Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-11-13

goodbye, preparatory to getting into the
boat, the doctor laughingly said,
"Should you happen to come across him,
1 shall consider you bound to bring him
back safe and sound. He's a man of
forty-four or five, tall and bony, iron
gray hair, and has a curious habit of
showing his teeth and winking his left
eye. Don't look out for a raving luna
tic; for on most points he's as right as
you and I. He's wrong in two things.
Whatever you do, don't let him lose his
temper; for whenever he does, tho ever
80 slightly, he invariably goes in for
murder-he's all but done for two
keepers already. And don't talk to him
of England or Englishmen, for if he
should get upon his native land, he'll
favor you with some observations which
will make you open your eyes,"
We laughed. Aft and Tom shook
hands with him and got into the boat.
W. promised, if we should happen to
meet him, we certainly would see him
returned to safe custody. ALI stood up
and showed US from the shore; We sang
out q last goodbye, and left the doctor
standing on the bank.
1t was q beautiful morning. The river
was delicious, clear as crystal; We could
see the bottom, and every stone and
pebble on it; just q gentle breeze fan
ming the surface of the waters into a
little ripple. We lit our pipes end took
it easily. I am a good bit Of a traveller;
know many lovely hooks and ~crannies in
foreign lands; I have lived abroad as
much IS at home; but l will match the
higher reaches of our own Father
against any scenery in Europe. And on
an early summer morning, after a spell
OF glorious weather, it is in all its prime;
the water 80 cool, go clear; the bank 50
green, so charming; the stately trees on
either side; the mansions seen over the
meadows, or peeping out among the
trees. You may choose your Rhine,
your Garda, or your Maggiore, or your
golden bay of Naples, but leave Cook.
ham and old Father Thames to me.
Presumably, we had come for river
beauties and the camping out; pre-
sumably, but, as a matter of fact, there
was q young lady lived not q far ahead,
q mutual friend, Lillian Travers.
Separately and jointly We had 8 high
opinion of Miss Travers; not only of her
beauty, but Of other things as we'll; and
having come so far, we hoped We should
not have to return until at least we had
had q peep at her. Unfortunately,
though we knew Miss Travers, we had no
acquaintance with Mister-there was no
Missis. W. had met the young lady at
several dances and such like, but on
each occasion she was under the chaper.
onage of old Mrs. Mckenzie. Apparent
~ MI. Travers was not a party man.
But Lillian had promised to introduce
us to him whenever she got a chance,
and We were not unhopeful she would
get that chance now. So you see that
little excursion riverwards had more in
it than met the eye.
We went lszily 90, just dipping the
oars in and out; smoking, watching the
smoke circling through the clear air.
All thoughts of the doctor and his part.
ing words had gone from our minds; we
talked little, and that little wasof Lillian
and the chances of our meeting. We had
gone some two or three hundred yards;
We were close to the shore; Aft could
almost reach it by stretching out his Oar.
We were dreaming and lazing, when
suddenly some one stepped out from
among the trees. He was close to US
not a dozen feet away.
He was q tall man rather over than
under six feet. He was dressed in a
dark brown suit of Oxford mixture; he
had a stick in his hand, wore a billy
cock hat, and his coat wa buttoned right
up to his throat. he had light whiskers,
a heavy, dropping moustache, hair I'M
usually long, ir0n.gray in color. He
might be a soldier retired from his pro.
f~essi0n, or an artist out painting; he GER
tainly looked a gentleman.
We were passing on, when he raised
his stick, and shouted out, "StopW
1t was q regular shout, as though we
were half a mile from him. We STONED.
although it was an unusual method of
calling attention.
"Gentlemen," he said, still at the TOP
of bis voice, II should be obliged if you
could give me q seat: l have a long way
to go, and I am tired"
We looked at him and at each other.
It was q free.and-easy style of asking a
favor; but he seemed a gentleman, and
an elderly n too. Common p%oliteness
dictated civility.
II am afraid" said ALT, "we have
hardly room; she's only built for three"
"On, that doesn't matter" he said;
"yon can put me anywhere, or I'll take
An oar for one of you. ,"
was on the point of advising a point.
blank refusal, not appreciating his of.
hand manner; but ALI thought differ
" All right" said he; 1--WE don't mind
If you don't: Steer her in, Jack"
l steered her in. No sooner were we
near the shore, than quite Unexpectedly
he stepped almost on my toes, rocking
the boat from side to side. -
"Hang It'll" I said, "take care, or
yoa'nhave us OVER ~
What i'll dol" he returned. "Itll
only be q swim; and who minds .. swim
in: weather like this?" ="
= We stared at him the GOODNESS, not to
say impertinence, Of the remark, was
amazing: Begging a seat in IN. our boat,
KNOWING it was full, and then telling M
no didn't care if he split us in the liver!
He seated himself by me, setting the
hast nno. "a Usrnns onosn ..,-