The Wahpeton times., 1889-08-01
The Surgeons Story.

The fire had burned low in the
open hearth, the light from the wan
ing candles was growing dim, and
the Pickering shadows danced in
weired, fantastic measure across the
rough puncheon floor.
1t was growing very late. With
out, q sigh of the night-wind through
the willows along the creek made
mournful music, and the occasional
tread of the sentry as he slowly
paced his long, cold beat was the
only sound that disturbed the silence.
lstirred in my chair, relit my pipe,
and turned ratherimpatiently omy
companion, the post surgeon.
"Doc, do you never get the blues
in this out.ofthe-world place? Ugh!
1t seems to me that l should go wild
here in month, and yet you have
been here nearly two years."
My friend laughed.
''Major, your service was all in the
field, and therefore the humdrum of
post life-especially q little post like
this-would wear on you, doubt
not. But l don't get blue-no.
What with my duties, my reading
and writing, an occasional game OF
cards with the captain and ride
every day, manage to. keep busy
and to be tired every night. 1 was
very glad, though" he continued,
''to haveothe monotony of the life
broken by this visit of yours"
"Thank you, old man." said I.
"But if you really mean that, you
must keep me from the blues, too,
or my visit will be short. Tonight
I am as nervous as q cat. Give me
a story to change the currents ofmy
thoughts"
The surgeon remained silent for q
moment, looking intently in the dy.
ing fire, then suddenly turning to
me, he said:
every we'll, I will. Did | ever tell
you of my adventure in Hong-Kong
when l was acting on the o. & o.
steamship line?"
'No," said I. "Remember, l have
only seen you once since then, and
but for day at that"
"True. Well, this tale will fill your
mind with new thoughts at least.
'In 188- / found mys elf, one June
evening, on a steamer in the harbor
of Hong-Kong.
"You will remember that the lati.
tude on that port is about the same
as that of Havana, so you can easi.
ly imagine the evening in question
to have been a warm one. It was
warm, very warm, and when we had
passed the outer forts, and were in
the inner roadstead, we came to an.
chor, and shortly afterward, in a set
of pajamas, I came on deck, intend.
ing to pase the night in any ham.
mock which I could swing from the
dayits of one of the after-boats.
Having so arranged my bed,
clambered into it, lit cigar and fell
into the enjoyment of a good night
smoke, swinging gently between sky
and sea, as the steamer rolled on the
gentle harbor swell, and thoroughly
enjoying the sweet smell of land.
II listened, half asleep, to the
sounds that came to my ears-dim
and distant from the great city. clear
and distinct from the harbor about
the sound ofvoices, ofmoving boats
OF throbbing engines, of human life
in it's aggregation. Half asleep,
say, for only now and then did pay
sufficient attention to distinguish
what heard, and my dreamy drown
ing that had all but lulled me tc
absolute slumber, when suddenly
was aroused by q low cry almost
beneath me, and a voice, soft anG
fine, but quivering with fear anC
fatigue, called:
''Stleamer! steamer! Help, or
dlown!'
':There was no mistaking the China
ism of the hail. but / could not let 8
pig-tail sink under our very bows
and so arousing, l cried:
'Aye, aye! In the water there
Keep up! we'll have you out in &
moment!'
''And springing on deck, 1 seized 6
coil OF rope. flung it's end haphazart
into the sea, and an instant later fel,
it grasped by the unfortunate in tn,
water below.
''The cries of the man had been az
low as to arouse no one but mysel
and the watch at the wheel, and will
the aid of that seaman, l hoisted m,
prize on board and examined him.
"A small Chinaman. very wet Yer,
much exhausted, well-dressed. evei
to the hat which was tied upon hi,
head, stood before us.
"'Well?' said I.
"1n a few wsll-ohosen words hi