The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1879-01-16

fourth and eighiy-ioarh Infantry we're
sIllluK sroand their mess table, ID Cssiie.
loWn, tbe oapitai q tie isie Of Man, oue
evening more thss thirty years Ago-tbH
Is. al of thetn, except one bur theH, ihs'
one wss only Jopes, Nobody Minded
Jones Even hls pecuHarities bad be-
gun TO be an Old sabjoct for ehafise, and
indeed. be bad paid such small attention
to their chsfing they bad come 70 hnd it
little pleasure, aud sfief soue weeks Of
discomfort, Lieut.. Jones bad been allow.
cd TO choose bis own pleasures witAoat
much interference.
These were not eItTavAganI. A iAyof-
tie book, a long walk 10 all kinds OF
weather, and sail when the weather
was favorable. He would no, drink---he
said II hurt bis health be woud not
shoot--be said II bnu bis ieeiings; be
would not gamble said Il hHrt his
conscience and be did no, esre 10 dirt or
visit the bellies OF the capitalize said il
hurt his affections. 0nee Capt De Renzy
lisplngly wondered whether Il WAS posi-
bic 10 hurt bis honor, and Jones ealmly
answered that Il was DOT possible for
Capt. DE Renzy to do so.
/ Indeed, Jones constantly violated all
these gentlemen's ideas OF proper be-
bavior, but, for some reason or other, no
one brought him to account for IL. i,
was easier for them to shrug their shoul'
ders and call him queer, or say il Was
only Jones, or even TO quietly assert bis
cowardice.
One evening Col. Underwood was dis
casing hunting party for the next day
Jones walked into the room and was i'm
mediateiy accosted;
Something new, lieutenant. hnd
there are plenty OF hsres on this Island,
sud we mean to give puss run lo-mor'
row have heard you are good driver,
, Will you join us5
You must excuse me, colonel; such a
1 thing is neither in the way Of duty nor
my pleasure. thank you, colonel, for
your courtesy, but can see no good
reason for accepting H. am sure my
horse will not approve of il; and am
sure the bare will not like it; aud ! am
not good rider; therefore should not
enjoy it.
You need not be afraid, said the col.
onel rather sDeeringly; the country is
quite open, and these low Manx walls
are easily taken.
Excuse me, colonel, ] sm afraid. If Il
should be hurt il would cause my mother
and sisters very great alarm aud anxiety.
am very much afraid Of doing this.
What was to be done with man so
obtuse regarding conventionslities, and
who boldly asserted his cowardiceI The
colonel turned away, half contemptuously
aud Ensign Powers took Jones's place.
The morning proved to be very bad
one, with the prospect of rising storm
and rs the party gathered in the barrack
yard, Jones said earnestly TO bis colonel;
am AFRAID, sir, you will meet with q
storm.
think so, lieutenant; but we promised
TO dine at Gwynne ball. aad we shall get
that far at any rate.
SO they drove rather giOOanily away in
the rain. Jones attended TO the military
duties assigned him, aud thea. about
noon, walked seaward. Ii was bard
work by this time to keep his footing on
the narrow quay; but amid the binding
spray aud mist be saw quite crowd of.
men going rapidly toward the great
shelving scarlet rocks, a mile beyond the
town. He stopped an old sailor and
asked:
Is anything wrongt
A little steamer, sir, of the Calf OF
Man; she is drifting This way; an indeed
fear she will be ia rocks atore ta.night.
Jones stood still moment, and then
followed the crowd as fast ss the storm
would let him. When be joined them
they were gathered on the summit OF a
huge cliff, watching the doomed craft,
She was now within sight, aud II was
evident that her seaxleu bad almost lost
control of her. Sac must, ere long, be
nung by the waves Rpon the jagged aud
irighfu rocks toward which she was
driving 10 the ull OF the wind, not only
the booming OF The minute gun. but also
the shouts Of the imperilsd crew could be
heard
What can be done? said Jones TO an
old man, whose face betrayed the strong.
est emotion
Nothing, cir, am sfrait. II she'd man.
aged to round ia rocks she would have
gone to pieces on ia 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 water
This rock goes down like wall, 40
fathoms, sir.
What depth Of water at 1he footl
Thirty feet or more,
Good. Have you plenty oI light, strong
roper
| Much as you want; but let me tell you
sir. YOU can't live three minutes down
there. Tia fret wave will dash you on Ia
rocks, aud dash you TO pieces Plenty Of
us would put you down, sir; but you
can't swim II yon 20 down.
DO you know, old man, what suri
swimming is: ! have diged through The
surf al NuknhesA.
God bless you, sir, thought no white
man could do that same.
While this conversation was going on
Jones vas diyesting himself OF all super