The San Saba weekly news. (San Saba, Tex.) 18??-1???, 1891-08-14
Bona, Africa.

MON6m6ulS, no 81 uOOl IdChoJSJ Nl1o
turbed the peaceful waters. [
was quite a rest for me to be away
from the strifes, and turmoils o
national affairs, and away from
these detestable little social dis
quietudes. All vas serene and
placid, and 1 greatly enjoyed the
situation until that dreaded dis
ease, "sea sickness" captured me
Then 1 was sick, Oh so sickl
rolled and tumblel, and still the
ship would go round and round.
everything seemed turned up side
downwards; [ soon began to wish
l was back among my kindred, but
then l thought how local affairs
were turned up side downwards
there, and what a muss was GO
ing on, then l became sicker.
These local broils always made me
sick, they are so ,lncalled for, SO
But 1 had to go on,
After about five or six days [ be-
came all right and was enabled to
enjoy the beautiful sunrise and
1 observed there was but
very little or no twilight. The
sun was up until it was down, then
it was dark, except a little star
light, there was very little NOON
light. 1 tried to keep my bear
ings, l remembered that New York
is in about Il west longitude and
about 4Lsnorth latitude, 1 also re-
membered that the mouth of the
Congo river is in south latitude
and just east of the meridian of
Greenwich. Therefore L must
cross the equator. 1 kept a look
out for it but failed to ssee it. 1
was about twenty days crossing
the ocean. l am now resting in
this African city, Bona 1t is a
pretty nice place considering that
it is an African town. 1 was con-
siderably bothered rs to the time,
I observed that my watch, which
never varies, was four hours and
forty minutes slow. 1 set my
watch With N~-XSlG1t-v5-=rEEtix
observed that when it was
noon here my watch was only 7:20
o'clock. 1 then remembered that
my teacher used to tell me some
thing about longitude and time.
This is very important and pupils
should endeavor to understand it,
and not be all mixed up like I was,
SO that l could not tell whether it
was time to 60 too bed or eat
breakfast. 1t is very much warm
or down here but the sea breeze
helps to keep it som swhat cool. 1
shall go from here to the Congo
Free States and if ]. find time l
shall write you from there.
MY ACQUAINTANCE.
While crossing the ocean l
formed the acquaintance of a very
pleasant old gentleman, wise in
and ripe in years. At
ter several social conversations
with him, 1 learned that he had
been an editor; anil had failed.
And as [ had had some experience
in the business we soon became
He told me- of the many
trials of western editor. He had
been running a papec up in Dako-
Ia, and was doing well until the
farmers union broke out up there.
He tried to accomm odate the fra
ternity, but they wanted the paper
cheaper, he gave hem special
rates, he gave them a part of his
paper for weekly communications,
be gave them half price on all To-
cal notices, but still they seemed
He finally busted
and had to give the thing up. I
thought this was pretty bad
state of affairs, but [ could not see
how the trouble could have been
The old gentleman
seem to have had a disposition to
want to please and accommodate,
but could not. He nay have gone
to Africa for his health or to start
another paper. He also stated
that there was in his town
more local troubles than l had
ever dreamed of. Tie town was
divided and a continual strife was
going on. What one side would
try to do the other would try to
undo; what one side would propose
the other would oppose, and thus
it ever went on. And when the
paper would refer to anything
in the county or town a lot
Of them would howl and grunt and
groan, that such and such ought
not have been in the paper, be-
cause it would give the town or
county a bad name, and would stop
immigration, etc. But he said that
be had noticed that the very ones
who complained the loudest about
county affairs public, and