Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-05-30
UNAFFECTED BY SEASlCKNESS.
An American Who Ate Heartily During the
Worst Weather at Sea,

An American Who Ate Heartily During the
Worst Weather at Sea.
When I crossed in the City of Chicago there
was among the passengers one tall, fine look
ing, placid eyed man who puzzled all the rest
Of us by the strangeness of his demeanor. I
did not meet him until we had been out four
days. He was seated in the dining saloon eat.
ing tripe Il onions when the ste ward car
ried me in for the first time to get me accli-
mated to the odor of mutton broth and ma
chinery grease. Much as I then marveled at
the audacity of the stranger who partook of
tripe and onions with as much sang froid as
If the detestable compound had been angel
food, I marveled still more when I learned
from the steward that the man had eaten four
meals per diem ever since the ship left the Jer-
sey City pier.
Subsequently I learned from the tall, fine
looking, placid eyed gentleman himself that
bis name was Ezra Tomlinson and that lie
lived at Wheeling, w. Va. He was Ell route
to Paris to do the close of the exposition. and
l gathered from dcsultory remarks that he
was q man Of abundant wealth and one large
ly interested in railroad securities. Much TIC
my amazement he told me that this was the
first voyage he ever had made; the ease and
the dignity with which he resisted s%easickness
had led ME to suppose that he was a veteran
seaman. lie confessed to me that he had ex-
pected to be most seriously afflicted with NAL
de mer. for he had heard all his life of the
horrors Of ocean travel. However" he add
ed, cheerfully, "Ihave so far done so we'll that
I have hope Of reaching Liverpool without
even so much as q suggestion Of nausea"
The sixth and seventh days of the voyage
were exceedingly tempestuous; the ship rolled
frightfully; out of ffty-two cabin passengers
ffty-one remained in bed all that hideous
time. In order to ave myself from total dis
solution l had the surgeon and purser nail me
to my berth. Heaven he praised!'' 1 cried,
even in my torment; "heaven be praised that
at last we have a squall that will settle that
man from Wheeling!"
ooh, no; not at oil sir, :" said DR.. McSwinny,
''he's been walking the deck all day and Won
dering whether we shall have a continuation
of fair weather tomorrow"
Then the purser told me that Tomlinson
had eaten bacon and eggs for breakfast and
had expressed a desire for a boiled dinner at
6 o'clock! Oh, how I learned to hate that
man Tomlinson from Wheeling!
During the whole voyage he was as clipper
and hearty as you please; his appetite was SO
brutally vigorous as to shock all the rest of
us. We were heartily glad when we parted
company with him at Liverpool. IF ever
again." we said, d~isregardful Of the Irishism,
IF ever again we make a voyage with a
Wheeling man we'll stay at home"
But six weeks later, on board a wretched
transport from Calais to Dover, who should
turn up but that self same Ezra Tomlinson,
of Wheeling, W. VAL He had done the ex-
| position and was going home; he was as calm,
as placid, as self possessed as ever. The chan
mel was unusually rough that night; all the
officers and crew were sick, and even the
donkey engine turned pale with emotion; as
for the passengers, they were all 50 very
wretched that they prayed for death to re-
lieve them-al but Tomlinson, and he seemed
to wonder at it, as if he could not by any
means understand why everybody else took
on so. The ship %foundered like a porpoise,
standing first on one end and then on the
other, sometimes lurching heavily to the right
and then swinging with a mighty groan the
other way-oh, it was simply awful
Five hours Of this indescribable misery, and
we were landed at Dover. When Tomlinson
sauntered leisurely into the custom house he
found me stretched upon a baggage truck.
"Sir," said I, feebly, twill you kindly grant
the last request of one who feels that he is in
a~rticulo mortisf Is it possible-ten me truly
is it possible that you are wholly insensible
to the ~tortures Of ocean travel2 You seem to
have borne without the slightest qualm the
storms of the Atlantic and the tempests of the
channel; I do not understand it-before I &c
to my eternal reward elucidate this mystery
I beg"
"Indeed, sir," he answered, sit is quite al
mysterious to me to hear you speak Of Storm
and tempests, and L have wondered to see &
many of my fellow passengers succumt
around me. AS for myself, I have never be
fore enjoyed quieter travel than that which
you call tempestuous."
"Sir," I shrieked, in q frenzy Of exaspera
ton, .'who are youth what necromantic OF
diabolical art are you skilled that you thu
calmly defy the malignant boisterousness O.
wind and wavey'' Z
Since you require me to be explicit = an
swered Mr.. Tomlinson, quietly, ~ will tel
you that am and for twelve years have beer
q director In al American railroad. r-Eugen'
! Fields Letter In Chicago News.