Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-10-12
Fishing For a BuZzard.

on board the steamer Stella, outward
bound for the far East, SO we did not
anticipate the usual amount of fun
and festivity which are, strangely
enough, more remarkable features of
life on outward bound than on home
ward bound steamers. But what we
missed in frolic, we certainly had
made up to us in the shape of excite
ment. We numbered about dozen
| in all /; but of these, three only need
individual description.
The principal parsonage was
pretty young widow, a Londoner,
who was on her way to join her
friends living in Shanghai. The wor-
ship of the fair sex is nowhere more
ardent than aboard ship, partly be-
cause its members contrive to put on,
under such exceptional Circumstance
es, their most captivating airs and
graces; and chiefly, although the ad-
mission is ungallant, because beyond
eating and sleeping, there is little
else to do than to offer homage to
whatever goddess presents herself.
Hence Mrs. Fuller, as she was NAM
ed, reigned sole and unapproached
monarch of the ship. Had she been
other than she was, she would have
occupied this position; but being
tall, and fair and graceful, she assur-
edly merited the admiration. The
darts she unconsciously shot around
fixed themselves most firmly in the
hearts of the remaining members of
the prominent trio to be described.
The first one was young English
man named Goodhew, going out to
the consular service in Yeddo; the
other was a young Irishman named
MacWhirter, going to the same city
in the japanese government tele-
graph department. Goodhew was as
typical an Englishman as was Mac
Whirter a typical Irishman indeed,
more so, for Mac was victim to a
most un-Milesian faiiing-he could
not take a joke. Goodhew was a
big, broad -shouldered, ruddy-faced,
blue-eyed, fair-haired fellow, who
ate like an alderman, was always
laughing when not eating or sleeping,
and was half the life and soul of our
little community.
Terence MacWhirter was the 9TH
er half. He could sing a capital
song and tell capital story, his sto-
ry-telling powers eclipsing his song
singing, inasmuch as with the gray
est conceivable demeanor he would
endeavor to foist upon us the most
palpable fiction as the most solemn
truth. GAS true as opm standing
here" was concluding phrase of his,
which soon became a catch-wOrd on
board, and synonymous with what
was most improbable and extrava-
giant.
The apple of discord, which the
fair Londoner was destined to throw
amongst us, fell between GoodheW
and Mac, who, long before she join
, ed us at Brindisi, had singled Out
each other as opponents upon the
5 one particular question of belief OF
S disbelief in ghosts. Strangely enough
e Goodhew, who had won the humane
socety's medal for saving life, was ;
firm believer in the theory that th'
departed from this life revisit the ole
" haunts. Equally strange was it tha
O Mac, although fervid, imaginative
}. Irishman, pooh-poohed ghosts ant
!; omens and visions and dreams ant
second-sight, as being unworthy o
the consideration of practical nine
{ teenth-century human being; and tn
:. more instances Goodhew quoted il
support of his creed, the more vic
,. lently would Mac exclaim,-
f. "Now, look ye here, Mister Good
e hew; DILL stand the man an unlimit
d ed dinner up to couple of sover
eigns who can prove that he has eve
= seen a ghost; an if man can sho'
me ghost, bedad, DILL show hir
Il what DILL do wild it l''
l. The disputes between the tw
formed our principal amusement dun
at ing the tedious passage from South
II hampton to Brindisi. Then Mrs
: Fuller came on board, and their al
10 tagonism assumed new shape
Goodhew helped her on board. Scor
No. l for the Englishman. But Ma
k lent her his cane-chair and equalize
to matters. Goodhew sat next to he
e, at table; but Mac sat opposite, whlc
g was as good, for in talking to her h
q was obliged to raise his voice, an
by so doing obtained monopoly {
ID the conversation. To her credit
&C. must be said that she behaved exac
.r, ly as young lady placed in such p'
culiar circumstances should behav'
Il She showed no more partiality to or
than to the other. She laughed hear
!" lily at Macs jokes, and listened a
be tentively to Goodhew's quiet con
,r monplaces. If one of them gained
he trifing advantage one day, it wi
on made up to the other the next; ar
o' SO, while conscientiously she belle
ed she was pleasing both, in reali
y she was stirring up fire between Il
IN two which was fated to end tragica
he ly.
= SO matters went on. By the tin
''i Alexandria was reached, we, the a