New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-11
PATIENCE.

She wSp the pldinest-One might ALMOST say uS'
hest-of the entire cargo; and there were seven
teen OF them. Poor Patience Owen! The cargo
consisted of real live English women, sent out 10
become the wives of the bachelor MISSIONARIES
OF ShikarOre The Trincomalee had brought them
out from Liverpool, and they were now coming
into harbor at Khansal. chaperoned by the wlIc
OF leading minister who was coming OUT 10
rejoin her husband and all agog TO espy the Ilrst
aspirants to their hands. The principle upon
which the brotherhood acted on these occasions
was that OF first come, first served, anu, IesU
some illfavored maiden should be palmed oil upon
them through the carelessness OF proxy, good
number OF the missionaries had managed 10 seO
away from the Scec OF their h00rS so as 10
lly select upon their arrival at hhanSal,
the future partners of their joys and s0rroWs II
once young woman had been told oil TO an ao-
sentee, and suitable escort found Tor her 10 inc
gentleman's neighborhood, objections were useless,
and the very next day she would DC maffIeu u
him from her escorts house. =,
Speculations, conjectures, even dreams, had
formed the staple of the young ladies conversation
on the voyage out; needless TO say whittier they
tended Were not the seventeen coming out 10 De
married. What harm then TO give the felns 10
Imagination and tongue on the subject OF their
futurs? The prettest aimed high, for Of course
on 80 Sketchy an acquaintance the charms OF the
outer woman would principally attract the sQltOIs
and the most engaging in appearance Would De tlle
first chosen; though indeed the passing triumph
thus obtained might well be neutrdhzed by the
possible undeSirabibty of the first come II a
hard featured and elderly person be ever SO capable
D housewife, and noted teacher OF Sunday
schools be afflicted with cast in her eye and
bad pleXiOn, men and missionaries are also
mem Will fail III properly approaching their g0Od
qualities; weakly preferring some better favored
sister, Ignorant, perchance OF the DesI recipe
for strawberry Jam-not after all OF
overwhelming Importance IN the Last-Or the
names of the kings of Israel and Judah. But
Patience! She small and little bit lame;
Tier poor little face had pinched and halt-starved
look; her little gray linen dress was sldlnplly
made her hair was turning gray, although she
only twenty-five; and from having always
been the butt and fetish OF her own fallly, she
bad grown stupidity awkward, apt to blush and
70 knock things over in her nervousness, afraid
20 say what came into her head lest she should
lie laughed at, and therefore remaining SILENT
shy, and apparently dull. She was far too much
afraid OF the children to be an e.licient Sunday
school teacher. and her mother was q notable
housekeeper, who had tolerated not so much as
an offer OF help from clumsy Patience. But she
could sew neatly, and would no doubt darn her
husbands socks TO perfection: her voice had "a
pleasant tone vi enc e. she dared 10 t. aud she
was The IN st unseliish creature upon earth, with
d heart like an artichOkc and the courage of
mouse. She had been shipped of TO the East
because She was no longer welcome at home.
Her mother was dead, and her brother now the
head OF the family, and his young wife despised
her and looked upon her as an cncumbrance. She
WAS not very strong mlnded; and, when the
minister under whom they sat suggested a means
OF providing for poor little Patience, her relations
showed such eagelneSs to seize the opportunity
that IL Was impossible TO withstand them, even
lad she had any reasonable objection TO otter,
which she bad not So here she was, standing
one OF seventeen, Oh the deck Of the Irlnconalee.
buxom damsel unaffected with nerves and no.
tons. " One good thing, therel he 10 mothers
in-hw, at least none 10 speak OF. For my own
part, | would not object TO marrying founding;
don't hold with taking on pack of your hus-
bands relations for your own"
All" sighed Patience perhaps you are right
1t isn't always too easy to live at peace with
ones own family, let alone some one else 81
True, my dear, for such as YOU, who couldn't
hold your own with "a daddy ion legS But we
aren't all mace alike, thank Cod
AZ Chp
away, leaving poor Patience to reflect upon her
Shortcomings. These reflections had not materially
improved her case before the snip came TO an
anchor, and her thoughts weIe diverted, not too
asleeably, from their channel by the sight of
swarms OF scantlly clad natives jabberng and
sculing in the ShOre-Doats alonasde None of
the candidates had come out to the steamer bat
awaited the arrival Of It's fair freigh at the
shipping office. lhther the gallant seventeen
we're duly conveyed under Nus. AbbOtt's maternal
eye; ana indeed no better guardian could have
been chosen than this shrewd but kihd-hearted
woman, whose task had been no sinecure since
she left Ii 'erpoOl month before. Each gentle
man. IN the order OF his arrival at tie Office had
been presented with numbered ticket, No |
having been secured by small, pale, patient
whose first wife had been similarly
purveyed, and who knew exactly how 10 proceed
on this the second "auspciOus occbs on He
sat quietly on packlng-case, with his ticket
lightly clasped IN his hand apparently unc0n-
scIOus OF the cnvious glances upon him by Nos
= 70 =" seven OF the number were ministers
"nu te remainder proxies. who were Distinguish
~ u 4 / "
90 Scir azure, "heeas the missionaries de-
Gently ana dnsultaby hablted IN black and wore
chlmheypot hats. Mrs. Abbott was the first to
a>CeHu JIie steps, and advanced with Incoming
sDie"Elty althg the quay toward the sbiuniny /
once, where she shook hands with one or two of
mnst he adu, lbe great majority OF whum it
niust oe admitted wore a sLeepsh air as dion ahf
the sanction which custom kindly avtonJoI g -
=, -, pi .S business were not quite sufficient
70 Keep tneln In countenance. The Vonno ,vomon
Wnlle ehdeaNof1ng TO appear unconcornaI -! !
man! curious glance at their fnt,ro ,,l Co.
.he mass All chaotic and unclassihed-an1 more
than one, even in the brief space which ,,rccaSS
the ceremony of choosing bieatbed y ~ tLt
the one really handsome man of the IartT n,iibt
De inspired To choose her for his bride Rmt he
was proxy, ana, sad TO say, the Dro,,,c. 80 nc
q better looking set than the misSdnar;nss were
US hope that no embryo Lancelots Inrlod o. Leu
midst win them, at any rate we have noth;ni
TO do. 'e no'ilhg
Drawn up in two long rows with Mrs .,,o..
and the shipping-a gent between them and ,D
all the appearance OF beng arranged for son,
contracting parties stood, and, at word from
Mrs Abbott the process Of selection began FWa
minutes were allowed to each gentleman in My
TO- suit himself, as the servants
bitter experience, the comeler OF his vs-a-y77s
announced, after only three minutes dcljbers,ion'
That his choice had fallen upon the third young
lady from the top. They were accordingly pre
sented to one another, and fell out TO make ac
lualntance while the game proceeded as before
sixteen selections had beea made and now there
remained only the two who had no choice |
fauence and the seventeenth missionary. We |
cannot here enter upon the discussion of diff |
,uit ana painful question, that of the suitability OF
certain persons 10 hold the office of spiritual
pioneer to the heather; but if ever there was a
r pau specimen Of missionary, IL was No. IL.
maj ne was No. IL was due 10 a partiality for
,oon Ig drinks at irregular intervals, and he had
'waliowed the last three the way down 10 the
nIpPlhg once coming IN hot. dusty and anathe-
hhucai, hve minutes later than No. g.
,o,od say Mrs. Abbott he began in a loud, coarse
'olcel say, this isn't fair, yOu know. III