The Washington critic., 1889-07-03
The SURGEONS STORY.


Ing shadows d1urUl ln ucird. finia iir
measures atoss ihf rough pHnchc 10
iOUr
II was growing vcfy late Without.
sigh of tho nlehi ulud through fhr
willows along the creek made muunfui
music. and ihc occasional ifrni 20 thr
sentry ns he slowly pnrol his lnnr clId
beat was he only sound chat disiurh q
the silence
] stirred 10 my chair rclit my pipe
and TUNED rather impliicntiy 90 ny
companion, the post surgeon.
Doc. do you never gtt The hlucs in
this ont Of the world place Urh II
seems 10 me that should Fn Wild herr
in month, and YET you have lucn here
nearly two years
My friend laughed.
Major. your service was an In The
field, aud therefore the humdrum oi
post lifc--cspccially little post Ike
this-would wear on you. ! doubt not
But don't get hlue-no What with
my duties, my reading and writing. an
occasional game Of cards with the cap.
tain and ride every day. ! manage 10
keep busy and to be tired every mvhi
] was very glad, though. hc c0ntinuesl.
ito have the mOnotony Of the lifc
broken by this visit OF yours
Thank you, old man, saldl but.
II you really mean that, you must kccp
me from the blues, too. or my visit will
be short Tonight am ~ nervous as
cat. Give me q story t1 change The
currents of my thoughts"
The surgeon remained silent for a
moment, looking intontly In the dying
fire, then suddenly turning TO me- he
said:
Very well, will Did ! ever tell
you of my adventure In Hong Kong
when ] was acting on the o. a q. steam
ship liner
mo" said l, Remember. haye
only seen you once since then, and B't
for day at that
"True. We'll this tale will hll
your mind with new thoughts NJ least
I'm 1SS- found myself. one June
| evening, on steamer In the harbor Of
Hong. Kong.
You will remember that the lali
tude of that port is about the same rs
that of Havana, so you can easily
imagine the evening In question 10
have been warm one. II was warm,
very warm and when we had passed
the outer forts, and were In the inner
| Toadstcad, we came TO anchor aud
shortly afteIward, in a set of pajamas,
] came on deck, intending TO pass the
the night In any hammock which
could swing from the davits Of one of
| the after boats.
| Having so arranged my bed | clam.
bcred into 1t, lit a cigar, and fell into
the enjoyment of good night smoke,
swinging gently between sky and sea,
as the steamer rolled on the gentle har.
Dor swell, and thoroughly enjoying the
sweet smell of land.
II listened, half asleep, TO the sounds
that came to my cars-dim and distant
from the great city, clear and distinct
from the harbor about; the sound of
voices, of moving boats, of throbbing
engines, of human life in its aggrega
ton. Half asleep, ! say, for only now
and then did / pay sufficient attention
to distinguish what / heard, and my
ears were. in general filled with q
drowsy, dreamy droning that had all
but lulled me to absolute slumber, when
suddenly was aroused by low cry al
most beneath me, and q voice, soft and
fine, but quiverinG with fear and ia.
tigue, called:
"stleamerl steamer! Help, or
dlownH
"There was no mistaking the China
ism of the hail, but could not let a
pig-tail sink under our very bows, and
so arousing, l cried:
"'Aye, ayc In the water thcrel Keer
up, Wen have you out in a moment
And, springing on deck, seized {
coil of rope, flung its end haphazard
into the sea, and an instant later felt Il
grasped by the unfortunate in the watel
below.
"The cries of the man had been sc
low as 10 arouse no one but myself ant
the watch at the wheel, and with til,
aid of that seaman, hoisted my prizt
on board and examined him.
"a small Chinaman, very wet ant
very much exhausted, well.dressed
even TO the hat which was tied upor
his head, stood before us.
"'Well?' said /.
I'm q few well chosen words his
story was told. He was the son of {
merchant at Fouchou, up the coast
had been kidnapped a week before by
the people on junk, and brought L
Hong. Hong, and had tonight escaped
He begged to be protected and be re
turned to his father
LAS he told his story saw the sailo
at my side shrug his shoulders, anc
knew he did not believe it, But eithe
the glamour of the night or the softnes
OF the moon, or 1t may have been th,
innocence, youth and positive beauty o
the boy worked upon me, and was de
termined TO aid him, whether the tai
was true or not. therefore took hin
TO my cabin, presented him with som
dry garments and told him TO be o
good cheer. He might sleep in peace
/ would see his wrongs righted.
"As turned to leave him he seize,
my hand and kissed it, and the sof
pressure of his trembling lips and tn
bright tears in his sparkling eyes rC
paid me fully for the little Kindness
had shown him.
For an hour after returned to m
hammock ] lay musing over my ad
venture, then WEAKNESS overcame me
and beneath the balmy air of the tror
les slept
"The first golden CLEAN of comm,
day was gliding the eastern sky as
awoke, and the breath of the morning
fresh and pure, swept gently ovof th
ocean and famed my brow N
"As ] looked about upon the ship
ping that filed the bay | discerned no
far distant native vessel, elegantly fiji
ted, which ] knew at once must belon
10 some high government official. An,
even while l speculated upon II | saw
boat leave its side and approach ou
own ship,
"Ten minutes later Chinese officer
in gorgeous trappings, came on board
and our first officer was aroused fror