The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-05-25

Island Sound on the way from New
York l met an English gentleman. l
am not sure that he was not titled per-
son. At all events he was an educated
man, widely travelled and landed gen.
tleman, having possessions in several
counties in England and Ireland. We
were standing out on deck, each on his
own account, peering into the dense
blackness of the night, looking for a
| light that would indicate that land had
not disappeared forever, or that some
other craft was in the near vicinity trav-
cling that same trackless path. ! can't
say what thoughts were engaging the
English gentlemen, but l was thinking
how desolate and lonely like 1t would
be for six or seven hundred people to go
down where we were and US we were,
not even n light in sight.
4 light ten, twenty or thirty miles dis
tant would have been OF very little ser.
vice to sinking vessel ut that time, and
in that place, and yet in my frame
Of mind beacon light on near shore
would have been hopefully inspiring
You remember how it was when Col
Mulberry Sellers set the candle inside
the stove. What slaves OF the imaglna-
ton We are! Perhaps the thoughts OF
the English gentleman were not far
from nv own, and this may be the rea-
son why we broke the oppressive still
ness and remarked upon the formidable
looking waves that broke upon the
steamers side.
Somehow we drifted into the Irish
land question, which he assured me is u
very serious question for English gentle
men, whose living depends upon income
from land. "a friend Of mine, he said,
"who has been receiving Gl,200 year
from an estate in Ireland, last year re-
ceiyed from that estate G02. You must
not think that the land question is con-
fined to Ireland. Scotland has it, and
England, too. My wife and | are travel
ing now, as a good many other English
families are doing, because
1T Is CHEAPER TO TRAVEL
than to stay at home-ior to rethain at
home we must maintain certain state.
For this reason my wife's father is now
living in France. Free trade is running
the whole agricultural interests in Great
Britain, the land holder feels it and the
farmer who rents feels it. / am sur
prised that the American people with
all their intelligence are unwilling to
profit by our example, You seem TO be
rushing headlong into free trade. Your
President recommends it and your Con-
gress seem about to adopt his suggestion.
You could better afford another civil
war. Free trade in America would
greatly benefit English manufacturers,
but you Americans would do Il good
deal better TO take care OF your own
manufacturers"
said to this gentleman that the drift
of the conversation would perhaps eI-
cause reference to my appeared. | told
him that the suit OF clothes which l
had on at that time had been made the
subject OF little tariff discussion in my
State. "This suit of Clothes" ] said,
"was made OF cloth woven in Pennsylva-
mia from American wool and the tailor
work was done in the little city in which
live. The suit cost me S25. 1t has
been said, In support OF the free trade
argument, that 1t would cost me but $40
in London"
ooh, that is quite untrue" exclaimed
the Englishman, "such suit Of clothes
would cost you in London not less than
$50 and probably S25. But suppose all
OF you Americans would buy your cloth
ing abroad for the sake OF little saving,
YOU would be cheating yourselves, for
you would be draining your country and
depriving your work people Of wages;
l should suppose you would be too
shrewd il not too patriotic to do this"
Next morning l breakfasted at the
same table with the English gentleman,
who was accompanied by his wife, as
was BY mine. We sat directly opposite
each other. recognized him at once, oil
course. saw that he recognized me-
and in my artless American way was
about to wish him good morning, when
| realized that any movement towards
continuing the informal acquaintance Of
the night before would be regarded aE
an unwarrantablc familiarity. Thought
| understood it. Not much harm. i
any, could come Of his contact with
strangers, but here were the women O
the families, and that changed it, II he
and his wife had been Americans, sup
nose we should have all been chatting
together in five minutes. 1t may b.
that English reserve is better. AT al
events it is imprcgnable.
An AMUSING INCIDENT.
The night was intensely foggy, besides
being very dark. The pilot picked hi
way cautiously. After we retired thu
fog whistle set up a lively and long con
| tinued believing. Presently over
heard very entertaining conversation
being so situated that could not he'll
hearing it. Names were used, but l d,
not give them, lest they might be recog
nized by somebody in this wide' wild
world. ,m
civilian, wake up! It's stopped"
whats stopped?
"The boat"
"Well?"
mo, it isn't"
"Isn't stopped?"
. mo"
but you said it was"
~ know l did"
snow, you say it isn't"
"No, didn't"
"Why, yes you did"
"WilIiam, | did not. I said 1t ha
stopped. You said well. said no,
wasn't. You know meant it WASH