Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-01-21
o My 20 N e S

The officers OF her Majesty's TWEEN;
ty.tourh and Eighly-fourih infantry
were sitting around their mess-,ablc
in Caslleiown the capital OF the Isle ol
Man, one evening more than thirty
years ago-,hat is oil of them except
one but then that one was only
Jones, Nobody minded Jones, even
his peculiarities had began to be an
old subject for chatting" and indeed
he paid such small attention to their
chatting that they had come to find It
little pleasure, and after some weeks
OF discomfort, Lieutenant Jones had
been allowed to choose his own pleas
ures without much interference.
These wcia not extravaganza fav-
orte book, long walk in all kinds OF
weather and a sail when the weather
was favorable. He would not drink
he said it hurt his health he would
not shoot--he said il hurt his feelings
he would not gamble he said 1t hurt
his conscience and he did not care
TO tlirt or visit the bellies Of the cap
ital--he said it hurt his affection.
Once Captain de Rcuzy lispingly
wondered il it was possible 20 "hurt
his honor" aud Jones calmly answer
cd that "it was not possible for Cap
tain de Reuzy to do So" Indeed
Jones constantly violated all the gent
lemen's ideas of proper behavior, but
for some reason or another no one
brought him TO an account for it. 1t
was easier to shrug their shoulders
and call him queer or say it was only
Jones. or even quietly to assert his
cowardicc.
One evening Colonel Underwood
was discussing a hunting party for
the next day. Jones walked into the
the room and was Immediately accost-
ed
"Somelhing new, Lieutenant. |
find there are plenty Of hares on the
island, and we mean to give puss a
a run tomorrow. / have heard You
was Il good ride. Willyou join us.
"You must excuse me Colonel such
a thing is neither in my way of duty
Or my pleasure.
"You forget the honor. the Colonel
does you JONES'" said young Ensign
Powell.
81 thank the Colonel for his court
sey, but l can see no good reason tor
accepting it. l am very sure my
horse would not approve of it; and l
am sure the hare will not like it; and
I am rot a good rider; therefore |
should not enjoy it,"
"You need not be afraid" said the
Colonel, rather sueeringly; "the
country is quite open, and these low
Manx walls are easily taken"
"Excuse me Colonel I'm afraid. If
should be hurt it would cause my
mother and sister very great alarm and
anxiety. l am very much afraid OF
doing this"
What was to be done with a man
SO obtuse regarding conventionalities,
and who boldly asserted his own
The Colonel turned
away half contemptuouly, and Ensign
fowelli LOOK Jones pace.
The morning proved to be very
bad one, with the prospect of a rising
storm. and as the party gathered
in the barracks yard Jones said
earnestly to his Colonel
81 am afraid sir, you will meet
with severe storm"
81 think so Lieutenant but We prom
ised to dine at Gwynne Hall, and we
shall get that far at any rate J.
So they rode rather gloomily away
in the rain. Jones attended to the
military duties assigned to him, and
then about noon walked seward. 1t
was hard work about this time to
keep his footing on the quay, out
amid the binding spray and mist he
saw quite a crowd of men going rap
idly toward the great shelving Scar