Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1880-04-10
SOME ONE PAYS.
CHAPTER I.

DEAR HARRY-Our plans are all formed
We start from this on Tuesday for Corfu,
where we have secured small cutter of some
thirty tons, by which we mean to drop down
the Albanian coast, making woodcocks our
object on all the days pigs do not offer. We
are four-Gerard, Hope, Lascelles and myself
-of whom you know all but Lascelles, but are
sure to like when YOU meet him. We want
you, and will take NO refusal. Hope declares
on his honor that he will never pay you hum
dred you lent him If you fail US; and he will
which is more remarkable stiIl-book up the
day you join us. Seriously, however, entreat
you to be one of us. Take no trouble about
guns, ETC. We are amply provided. We only
ask yourself. Yours ever, GEORGE OGLE.
nyou cannot join at Corfu, we shall rendez-
yous at Prevesa, little town on the Turkish
side, where you can address US, to the care OF
the Viee-Consul Lydyard.
This note reached me one day in the
late autumn, while was sojourning at
the Lamm, at Innspruck. 1t had fol-
lowed me from Paris to Munich, to Ba-
den, the Ammergan, and at last over
took me at Innspruck, some four weeks
after it had been written. If / was annoyed
at the delay which lost me such a pleas
ant companionship, for three of the four
were old friends, "a glance at the post
script reconciled me at once to the dis
pointment-Prevesa, and the name
Lydyard, awoke very sad memories; and
do not know what would have induced
me to refresh them by seeing either
again. tits not a story, nor is it a scene,
that am about to relate. 1t is one of
those little incidents which are ever oc-
curing through life, and which serve to
remind us how our moral health, like
our physical, is the sport of accident;
and that just as the passing breeze may
carry on its breast pleurisy, the chance
meetings in the world may be scarcely
less fatal!
1 have been an idler and a wanderer
for years. I left the army after short
experience of military life, imagining
that I could not endure the restraints Of
discipline, and slowly discovered after
wards that there is no such slavery as an
untrammelled will, and that the most
irksome bondage is nothing in compare
son with the vacillations and uncertain
ties of purposeless existence.
Twas left early in life my own master,
with no relatives except distant ones, and
with means, not exactly ample, but
quite sufficient for the ordinary needs of
agentleman- was free,to go anywhere
or do anything, which, in my case at
least, meant to be everlastingly project
ing and abandoning now determining
on some pursuit that should give me an
object or a goal in life, and now assuring
myself that all such determinations were
slaveries, and that to conform to the
usages by which men sought success in
public or professional life was an ignoble
drudgery, and unworthy of him who
could live without it.
In this unsettled frame of mind
travelled about the world for years-at
first over the cognate parts of the Cont.
nent, with which l became thoroughly
familiar, knowing Rome, Paris, Vienna,
and Naples, as l knew London. I then
ran ali over the States, crossing the
Rocky Mountains, and spending above q
year ON the Pacific Coast. l visited China
and India came-I will not say home
for L have none-by Constantinople, and
thence to Belgrade, where made the
acquaintance of a Turkish Pacha, ther
Governor of Scutari in-Albania, and re.
turned along with him to his seat o.
government. A Vice-Governor of Pre-
vesa induced me to go back with him tt
that unpromising spot, assuring me how
easy should always find means of reach
ing Corfu or Italy; and that meantime
the quail-sheoting, which was then be
ginning, would amply reward me for my
stay.
Prevesa was about as wretched vii
lage as poverty, sloth and Turkish indif
ference could accomplish. The inhabit
ants, who combined trade and fishing
ostensibly, really lived by smuggling
brigands on shore Their wretchet
s.bazaar" displayed only the commones
wares of Manchester or Glasgow, will
Belgian cutlery or cheap imitation jew
elry. But even these had no buyers, AM
the little stir and life of the place was il
the cafes, where the brawny natives
armed to the teeth, smoked and lounge,
the ivelong day, and, to all seeming
fulfilled no other duty in existence.
l suspect l have an actual liking fo
dreary and tiresome places. / believ
they somehow accommodate themselve
to something in my temperament whiel
is not misanthrOpy, nor mental depres
sion, nor yet romance, but compounde
of all three. I feel, besides, that imagi
nation scars the more freely the fewe
ohe distractions that surround me; bu
that l require just that small amount G
stimulant human life and its daily care
suggest to prevent stagnation.
/ was at least six days at Prevesa be
fore / was aware that her Britanni
Majesty had a representative there.
was in chance ramble down a ittl
alley that led to the bay came upon th
British arms over low doorway.
was very poor-looking tumble-dow
house, with very, fran wooden balloon
over the door, distinguished BY a flag
staff, to be doubtless decorated ah occs
sion by the proud flag of England.
Framing forget what imaginary res
son for inquiry, entered and knocke
at door inscribed +" Consular houl
from --"S and then a smudge of pail
obliterating the restand leaving the in
port in doubt. Not receiving any answe
to my summons, pushed open the doc
and entered. A man IN his shirt-sleevt
and slippers was asleep on a very dirt
sofa, and SO soundly that my entrano
did not disturb him. A desk with SON
much-worn books and scattered paper
a massive leaden. inkstand, and a lare
official seal, were in front of him; but
paper of Turkish tobacco, and glass
what smelt to be gin, were also presen
and from the flushed cheek and heay
breathing of the sleeper, appeared I
have been amongst his latest occupation
It is not necessary should record OF
oonvareof;on Tn hia haIfwakino on