Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-06-16
THE MAJOR.
1.-THE ArgOSy.7


Major olympic is an old traveller. AS he
has visited almost every country in the
known world, he has plenty of experiences
to relate; and, what is more uncommon, he
possesses the knack of relating them we'll.
Get the Major in a good humor-and it is
not difficult to do so if you are fortunate
enough to dine with him-and you may de-
pend upon an interesting story.
1 had been dining with Major olympic at
the club one evening, and we had been
talking philosophically of ocean voyages
and 'board- ship" life. I felt certain that
the ship would recall to the Majors mem
ory an interesting experience, Ind [ was not
disappointed. With the cigars came the
following singular story, which 1 must take
the liberty of relating in my own way, fill
ing in, for the readers satisfaction, many
details, such as I imagine them to have
been, and which my friends susceptibilities
prompted him to omit:
In 1850 the Major found himself in Aus
tralia. He had been away from home for
three years, during which he had "done"
| the two Americas, India, China, Japan, and
the far East generally. Cape Colony-the
east and west coasts-Egypt, Arabia, and
while he could almost count his scampers
over the continent by dozens. Since land
ing in Australia, too, he had spent four
months in cruising among the islands of
the South Pacific.
1t is no wonder, then, that when he came
| to himself in Melbourne in 1880 the Major
began to long for home and rest. He was
sated with travel. He reflected, with
shame, that he knew many countries more
intimately than his own. He knew the Mall,
Whitehall, Aldershot, Wimbledon, Brigh-
ton, Goodwood, and a few other places, but
he had never been up the Grampian Hills
or down Lancashire coalmine, to the lakes
of Killarney or the Giants Causeway in the
sister isle. The Major acknowledged to him
self that it was mans duty to see his own
country before wandering about other peo-
ple's and he felt remorseful
Then came the mournful thought that he
was no longer twenty-five, but within a
very few years of twice that age. Great
heavens! In a little over twenty years more
he would have lived the allotted span, and
he was still unmarried-no provision made
for the respectable domestic comforts old
age demands. He had his income of 81 > 400
year-sufficient for all natural comforts
but age without companionship would be
unbearable. He looked in the mirror, and
was startled at the quantity of gray hair
that was to be seen among the brown. Had
he remained at home, he thought bitterly,
he would have had plenty of kind friends
to tell him how gray he was getting. In
short, being for the first time in his life ter
ribly homesick-a moral ailment which
might frequently be traced to physical
cause.-the Major resolved to arise and de-
part.
No sooner was the resolution taken than
my friend, a man of action and impulse,
began to make it good. A glance at the
morning paper told him that the fates were
propitious. In two days the R. M. s. Iberia
would sail for London via the Suez canal.
In half an hour the Major was at the agents
office looking over plan Of the IBERIA s
saloon. With the discretion of au old
traveller he selected the most comfortable
and best-situated of the vacant staterooms;
then he paid the fare, received his ticket,
drove back to his hotel, and began to pack
up his wisely-limited luggage. A visit to
the bank, hurried calls upo1l two OF sinree'
Of the few friends he had made, messages
of regret to those he was unable to see, and
the Major shock Australian dust from his
feet and rowed to the Iberia. When the
big ship steamed through Port Philip Heads
our friend was as comfortably settled on
board as though he had lived there all his
| life.
During the first few days Major olympic
kept himself well in reserve. He knew too
we'll the folly of making sudden friendships,
especially on board ship, where, if a little
patience and observation are exercised, the
| true character of ones fellow-passenger
will very soon be disclosed. The passen-
ger-ship is splendid field for the student
of human nature.
Major Dymple was less student of hu-
man nature than student of self-comfort.
The latter it was his practice to study with
considerable eaTneStness, and accordingly
he refrained from getting mixed up too in
timately with people who, upon further ac-
quaintance, might prove to be objectionable.
As matter of policy he made himself
agreeable to the officers, and he seized an
early opportunity of cracking bottle of
Dry Monopole with the captain.
Several days passed. The usual call was
made at Adelaide, and scamper on shore
was afforded. Then the Iberia steamed
along the great Australian blight in beauti
full weather, rounded the usually turbulent
'Leenwin'' in calm-the stormy cape was
caught asleep for once-and began to plow
her way N. N. W. across the placid breast
of the Indian ocean.
1t was not till then that the cautious Major
permitted himself to be on friendly terms
with any of the passengers. Three men in
the saloon he found to be very decent fel-
lows. They were gentlemen, and they
played cards-two irst-rate recommends
tions. Among the ladies there was only
one who attracted our travellers attention.
widow-blonde, beautiful, and clever, and
certainly not more than thirty.
Now, the Major was very susceptible to
female loveliness, especially when it was
accompanied by wit. 1t was accident and
the wandering life he had led and not want
of inclination that accounted for his not
having been permanently caught in the
silken tolls of the gentle sex years ago.
| 1t must not be imagined for one moment
that his celibacy was the consequence of
an unattractive appearance. So far from
that being the case, the Major was gener-
ally considered handsome mana tall,
manly figure, with broad shoulders, deep
chest, and straight, muscular limbs; we'll
set head, clothed with thick brown hair, be-
| closely shaven, with fine brown eyes and
clear-cut, aquiline features; q distinguish
ed bearing, courtly manners, and smile
which disclosed white, even teeth-all
contributed to a personality which elected
admiration in women and envy in men.
Years have the same improving effect upon
some men. He was much better looking
at forth-fve than he had been in his
twenties.
Of all the men on board who were atten-
tive to Mrs. Pennington, and they included
the captain, the officers, and all the grass
widowers and unmarried men in the saloon,
the Major was the least demonstrative and
the most successful. He sat opposite to
her at table, furtively and admiringly watch
ing the play of her noble features and the
changingligh in big gray-blue eyes. He
sat near and chatted with her on deck, en-
joying the brightness of her wit and the
keenness of her intelligence; he fetched
books for her from the library, frequently
choosing them himself; he turned over her
music at the piano, and occasionally
having a light easy baritone voice and a
good ear-sang duets with her. He did all
these things in quiet, unostentatious
manner, and in the same, quiet, unosten-
tatious manner he sank deeply in love with
the charming widow.
Perhaps Mrs. Pennington was also in
love, but it was not quite certain. AL
though she had plenty of dignity, with the