New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-10-06
THE LOSS OF THE PARAGON,

oHcer on board the steamship Para
gon, one OF the fastest boats on the
Cable line OF steamers, which piled be-
tween New York and Seringapatam.
Her captain was justly renowned as
an expert navigator, for he was in the
habit OF performing the journey Of
10000 miles in four days, ten hours,
forty-two minutes and nineteen and a
half seconds with much regularity, and
had never yet been run into by anoth-
er vessel; nor had he ever sustained
any very serious damage from the
steamers OF opposition lines, which he
habitually cut in two as they crossed
his path upon the high seas.
Having attained this pitch ofmarine
pre-eminence, Capt. Sir Clements Lane
he was baronet of ancient creation
entered heart and soul into his pro-
fession, and thought there was moth
ing like it. His fifth officer, however,
didn't care much about it; he had
been, as youngest of a large family,
pitch-forked into the employment of
the Cable line by arich uncle, who paid
his fees, and took an interest in his
progress as long as he saw nothing Of
him. But Ralph r. Milford, being
young, good looking and human,
found his profession remarkably dull.
''You see," he remarked to a chance
acquaintance, who had introduced
himself to him as they lunched
at the same table at Delmon-
ico's, one day, shortly before
the Paragon was to start Oh
the homeward journey; "you see, we
junior officers don't have much fun on
board. The seniors, if they care
about it, can get up no end of amuse-
ment with the fairer section OF the
passengers; but what chance has a
fifth officer? have to go about my
duties like an automaton; and at
dusk, when the rattle OF promiscuous
OSCILLATION echoes around the decks,
and every corner that one turns is i'm
1nediately the theatre of a sudden dis
ENHANCEMENT and precipitate flight,
the effect is, to say the least of it, tan
;alizing; and one wishes one were Ell
ther senior officer or passenger, instead
OF fifth in command
The genial stranger was prop
erly sympathetic, and after MAX
ing a few inquiries concern
ing the arrangements and disci-
pline on board the Paragon, he nod
ded "Good day." and disappeared
amid the brou-ha-ha of New York
city.
On the evening before the departure
of the Paragon the new hands which
had been taken on in New York and
most OF the homeward- bound passen-
gers were on board, when gorgeous
specimen OF the Wall street Yankee,
accompanied by a lovely creature OF
some nineteen summers and an equal
number of winters, came on board,
and, addressing Ralph Rawson Nut
ford, who was standing near the gang
way, asked that worthy whether he
was captain OF the boat. On his re-
plying that he was the fifth officer, the
Yankee remarked:
"Well, sir, I'd be obliged to you if
you could take me to the capt under
whose charge l want to place this
young lady, whom l may as we'll in
'troduce to you as-you're one of the
eof6cers-right now. Miss Nellie J.
Robertson, my niece; Mr.. Nutford-
thank you-fifth officer OF this vessel"
While the captain was being found
Miss Nellie J. Robertson was doing
great execution with her great soft
eyes; and by the time Capt. Sir Glenn
ents Lane had duly identified the fair
passenger in the list, and had under
taken to take charge of her during the
voyage, the impressionable fifth Off
Ger was quite ready to put her up on
a. coil ofrope-nop pedestal being handy
and fall down and worship her.
The swell Yankee, with much
ostentatious farewell pantomime, hav.
ing returned on shore, the fair Nellie
left with the captain, and a new pas
senger came on board green-eyed
monster, who attached himself to the
susceptible Ralph, and proceeded to
share with that gentleman his meals,
his berth and his whole existence.
Next morning they were we'll out at
sea when the captains protege came
on deck. Gracious, how beautiful she
was, and when she went up to Nutford
and, putting both her hands into mis-,
captured his soul with look and re-
quested to be shown the vessel, the
fifth officer could have ciasped
her in his arms and sprung over
board, like a new Charmides, TAX
ing his Pallas with him. His
Joy, however, was short lived, for in
the midst OF their peregrination the
captain met them, and telling of Mr..
milford to go aft and see to some
thing about which there was no earth
~ hurry. undertook to relieve him Of
his duty as cicerone. AS they came
up the companion Nellie, stumbling
against Ralph, squeezed his hand and
whispered eau plaisirl''
The Irritation of these two young