Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-05-29
OUR PASSENGER.

1t was lovely autumn afternoon to
wards the close of September, when ",
weighed anchor and sailed out of the riv
er Mersey, bound for Melbourne. W.
had a good ship-Janet's Pride-loadec
with miscellaneous articles. On board
were fourteen passengers, and, take them
all in all, pleasanter lot I never steer
ed across the stormy sea. 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 bright
est colors, long before the English coast
was out of sight. Then there was a SOL
itary old gentleman, who, judging from
the tone of his conversation, was seeking
the new world for the ostensible 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 a very Jolly ell.
derby brother and sister, neither of whom
had ever entered into the bonds of mat.
rimony, but instead had stuck to each
other through life. There were three
old Australian settlers, who had been
over to have a peep at the old country,
and who were now returning to the land
which to them, through long commun-
ion, had become the dearest of all
Others, "Home, sweet home." Lastly,
though not least, there was solitary
passenger, who soon became the pet of
all on board. He was man of about
eight-and twenty years of age, possessing
very clear complexion, a very hand:
some, long, flowing beard, and a very
silky moustache. His name was Regi-
nald Moore. His given reason for tax
ing this sea voyage was the delicate state
of his health. There was not the least
doubt that the poor fellows chest was
affected. for his voice, though charm
ingly sweet, was one of the weakest
ever remember 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 a thick
muttler round his neck to protect his
throat and chest.
In all my experience-and it has been
q pretty wide one-1 never knew any one
with so many friends, and such undi.
Vlded esteem, in SO short time as Regi-
maid Moore. There was not, I believe.
a sailor on board who did not entertain
the warmest possible liking for him. As
for the passengers, they never seemed so
happy as when listening to his amusing
anecdotes, of which he seemed to possess
an ine1haustible store. And this deli
cate young English paragon of passengers
had made this conquest over all our
hearts before we had been three weeks
at sea. He was, too, such clever fellow
with his hands. He could cutand shape
you anything out of piece of wood,
from an oyster to an elephant, and at
making models of ships, 1 never met his
equal. he was, besides, such kind and
cOnsiderate fellow towards his fellow.
passengers. When the three elderly
gentlemen, who imagined their fortunes
made, were amicted with sea sickness, he
was the first to come forward to help
them about while they slowly recovered.
he would insist upon their taking his
arm, weak as he was himself, and he
would lead them about on deck with
firmness that spoke volumes in favor of
bis "sea legs"
L DO not remember any voyage ever
passing SO quickly as the one when the
pleasant passenger was on board. I
could, with infinite pleasure, make a
long pause at this juncture of the thread
of my story, to dwell upon the pleasant
/ still retain of Repinald
Moore. We were within few days sail
If Melbourne. Reginald Moore had all
out completed model of the Janet's
Pride, which he proposed presenting to
ne the night before We landed. Now he
worked at this model principally on
ieck, and strangely enough he had
chosen for workable the top of one of
me empty water casks that stood on
'eck, abaft and under the shelter of the
Oulwarks. While he worked during the
lay you were sure to see him surrounded
~ some OF the passengers or sailors.
The amount of industry displaved WA
'ruly wonderful, for he was inyariahiv
It work in the early morning. lono h.
ore any of the other passengers dreamt
# turning out of their snug berths.
As / have already said, We were Int
tx days. sail from Melbourne. For The
lrst time in our experience of him the
'leasant passenger appeared at the din
er table with q solemn, downcast ex.
ression of the face and silent tongue.
'efore dinner was over asked him what
roubled his mind and caused this un.
Apply change in his wonted cheerful
tanner.
At first he tried to evade my queries
y replying it was nothing, nothing in
but I pressed him, persist
ion. 1'' '''' 0~P'''""
perhaps, after ALL" he said, lit is
ny TAR that should explain matters. Il
Inc: me, i a.c OF the matter is, my watch has
stolen!" we exclaimed in . BREATH
: Undoubtedly" he answered: Sbnt !,
pray you, captain, - here he turned to .
1e-l pray you say not word about .
:. The only thing that renders the
'ss OF consequence to me is the fact that 9
once belonged to my poor mother. On ;
1&t account alone would not have lost ,
.