The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-02-27
OUR PASSENGER. =
'THE:CAprA1N'si s1oRv:.

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OUR PASSENGER .a's.5sr =.
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THE cAprA1N's STORY: dG ~,
1t wac lovely autumn afternoon to.
ward the close Of September, when Nd
weighed anchor, and sailed out of the
river Mersey, bound for Melbourne We
had good ship-Janet's Pride--loaded
with miscellaneous articles.i On board
were fourteen passengers, and take them
all in all, pleasanter lot never steered
across the stormy seas. .
There were three old gentlemen, who,
were going out to share their fortunes;
come what might, and which, poor old
souls, they seemed to think fashioned in
the brightest colors, long before the
English coast was out Of sight. ra.,, ~,
Then there was solitary "old .getle:-
man, who, judging from the general tone
Of his conversation, was seeking the new
world for the the osteneible purpose Of
finding fault with it. =
There were two Young married couples,
all full of hope and activity, bent upon
making a new home far away from their
native land.
There were also very jolly elderly
brother and sister, neither Of. whom had
ever entered into the bonds of matri.
mony, but instead, had, stuck BY, each
other through life. 81, D..
There we're three old Australian set.
tiers, who had been over to have peep
at the old country, and who were now re.
turning to the land which to then
through long communion, had become
the dearest of all others-"Homc, sweet
homer
Lastly, though not least, there was a
solitary passenger, who soon became the
pet of all on board. He was q man OF
about SYSTEMATICALLY years Of age
possessing very clear complexion. a
very handsome, long flowing beard, and
very silky mustache. :
HIS name was Reginald Moore. Hi;
given reason for taking this sea voyage
was the delicate state of his health
There was not the least doubt that the
poor fellows chest was considerably af-
fcc!ed, though his voice, charmingly
sweet, was one of the weakest ever re.
member hearing; and it had a certain
hollowness in its sound that in my mind
is invariably associated with that terrible
disease commonly termed consumption.
He always wore thick muller round
his neck to protect his throat and chest.
In all my experimental it has been
pretty wide-I never knew any one with
so many friends, and such undivided es-
TEEN, in so short a space of time, as Regi-
nald Moore. There was not, believe, q
sailor on board who did not entertain the
warmest possible liking fer him.
As for the passengers, they never
seemed so happy as when listening to
his amusing anecdotes, of which he seemed
to possess all inexhaustible store. And
this delicate young English paragon of
passengers had made his conquest over
all our hearts before VIC had been three
weeks at sea.
He was, too, such q clever fellow with
his hands. He could cut aud shape you
anything out of piece of wood, from an
oyster to a elephant; and at making mod
els of ships, l never met his equal. He
was, besides, such kind and considerate
fellow toward his fellow-passengers
When the three elderly gentlemen, who
imagined their fortunes made. were at.
f1icted with sea sickness, he was the first
to come forward and help them about
while they slowly recovered. He would
insist upon their taking his arm, weak as
he was himself, and he wouli lead them
about on the deck with a tirmncss thai
spoke volumes in favor of bis "sea legs.
do not remember any voyage passing
so quickly as the one when the pleasant
passenger was on board. | could, with
infinite pleasure, make It long pause at
this juncture in the thread of my story,
to dwell upon the pleasant memories
still retain Of Reginald Moore.
We were within weeks sail of Mel.
bourne Reginald Moore had all bu,
completed model of the Janet's Pride
which he proposed presenting to me the
nioht before we landed.
Now the work at this model princi-
pally on deck, and strangely enough, be
had chosen for work table one Of the
empty water-casks that stood on deck
abaft, and under the shelter Of the bull
warks.
While he worked through the day, you
were sure to see him surrounded by some
of the passengers or sailors. The amount
of industry he displayed was TRULY Won
derful, for he was invariably at work in
the early morning, long before any of the
other passengers dreamt of turning out
Of their snug berths.
As have already stated, we we're but
six days sail omllelbourse. For the first
time in our experience of him, the pleas
ant passenger appeared at the dinncr-ta-
bic with solemn, dcwncast expression
of face and silent tongue. Before din
ner was over, asked him what troubled
lis mind and caused this unhappy change
in his wonted cheerful manner.
At first, he tried to evadc my queries
by replying that it was ''nothing, nothing
in PARTICULAR" but pressed him persist
emily until won from him an explana-
ton.
perhaps, after ALL" he said, sit is only
fair that l should explain matters. The
fact of the matter is. my watch has been
stolen.'
"Stolen!'' we all exclaimed in a
breath.
"Undonbte'1ly," he answered; "but l
pray you, captain"-here he turned to
me-"say not one word about it. The
only thing that renders the loss of con-
sequence to me is the fact that it once
belonged to my poor mother. On that
account alone, would not have lost it
for any amount Of money. However, it
cannot be helped, and therefore it is
useless to cry over split milk, as the old
adage has it. My only request in tae
matter is, my dear captain, that you will
leave the matter entirely in my hands,
and I think it very probable that may
recover it. This revuest am sure you
will oblige me by granting"
Certainly, my dear sir" I replied !;
shut still'-
Exactly" he interrupted, with one Of
his pleasant smiles, "you would like to
take the matter in hand and investigate
it to the utmost of your power. know
that, my dear captain, full we'll; but
can: trust you to keep your promise, aud
leave the case entirely in my hands,"
H.