Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-05-21
81 wInnIAM 7. NIcHons.

a. biIC DidheS. Aibef q IJtle the
skipper, who had been standing near
the wheel, crossed over to me.
Doctor" he said, I've something to
tell you. 1t is better for you to learn it
now than TO come at it after awhile by
guesswork. We've char e'ed our course
and are headed for Rio
Then tAe ships injury is greater
than you supposed" l asked, with all
my old terrors aroused.
Yes. We have been leaking forward
ever since the collision. The pitching
and rolling in yesterdays blow in
creased the trouble and made my duty
clear. / want you to understand this
and to aid me in keeping up my wife's
spirits. Make her believe that seeking
port for repairs is more of an extra pre-
caution than necessity"
III do my BEST" l promised, and.
though my success was doubtful /
honestly strove to aid the captains de-
signs. OF the anxious days of that
run to Rio there is little to re-
cord; but, reach it as we did at
length. with the pumps going, the
men almost worn out and the shin
showing a good deal less freeboard
than she had displayed il the Pacific.
We learned, soon after our arrival. thai
Perez was out of the city, and that it
was uncertain when he would return.
The work of repalI4 On the ship was
pushed, for her master was desirous to
lose as little time as possible. There
were some cases of fever reported
among the shipping, and once or twice
was called aboard vessels to prescribe
for men lying i'll of the disease. l
doubt W. ether my ministrations had
much effect, Yellow Jack being then
more of stranger to me than was the
case somewhat later. While spending
day ashore ] was seized by the fever.
] was hurried to a hospital, there TO
fight my battle with the grim enemy.
The struggle was SO close, as learned
afterward, that probably it would have
gone against me, had not Perez, re-
turning to Rio, got news of my attack |
and secured for me all that money could |
command in the way of treatment and
attendance; and when / was GONZALES
cent he took me to his fine estate in the |
highlands. The Mary Peck by this
time was well on her way to New York. |
her captain easy in the knowledge that |
he had left his surgeon in good hands |
OF the weeks passed as Perez guest |
shall ever cherish a grateful remem-
brance. His kindness was unvarying, |
his generosity unlimited. He had OBJ
tanned a very fair notion of my slender
prospects, and gladly would have aided
me TO seek fortune in Brazil, had not
the physicians strongly advised against
my attempting to remain there. Ac-
cordingly, he was forced to content
himself with arrangements for my pas
sage home, which he decided should be
made by way of England. He would
have done more, and pressed upon me
money, which would have been a well
come addition to my resources, had
not refused to increase my obligations
to him.
"Ohligations!" he objected. Don't
let me hear you mention obligations.
Fate has brought us together twice.
You think that on the second occasion
you have become my debtor, but
know that ON the first incurred debt
to you which can never be liquidated.
How would / have Jared had / not re-
ceived slIillful treatment after the crew
of your ship hoisted rue out of the boat
in which | had suffered tortures? 1t
was the one chance in the hundred that
the rescuing vessel carried a surgeon.
There was fate in it: there was fate in
the accident which drove the Mary
Peck TO Rio. 1t may be destiny that
even for third time we shall be OF
service the one IN the ofbpr.
Il trust that if the opportunity comes
ii viii be mine," said i; but our lives
promise to be spent far apart"
Even SO. But the chain of destiny
sometimes links the most remote"
Evidently a feeling possessed him
that our connection was not to end with
the good-byes spoken on the steamer
which was to bear me from Rio. He
asked many questions about my plans,
until from the answers he perceived
that was turning homewaTd almost
without an idea of the manner of ex-
istence before me. Then the talk drift
ed to the sorry experiences of my pro-
fessional career and to the Grant char
acter of my boyhoQd existence. He
was a sympathetic listener to descrip-
ton of the old village on the New Eng
land coast and the lonely house, sur
rounded by the marsh. which had been
my favorite retreat. Under the spur
of memory, l told him much of the /
abandoned dwelling and of its isola-
ton.
IF ever come to be misantt rope"
( declared, "let me retire thither, as |
sured that 1 may remain undisturbed /
so long as | choose. Yet, if my mood |
changes, it viii be but a step, and again |
] shall be among my fellows"
Truly an admirable heritage" he /
observed.
Indeed it is. The villagers take no |
interest in the old place. Though near
them, it is out of their way, and there |
is no reason why they should visit it. |