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

An hour later the major again appeared on
deck and looked cautiously around He could
bear the confinement of His cabin no longer
He wanted fresh air and exercise As the
saloon deck was now deserted he paced quickly
up and down. His thoughts were very bitter.
He had heard Mrs. Pennington laughing
laughing gaily, while she knew that he was i'll.
He used to enjoy her merriment but the sill
very peals he had just heard stabbed him to the
soul, for they were occasioned by the with
clsms of his rival, and torturing thought they
we're possibly at his expense.
Pausing in his walk the major leaned over
the stern and gazed at the agita.ed water be-
meath. One little slIp-a quiet vault over the
taffrail-and In a very few minutes he would
be miles astern, floating alone on the great
wilderness of water, to sink at last murmuring
the name OF one fair. false woman. to a lonely
resting place IN the cold. hungry Deep Or,
less poetic thought, he might be caught in the
arms OF the propeller and crushed out of ex-
istence In its revolyings. But in either case
the effect would be the same, Mrs. Pennington
would be doomed to lifelong remorse.
Satisfied with the pleasant fancy. the major
resumed his walk. and in a few moments he was
with singular inconsistency, mentally consign-
ing his deadliest enemy, MIR. Sparkle, to the
happy fate he had sketched out for himself
The major was not the only restless soul
abroad that night. He suddenly discovered
that there was man pacing the second saloon
deck, whom. In his preoccupation, he had not
hitherto observed. Occasionally they me. III
their walk at the railing which divided the two
decks and the major became seized with n
longing to address Lis fellow watcher. Must
there not be bond of sympathy between them
that they two, of all the Passengers should
seek that quiet hour for solitude and re hec ton?
Our hero at that moment would have fled upon
the approach of the captain. Mrs. Pennington.
Mr.. Sparkle or any of his friends. but he would
have gladly chatted with the cook, or the baker
or any one he had not met before. His FORTY
eight hours confinement made him long for
companionship. and so he drawn toward
this stranger Of the second saloon. Accordingly
he hazarded Its a beautiful night when they
next met at the railing.
The stranger responded with alacrity. He
was very small and very attenuated man W it'll
pale. lean face, straight black hair, an ag-
gressive nose and bright dark eyes, which sug-
gested a restless, sanyuine spirit too big for
tine weak little body.
1T is indeed beautiful night. sir. The man
who elects to stew in a hot. stuffy cabin on
such night is wanting in taste and poetic feel
ing"
he merited this indirect compliment the major
accepted it graciously.
Il quite agree with you, SIR" LIE said Mid
night on the ocean is a seductive, dreamy
hour"
1T is certainly the hour for the dreamer
land am dreamer. Physical insignificance
limited education. lack of golden oppor-
tunity and a condition in life inexorably glued
to the commonplace short fate has shut me
out from the possibility of soaring Bu:
have my dreams. / encourage and foster
them; steal away by myself and gloat over
them. and am happy. Now have the might
and courage OF Achilles; in en- hour / have
woven for myself as adventurous O career as
that of Ulysses. At one time l am second
Ill. IL
Dickens has fallen upon me. have been all
things-poet. priest, politician, philosopher,
scientist. soldier. navigator and king; aud as
each and all l have been pre-eminent. / have
dwelt in yon golden planets. and have pene-
trated the most hidden depths of this mighty
ocean. have tracked the tiger through the
jungle to his lair, and in the desert l have
taken the lion by the beard and have slain him.
have-well. I'm afraid have succeeded in
boring YOU"
Not at ALL" answered the major; "on the
contrary, am deeply interested. But Con-
fess to being surprised that man of your very
evident abilities should coniine himself to
dreaming Small stature cannot be good ex-
cuse for inaction when we remember that many
of the greatest men that ever lived were Of
small and even weakly frames. How often has
it been proved that great spirit may conquer
any physical disability. Remember that the
minds the standard of the man. and"
stay, sir, interrupted the little man. 'Do
not condemn one WITHOUT u Idlr nearing. told
you just now that my life Is trammeled by a
multitude of commonplaces. Let me give you
q few examples. Commonplace number one
my name is John Jobson."
''And a very good name, too, interjected the
major.
Your politeness does you honor" replied
Mr.. Jobson, smiling. Granted then, for the
sake of argument only, that John Jobson il a
euphonious cognOmen. Let us proceed Com
monplace number two, am, and always have
been, poor. Commonplace number three, l am
dentist"
The major started as though Mr.. Jobson had
discharged pistol in his face. Had the gods
offered to grant him the realization of one
| wish he would have said, Send me a dentist. ="
| And this weird little man seemed to have
| dropped from the skies to his deliverance.
| Then the majors ecstasy became chilled by
| the reflection that dentist in his consulting
room and workshop and the same individual
| on board ship were two very different things.
| Mr.. Jobson might object to practicing under
| the circumstances, or, very probably, he had
| not the necessary paraphernalia with him.
"You appear surprised" remarked Mr. job
son. "Am to infer that have met an unfor-
tunate brother professionally
| "You have met an unfortunate" replied the
major '.but not brother professional Have
you not noticed that keep this wrap over my
| mouth aud that my speech Is terribly imper-
| fect2 Never did man stand in more urgent
| need of your skill than l.
suddenly becoming a. practical as he had
| hitherto been the reverse. "Allow me to see
for myself"
| Diving under the railing Mr.. Jobson led his
\ patient to the nearest light The tall man
STOPPING, with distended jaws, while the little
| man, with hat thrown back, peered earnestly
| into his mouth, was q humorous spectacle, and
| il was well for the majors tender sensibilities
| that they were unobserved.
Magnificent teeth, those you have," re-
marked Mr.. Jobson sdmiringly. "but you've
| lost three in the top row and almost full in
'front.' What . difference 1t must make to your
appearance2"
| II should rather think II did" said the
| major, With considerable emphasis.