Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-07

phllOSOpnlcdlly OF ocean voyages anu boHu-
ship" life. / felt that the subject would
recall to the majors memory an interesting
experience. ard was not disappointed. With
the cigars came the following singular story,
which / must take the liberty OF relating IN
nv own way, filing IN. for the reader salts
faction many details, such as L imagine them
to have been. and which nv friends suscepti-
bilities prompted him to omit.
In 1850 the major found himself in Australia.
He had been away from home for three years,
during which he had done" the two Americas.
India China. Japan and the far east generally.
Cape Colony, the east and west coasts. Egypt,
Arabia and the Holy Land he had done III
former times, while he could almost count his
scampers over the continent by dozens Since
landing In Australia too. he had spent four
months IN cruising among the Islands OF the
south Pacific.
1t II no wonder then. that when be came TO
himself in Melbourne IN 1850 the major began
TO long for home and rest He was stated with
travel He reflected. with shame, that he
knew many countries more intimately than his
own. he knew the Mall. Whitehall, Aldershot.
Wimbledon. Brighton. GOodwoOd and a few
other places. but he Lad never been up the
Grampian Hills down a Lancashire coal
mine, to the Lakes Of Killarney >" the Giants
Causeway in the sister isle. The major
knovle dyed 10 himself that 1t was n mans duty
TO see his own country before wandering about
other peoples, and he felt remOrsefuL
Then came the mournful thought that he
was no longer twenty-five, but within very
few years of twice tina, age Great Heavens,
an : little over twenty years more he would
have lived the allotted span. and he was still
unrlarrled-no provision made for the respect
able domestic comforts old age demands. he
had his income of fourteen hundred year
sufficient for all natural comforts-but age
without companionshIp would be unbearable.
He looked IN the mirror and was startled at
the quantity of gray hair that to be seen
r1,a Had ha .4ItteaI lat hon
he thought bitterly, he would have had plenty
of kind friends to tell him how gray he WAS
getting. In short, being tor the first time IN
his life terribly hOnesick-a moral ailment
which might freque ntly be traced TO physical
causes-the major resolved to arise and depart.
No sooner the resolution taken than my
friend man Of action and impulse. began TO
make it good glance at the morning paper
told him that the fates were propitlous. In two
days the X. VI. 5. iberia would sail for London
via the SueZ canal In half an hour the ma or
was at the agents Office looking over plan of
the IberIas saloon With tine discretion of an
old traveller he selected the most comfortable
and the best situated of the vacant state rooms;
then he paid the fare, receiving his ticket,
drove back to his hotel and began to pack up
his wisely limited luggage. A visit to the bank.
hurried calls upon two or three Of the few
friends he had made. messages of regret TO
those he was unable to see. anu then the ma or
shook Australian dust from his feet and rowed
of TO the Iberia. When the big ship steamed
through Port Phillip Heads our friend was as
comfortably settled on board as though he had
lived there all his lite.
During the first few days Major Dvmple kept
himself well III reserve. He knew too well the
folly of making sudden friendships, especially
on board ship. where, il a little patience and
observation is exercised. the true characters of
ones fellow passengers will very soon be dis
closed The passenger ship is splendid field
for the student of human nature.
al h-r al l..ss str oFh
rasure than student of self-comfort. The
;ter il was his practice to study with consider
aO4e earnestness, and accordingly, he refrained
from getting mixed up too intimately with
people who upon further acquaintance might
prove to be Objectionable. As matter of
policy he made himself agreeable TO the officers.
and be seized an early opportunity of cracking
. bottle of dry monopole with the captain.
Several days passed The usual call was
made at Adelaide. and a scamper on shore was
afforded. Then the Iberia steamed along the
great Australian blight in beautiful weather.
rounded the usually turbulent ''I.eeuwin'' in a
calm-the stormy cape was caught asleep for
once-and began to plough her way y. y. ".
across the placid breast OF the Indian ocean
IL was not till then that the cautious major
permitted himself to be on friendly terms with
any Of the passengers. Three men in the sa-
loon he found TO be very decent fellows They
were gentlemen and they played cards-two
frst-rate recommendations. Among the ladies'
er s attention-a widow, blonde. beautiful and
clever, and certainly not more than thirty
Now. the ma or was very susceptible to fe-
male loneliness, especially when it was accom-
panied by wit IL was acciden. and the wan
dering life he had led. and not want of inclina-
tion. that accounted for his not having been
permanently caught IN the sliken tolls of the
gentle sex years ago.
IL must not be imagined for one moment
that his cehbaey the consequence OF an
So arf L..
ing the case the ma jor was generally consid-
cred handsome man. tall. manly figure
with broad shoulders. deep chest and straight.
muscular limbs; well-set head. clothed with
thick brown hair besprinkleG with gray and
clear cut squlline features; distinguished
bearing. courtly manners and a smile which
disclosed white. even teeth. all contributed to
q personality which excited admiration in
women and envy IN men. Years have the same
improving effect upon some men as upon wine
The msjor was one of those men, He was
much better looking at forty-fve than he had
been in his twenties.
OF all the men on board who were attentive
TO Mrs. Flemington-and they included the
captain, the officers and all the grass widowers
and unmarried men in the saloon-the major
was the least 6emonstrative and the most sue
cessful. He sat opposite to her at table
furtively aud admiringly watching the play OF
her mobile features and the changing lights in
her big gray-blue eyes.
He sat nesr and chstted with her on deck
enjoying the brightness Of her wit and the
keenness OF her intelligence; he fetched books
for her from the library, frequently choosing
them himself; be turned over the music at the
piano, and occasionally-having a light EASY
baritone voice and good ear-sang duets with
her. lie did all these things in quiet, unosten-
tstious manner. and in the same quiet unosten-
tatious manner he sank deeply in love with the
charming widow.
Perhaps Mrs. Remington was also in love
but u was not quite certain. Although she
had plenty Of dignity, with the power too. of
exercising IL very sharply when occasion re-
CURED as more than one presumptuous wight
on board could ruefully testify. she unbent to
the handsome major, and it was very apparent
that she enjoyed his society. Perhaps having
already experienced one courtship. she en-
deavored to compare her feelings then and
now, and was unable to determine their rel
alive depth and value Perhaps woman like
she was merely enjoying the companionship OF
the most agreeable man on board without
troubling 10 analyze her feelings or give the
matter any serious thought at all
Not so the major. He was playing Napoleon
in the smoking room one night when he oh
served that he had allowed one Of his opno
nents to 90 three when he had a certain four
in his own hand. Such absurd thing had
never happened to him before. What could
have been thinking of" he mused, ABSTRACT
eddy shutting the cards. The answer came
readily. "Of Mrs Pennington" Then. v
reasoned the major very properly, IF /. de-
voted card PLAYER. thinking of Mrs Elsu-