The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-05-31
OUR PASSENGER.

IL WIS IOVely autumn afternoon to-
wards the close of September, when we
weighed anchor and sailed out of the riv-
er Mersey, bound for Melbourne. We
had good ship-Janet's Pride-loaded
with miscellaneous articles. On board
were fourteen passengers, and, take them
all in al, a pleasanter lot | never steer
ed across the stormy sea. There were
three old gentlemen, who we're 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 SOL
itary cid 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 q
new home far away from their native
land. There were also 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 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 q man of about
Extraordinarily years of age, possessing
very clear complexion, 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 q
certain hollowness in its sound that in
my mind is invariably associated with
thaC terrible disease commonly termed
consumption. He always wore thick
Enuffler round his neck to protect his
throat and chest.
In all my experience-and it has been
a pretty wide one-I never knew any one
with so many friends, and such undi
vided esteem, in so short time as Regi
nald Moore. There was not, / believe
sailor on board who did not entertain
the warmest possible liking for him. As
for the passengers, they never seemed sc
happy as when listening to his amusing
anecdotes, of which he seemed to possess
an inexhaustible store. And Thu deli.
cate young English paragon of pa .nger'
had made this conquest over all oul
hearts before we had been three week,
at sea. He was, too, such clever fellow
with his hands. He could cut and shape
you anything out of piece of wood
from an oyster to an elephant, and a
making models of ships, never met hi!
equal. He was besides, such kind anC
considerate fellow towards his fellow
passengers. When the three elderly
gentlemen, who Imagined their fortunes
made, were afflicted with sea sickness, ht
was the first to come forward to hell
them about while they slowly recovered
be would insist upon their taking his
arm, weak as he was himself, and he
would lead them about on deck with 8
firmness that spoke volumes in favor oil
his " sea legs"
l do not remember any voyage ever
passing so quickly as the one when the
pleasant passenger was on board.
could, with infinite pleasure, make s
long pause at this juncture of the thread
OF my story, to dwell upon the pleasant
memories | still retain of Reginald
Moore. We were within few days sal
of Melbourne. Reginald Moore had al
but completed a model of the Janet.
Pride, which he proposed presenting tt
me the night before we landed. Now he
worked at this model principally or
deck, and strangely enough he haG
chosen for workable the top of one Of
the empty water casks that stood or
deck, abaft and under the shelter of the
bulwarks. While he worked during the
day you were sure to see him surrounded
by some of the passeE@vrs or sailors
The amount of industry displayed wa.
truly wonderful, for he was invariably
st work in the early morning, long be
fore any of the other passengers dreamt
of turning out of their snug berths.
As have already said, we were but
six days sail from Melbourne. For the
first time IN our experience of him the
pleasant passenger appeared at the din
ner table with solemn, downcast ex
preston of the face and silent tongue
Before dinner was over / asked him what
troubled his mind and caused this un
happy change in his wonted cheerful
manner.
At first he tried to evade my queries
by replying it was nothing, nothing in