The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-03-14

clewed up, topsails thrown aback, and the
starry flag flies half-mast high, as they
Commit his body to the deep, to be turned
into corruption, looking for the resurrection
of the body, when the sea shall give up her
dead" A sudden shooting plunge into the
sparkling water, and Francis Drury place
on earth will know him no more. Gone Is
the gallant spirit, stilled the eager heart
forever, and Leslie's tears fall thick and
heavy-no one there deeming them shame
to his manhood AS the bellying canvas
urges the ship swiftly onward on her
course.
Only Quandong stone, of rather unus-
ual size, covered with little silver knobs or
studs and to one end of which was attach
ed stout silver chain Leslie, as he turn
ed it over in his hand, thinking sadly
enough of its late owner, wondered much
what he had been about to communicate
when Death so relentlessly stepped in.
The value of the thing as an ornament was
but trife, and, try as he might, Leslie
could find no indication that there was
aught but met the eye: simple Australian
wild-peach stone converted into trife,
rather ugly than otherwise, as is the case
with SO many so-called ''curios." Still, as
his friends last thought and charge, it was
sacred in his sight; and putting it carefully
away, he determined on landing at Mel
bourne, now so near to make it his first
care to find out Drurys mother and his
sister
"Drury, Druryl Let me seel Yes; of
course Mother and daughter, brother too
sometimes rather wild young fellow; al
ways 'on the go somewhere or other, you
know. Yes; they used to live here; but
they've been gone this long time; and
where to, is more than can tell you; or |
think anybody else about here either.
So spake the present tenant Of "Acacia
Cottage, St. Kilda, " in response to Leslie's
inquiries at the address, to obtain which he
had overhauled the effects of the dead
man, finding it at the commencement of a
-year-old letter from his mother, direct
ed to "Algoa Bay" finding, besides, some
receipts of diamonds sold at Cape Town,
and a letter of credit on Melbourne bank
for five hundred pounds; probably, 50 Les
lie thought to himself, that measured
smile" Of which the poor fellow had laugh
ingly spoken to him in the earlier days OF
their brief companionship.
The above was the sum total of the in
formation he could ever-after many per
sistent efforts, including trip to Hobart
obtain of the family or their whereabouts
so, depositing the five hundred pounds at
one of the principal banking institutions,
and inserting an advertisement in the Age
and argus, Leslie having but little spare
cash, and his own fortune lying still in
deepest shadow, reluctantly, for time at
least, as he promised himself, abandoned
the quest.
Kaloola was one of the prettiest pastoral
homesteads in the northwestern district OF
Victoria, and its owner, as one evening he
sat in the broad veranda, and saw on every
side, far as the eye could reach, land and
and stock all calling him master, felt that
the years that had passed since the old
Decatur dropped her anchor in Port Phillip
had not passed away altogether in vain
and although ominous wrinkles began to
appear about the corners of John Leslie's
eyes, and gray hairs about his temples, the
mans heart was fresh and unseared as when
on a certain day twelve long years ago, he
had shed bitter tears over the ocean grave
of his friend. Vainly throughout these
latter years he had endeavored to find some
traces of the Drurys. The deposit in the
Bank of Australia had remained untouched
and had now swollen to very respectable
sum indeed. Advertisements in nearly
every metropolitan and provincial newspa-
per were equally without result; even
''private inquiry agents, employed at nc
small cost, confessed themselves at fault
Many hard fight with fortune had John
Leslie encountered before he achieved sue
cess but through it all, good times and
bad, he had never forgotten the dying be-
quest left to him on that dark and stormy
morning in the Western Ocean and now
as rising and going to his desk he took out
the Quandong stone, and turning it ovel
and over, as though trying once again to
finish those last dying words left unfinished
so many years ago, his thoughts fled back
along memorys unforgotten vale, and a
strong presentiment seemed to impel hin
not to leave the trinket behind, for the sue.
cessful squatter was on the eve of trip tC
the "Old Country" and this was his last
day at Kaloola; so, detaching the stone
from its chain, he screwed itsecurely to hi:
watchguard, and in few hours more hac
bidden adieu to Kaloola for scme time tt
come.
1t was evening on the Marine Parade a
Brighton, and a crowd Of fashionably dress
ed people were walking up and down, o.
sitting listening to the music of the band
Amongst these lattor was our friend JohI
Leslie, who had been in England some
three or four months, and who now seen
absorbed in the sweet stratus of Urlch
Goodnight my Love, with which the mu
sicians were closing their evenings selec
ton; but in reality his thoughts were fal
away across the ocean, in the land OF hi
adoption and few dreamed that the sun
Drowned, long-bearded, middle-aged gentle
man. clothed more in accordance with idea
of comfort than fashion, and who sat there
SO quietly every evening, could, had 1t 81
pleased him, have bought up half the ga,
loungers who passed and repassed him with
many quizzical glance at the loose attire
in such striking contrast to the British
fashion of the day.
Truth to tell, Leslie was beginning t
long for the far-spreading plains of hi
Australian home once more; his was quiet
thoughtful nature, untitled for the gar
scenes in which he had lately found him
self passive actor, and he was-save fol
one sister, married years ago, and now witt
her husband in Bermuda-alone in th'
world; and he thinks rather sadly, perhaps
as he walks slowly back through the crowt
of fashionables to the Imperial, where he L
staying: "And alone most likely to thu
end ="
He had not been in his room many min
utes before there came knock at the door
and, scarcely waiting for answer, in dartec
very red-faced, very stout, and appar
emily very furried old gentleman, who, set
ting his gold eyeglasses firmly on his nose
at once began "Er-ah, Mr.. Leslie, l be
lieve? Got your number from the porter
you see-great rascal, by the way, tha
porter always looks as if he wanted some
thing. YOU know-then the visitors book
ond % yae. IFS aIIrioht so far There