Telegram-herald., 1890-03-02
NYE As A PUNTIST
A PUNK and . Smile, but the Lat
ter Not His.
HIS IMPRESSIONS OF OSCAR WILDE
rhs Vinegar Hin D~lsarss Class
Thinks Inspired bs ths Grsst Mas
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-Dess<ss
One beautiful day ia July last ! noated
along down the bosom Of the Thames In
A brown study, also IN a canoe that had
tried the sunlit waters OF nearly every
American river before IL came 10 visit
shis quiet bat rather noted hSsiish
stream. Harry Welcome padded and
smoked an American cigar. l did not
naddle for the reason that l do not know
aog / en- 10Y industry. but there are
lines OF industry with which l am not
familiar. This Is one Of thea To pad
de birch bark canoe 80 that IL will run
straight IS not an industry. however. 10
Is an art. Punting seemed 70 be more
In my line. Punting looks more simple.
Punting on the Thames is conducted by
means of long pole and a dat bottomed
Ondola.
The puntist rams this pole into the bot
tom Of the river. and by dextrous push
sends the boat along AZ an even and de-
Hghtful gait. / had poled raft on the
upper Mississippi, broken jam and been
director on rope ferry, twenty-five
years ago, so / knew enough OF aqua
tics 20 punt, should say. Mr.. Fisher
said might punt awhile. so he yielded
his place 10 me. rose 20 my full height,
and as did so, barring my brow 10 the
soft kiss OF the clover scented afternoon,
Twas recognized by other Americans who
were assisting me last summer in max
hg times easy in Paris and also in bring
ing about an era OF prosperity in London.
A round Of applause greeted me from
along the river bank also, for / am al
most as well known abroad as | am in
uy own country, and in fact all sum-
uner long it was nip and tuck between
me and old Bouillon Jay TO see which
would get the most press notices.
So bowed Delsarte bow and spat
on my hands in a languid way. An
other burst of applause that echoed
down past the lock and out toward
Hampton court swelled my heart with
q pardonable pride as raised the punt
pole high in air and socked it into the
brunette bosom OF the historical stream.
The swift and rather slick craft shot
away with it's gay and well dressed bur
den, but did not join them. Iremained
The punt pole has a tendency TO stick
In the clay bottom Of thu Thames, but
did not know this. Cir Ying to the pole
OF course / missed nv connects0a with
the boat, and loud plunk. followed by
a merry peal Of laughter, closed the sad
scene. I did not furnish the laughter.
supplied the plunk.
A beautiful but rather impulsive dog
belonging to Mrs. Sheldon plunged in
and saved my life. He dragged me out
on the bank by my clothing, as ht
thought, no doubt, but my clothing was
not so thick as he had supposed. That
is il a dog ever supposes. So L will al
ways carry the marks of that rescue
even TO my grave. Dogs are very intel
hgent animals, but they do not know al
ways TO dead moral certainty whether
enc has his winter or summer fan
nels on.
Punting Is a very bealthful exercise
but one should have set OF dry clothing
nc hand, so that he may change as soor
as ne gets his punting done.
But l started out 10 say that amont
the faces I seemed 10 recognize was on
that was very English, and yet though
had seen il in America. It was th'
face Of man of forty odd, would say
It was the face of very hornely woman
on the shoulders and body Of man
The features were a. plain as those of I
hippopotamus in repose, but when light
ed up with smile they were as beauti
ful as those OF a pariah- The hair wa
abundant and about the color of mspl
caramel that has been exposed TO tn
elements ali summer. 1t had evidentl,
been worn long, but had been cut off a
the neck by means Of a pinkiug iron am
set of burglars tools. His complexion
was opaque and his teeth hung in ricl
clusters on the outside of his mouth whei
he smiled. He wore an Eton cap am
lolled back in the canoe while talente'
hired man as three bob day and
shandy gsff padded - frail bark aloni
the Thames and e~fihited this giftet
curiosity 10 the wondering crowd. Tn
gifted curiosity was Oscar Wilde.