The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-06-30
SIMPSON OF BUSSORA.

And green fields wait for me.
George Arnold
SIMPSON OF BUsS0RA.
have profound distrust of all travellers.
Not because they are prone to tell me I'M
truths about their experiences, for that has
in great measure, become dangerous
experiment; wherever they may have been,
and it is easy, if may use professional
expression, to correct their proofs" my
distrust arises from the idea in my own
mild of the experiences they do not tell
me. When they get away from the regions
Of civilization and out of the Influence Of
public opinion, think l to, myself what is it
these people do hot do? For the very fact
of mans being traveller is: between our
selves, by no means good sign. Why
does he not stop at home in the bosom
of his family, or, if he has no family, &C.
quire one? It is his duty as citizen. When
boy runs away from school, it is, of course,
the correct thing to call him intrepid,
gallant, "high-spirited." and 'independ-
ent; but that sort of boy is in reality not
generally speaking good boy. 1t may
be true that nation owes its natural su-
premacy to this description of youth; but he
doesn't run away to sea frsm that distant
and patriotic motive; he goes to sea be-
cause he doesn't like what il good for him
on land; and almost Immediately, though
that is beside the question, finds that he
has made q great mistake. Similarly, q
man does not 20 to Tartary or Kamtschatka
to improve his mind. If he ventured to
tell me that Composing he was not a very
tall man, and had no reason to suppose
that he had yataghan or any other out
landish weapon concealed about his per-
son. t should laugh in his face. No; he
flies to such obscure regions because the
restraints of civilization are abhortent to his
undisciplined mind, and he has some NOR
bid taste; say, for human Hesh-unc cooked.
The mildest spoken NAH ever met In my
life, and the ErBatest traveller, once eontided
to me, after a most excellent dinner at our
club, that latter all, there was nothing: like
uncooked food" He did not say human
flesh, but I knew we'll enough what he
meant. He has repented since of having
let out so much, and endeavors to reassure
me by his conventional behavior and con-
versation.
THE world is too small, " he says, (be has
been around it two or three times,) and
give him England, for, when all is said, that
is the best place to 1--we I'M" but this does
not deceive me for moment. That imam
is cannibal at heart. t have seen him
look at plump and tender people in very
peculiar way, and I would not trust him
alone with my baby for a small fortune.
The sweet child would take rank among the
mysterious dlsappeafanceg." He would
say, "How should know" like the frog
which swallowed the ducks egg; but /
should know better than the duck. If you
think these apprehensions extreme, you are,
of course, welcome to your own opinions;
some people are moe sanguine than others,
and also more simrle.
My mind is, I think, a tolerably fair one,
and I have never entertained suspicious
against those who are compelled to visit
distant attitudes against their wills. Queens
messengers, convfcts, sailors, etc., may be
very respectable in their way, notwithstand
ing where they may have been to. Such
was my charitable belief until within the
asst few days; since which have seen
reason to change 1t. One of the Quietest
and best fellows ever knew-and have
known him all my life--was Simpson, Of
Bussora. was at school with him five and
forty years ago, and though his hottse of
business is at the distant spot Just men
| toned, I had met him from time to time
| during his periodical visits to this country
and always found him unchanged-gentle
unassuming, modest, and orthodox in hit
| opinions. Our house does little with him
in shawls and carpets, but our acquaintance
is mainly social. My wife and daughters
are very partial to him, and delight In his
Persian tales, which are picturesque and
full of local color. He brings them little
bottles Of scent which perfume the whole
| neighborhood, and now and then q scar
that is the envy of their friends. I never
entertained any idea of Simpson as son
in-law until my wife put it into my head
He lived too far away for me to picture
him in such relation, and though knew
he had made money did not think he hat
made. enough to return home and settle
His income was handsome one
but living at Bussora, he had givel
me to understand, was very dear
and did not admit of mucl
saving. Above all, Simpson struck me q
by no means a marrying man. Wheneve
the subject of matrimony was mooted b,
always smiled in that dry, cynical wa,
which proclaims the confirmed bachelor
Household matters did not interest him; h
did not take much to children; he smoked
until the small hours of morning, and rails
ed bis eyebrows when one said It was late
and perhaps ones wife was sitting up. FL
| "OuAu o0J3 AGCUAJ. N6 tAOukA 6uCA III 1OC
as ones wife sitting up for one was pre-
posterous, but could never concern him
I need not go into the causes which led t.
my conversing with Simpson on the Sub
ject of matrimony. Suffice to say that
did not do it of my own free will. I ha
received instructions from my wife t.
Sound" Simpson on the matter with rela
ton to some "ideas" that she had got in he
head with respect to our second daughter
Jane, and to hear was to obey" as the
say at Bussora.
INV dear Simpson" said I, as we wer
cracking our walnuts together, after littl
dinner under our own roof, II often wond
er how a man like you, with large incom
and fine house, as you described you
home to be at Bassora, has not married.
must be rather wretched living out there a.
alone"
We'll, it would be, no doubt. said Simp
son in his quiet way. But, Lord bles
you!" I've been married these twent
years.
a feather Married these twenty years
You astound me. Why, how was it 70
never spoke about it,"
"Oh, don't know; I thought it wouldn
interest you. She was P Persian, you know
If she had been European, then shoul
have told you"
"A Persian wife! Dear me-" said ]
''how funny it seems!' said funny
but at the same time all the suspicious tha
entertained land now entertain more thai
ever respecting travellers and persons VIII
abjure civilization, crowded into my mind
Now what color, my dear Simpson, if
may put the question without impertinence
are your children?"
We'll, we've got no children, said Simp
son in his usual imperturbable tones. wv
never had any,"
I don't know why, but some how or othe
I thought this creditable to Simpson. It wa
very wrong in him to marry Persian, per
haps fire worshiper, or ct best NOLAN
medan, but it WAS comfort to think tina
the evil, SO to speak, stopped there. T,
think Of Simpson with heap of parti-col
ored children, protesting. perpaps, thsi
mothers outlandish faith 40 they grew up
would have been painful to me, in connee
ton With the fact that Simpson was at tia
moment under ny !oot, tae sape root W! \!