The Irish standard., 1896-05-23
q. Y 50 s,ss. I. ;,
ny nlInnIHN =. NICHOLS.

81
...copyr,sh.. ,ss,. BY 3. ltppneou conpany.-
its isolation. Nobody dreamed Of In
vading my retreat, and there / could
imagine myself monarch OF all SUR
veyed, ruling realm SO deserted that
the very loneliness of it, for which !
loved it, sometimes terrified me.
My uncle'a death, cutting short my
stay in Rodney town, led to my removal
to tile far different scenes Of q small
city in central Illinois. where dwelt an
other Of my fathers brothers, child
less widower. He was an austere man,
intensely practical, and we'll calculated
to cure me of the romantic moods I had
learned to cherish, had we but come to
\ terms Of affection. Unlnckily, however,
I'VE had too little in common to reach
& even amity. At 1871 was told the time
for study was over, that the time for
toll had arrived. He took me into his
shop-he was a merchant in small
way-and for year strcve, zcalously
to discover some trace Of business ca
pacity in his assistant. Failing utterly
in this, he called me before him, gravely
passed his verdict on my manifold de-
ficiencies, and inquired whether had
any plans in mind.
One of my frient1s--a few had been
acquired, perhaps by force of circum-
stances--had entered a medical school
in neighboring city; and, on the spur
of the moment, elected to follow his
example, Ny guardian-he held that
post in virtue of the small estate left to
me by my first protector-offered no
objections, though he gave formal no.
tice that the funds In his possession
would hardly suffice 10 do more than
carry me through the school. Unde-
tered by the warning, / matriculated,
and for two years studied faithfully,
receiving degree at the end Of the
second, and thus becoming entitled le-
gally to experiment on humanity. As,
by virtue Of strict economy, there was
still some money to my credit, ] de-
termined to spend year at q famous
eastern school; and I carried out the.
plan, only to meet one of the kcenest Of
disappointments at the close of the
period, through failing to secure o COW
eted appointment as a hospital inferno.
Just at this time, too, came news OF
the death of my uncle. He bequeathed
to me letter of sound advice and q
thousand dollars. BY means of the lat
ter-and disregardipg the former--I
spent fourth year in study, this time
selecting another of the great institu-f
tons. The balance left at the end of the
season served to equip a modest Office in
the city. in which Capt. Peck found me-,
just entering my 25th year, with re-
sources exhausted and hopes blighted
by the dreary waiting for paying pa
tients who did not come. Add to These
troubles a share of anxiety as to my
health, and one can understand the will-
ingness with which ] became surgeon
of the Mary Peck.
She was almost q new ship, Maine
built, Yankee oficered and manned by
crew representing many nations. She
was of about thousand tons burden,
and was frsighted with q cargo of con
siderable value. Her living quarters
aft were com Portable, if not luxurious,
AMI the cabin fare was excellent. The
captain and his wife, the two mates and
I, made up the population OF. that part
OF the vessel. ! ~ e.
The Mary Peck's run to the equator
was made in circumstances of the sort
to delight both the skipper and the
pair who were making their first deep,
water voyage. Barring q sharp gale
soon after she cleared the coast, the ship,
encountered fine weather down to tue
line, with plenty of wind, but not too
much Of ita very important qha1 flea!
ton in the eyes of the novices.l AS thef
days grew warmer Mrs. Peck throrc 7
amazingly, the color came back 20 her
cheeks, and her strength increased, mi
til we almost forgot that she had begun
the voyage an invalid. She herself
credited old ocean with her improve
rnent, and the captain was much Of her
way Of thinking, while my notion of the
matter was that the colnpanionship Of
her tall, bronzed husband counted for
more with the little woman THAN sea-
mir and sunshine combined. At NIL
events, however, the surgeons post
promised to be 8 sit1ecure. t#s
To the line, as has been said, fortIlng
showered her fayors upon us, but no.
sooner was ourprotv eleaving the waters
of the southern hemisphere than the .
gifts OF the tickle goddess ceased. For
d fortnight we had calins.or brcczes so
faint us hardly to give the ship steer
1ge way. Yet She contrived to crawl on.
duly putting some Leagues Of her road
behind her; for her master was smart
seamd1i, and made the most of every
c;tt's-paw. Nevertheless it was Slow
work, arid all of us longed for cooler
days and fresh winds with an invig-,
Grating keenness in their rush. i.
I was leaning against the rail one
night, lingering beyond the usual hour
and 10th to quit the GOODNESS Of tho
deck, when the captain came up, and,|
standing beside me, lighted cigar
The night was still and 1noohlit. aud the !.
ship lav almost n1otionless.
s.Still ocean hoIida u weather. said T.;
'".Do YOU look for much more Of it 2? {?
I /! II hope not. J said he, emphntica1ty.i
ITS the sort OF holiday that's worse
than labor = II. d
stAnd when steam discounts canvas. . 81
Eyes" he observed; .it's enough to
make one pray for engine and screw.
but perhaps ought not to complain.
My wife certainly seems none the WORSE
for this drifting in the tropics !,
..She stands the heat well, no doubto
that" said !. .'1n fact, she takes most
.,s III