht
highest spirits. | remember that the,
would not turn i'm at all the nigh
that we ran up the Gulf of Suez, anC
they were eager to get ashore in thu
morning. We went up to the hote
built around a courtyard. and found s
French woman singing IL Bacion II
the shrillest of voices to the accompani
ment of sundry instruments PLAYED b,
compatriots in fez caps. Even tn,
squalid bazaar seemed preferable to this
and we were turning to go thither; wher
| saw, leaning against pillar. my ole
friend Manson; and but that he had :
puggery" on his hat, he looked for al
the world just as he had looked man,
times at performance of Trovatore'
Vi EdFOIltd III Tile ola Gays at BOStO1
when the supernumeraries were all from
our class. l was delighted to meet him
presented him at once to my party, ant
insisted on his going to Cairo with us
He assented with the remark that h
could not be more bored there than h
had been at Suez. My companions ap
preciated his fine qualities, and, as the,
grew better acquainted, were disposed
to 8 chaff' him little about his eceen
tricities. Some time before we reache,
our destination he had been telling u
his experiences on arrival in Egypt. HI
had intended to go to Bombay, but .ha,
changed his mind at Suezthe day befor
we arrived.
Fellows talked to me about gram
Cairo said he, "called it an epitome q
the " Arabian Nights Portal of tn
Orient" and all that sort of thing.
began to think that might amuse my
self for a day there. Our steamer wa
ate; we were sent through by express
remaining ten minutes in the Cairo sta
tion; and all that saw of the g Portal Q
the Orient" looking with sleepy eve
through the window of the railwa
carriage, was an Englishman in a twee
suit and sun-hat, standing before re