The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-18

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4 ,.ue The man 1 called upon was an
i ~,.rirant boatman named Fox. 1t was
4 .,nnner day, and we sat together on
4 honch in front of quaint public house,
.,a sign of which was a ships figure
,.od representing a man in a sky-blue
Jacket and flowing white trousers taking
.,s altitude of the sun. had never felt
.,ore nautical than when l glanced up at
,hat wonderful, eager effigy, and slipped
class of excellent nutbrown ale, and
lacked into the face of my companion,
.loued like a sandy foreshore with the
t,rrows of weather.
"ft fell out in this way" he began. Il
r.s leaning against a post one fine morn
inc lust like this might be, when a gem
.eman coming along stopped, snuffed and
took look at the sea; on which 1 said,
IN the insnuating way OF the coast:
o.A fine day for sail, sir
ait is he answered, little more
cbeerfully than I had expected.
o'Grand day for a row, sir said.
Ono nobler day for a row could be
nrsyed for than this said he.
=. oWin you go them says I. Say for a
colpe of hours, out to that there buoy
and back. a comfortable spin
"Oh, dear, no. he answered, but very
politely.
Would you like to try little fishing,
. sir? said 1; for a mans not bred up a
boatman to learn the word defeat. 1t is
the defeated covey who does not man the
4 ufeboat 1t is the defeated shingle grind
er who knows how to get drunk at an
other mans expense and if that don't
work. then at the landlords. You may
lay that to heart, sir, if you take any
interest in boatmen, for I've been one of
the blooming lot all my life.
"A little fishing? he exclaimed, and 1
thought his face lighted up. Yes, he
said, after thinking, L should like to
try a little fishing very much, indeed.
DO you know a good spot?'
1.-The spot said /.
"'All right them said he, get hooks
and worms, and I'll be down here in about
half-an-hour with some food; for 1 shall
want to be out some hours, as the weather
looks promising
IN about half an hour he arrived with
a basket, and found the boat waiting for
him. He had made up a comfortable
basket of provisions and drink. Appeared
WidoWer; anyhow, was dressed in black
with a grey or white hat on, and a black
band round it. His ornaments were hand
some his chain very fine. Lord! didn't
think that there chain fine? The value of
It seemed to me such that L reckoned if
I had it and the watch attached to it
could lead gentleman's life for the rest
of my days.
well, it was a quiet, calm time, and
we partly rowed and partly sailed to-
wards the place I had in my mind, which
was about two miles and a half distant
When we arrived we let go the little an
Choir, bated our hooks and began to fish,
1T was middling hot, but the gentleman
didn't seem to care. On the contrary, Of
ten he'd clap his hat on to the back of his
head, and look up at the sky as if he
would coax some of the stains of the
ocean light into his London cheeks. After
We had been fishing for some time, with
pretty good success, we lunched; by which
4 l mean that the gentleman very hand
somely divided the contents of his basket
with me. l made one of the best meat
meals that day which ever 1 ate. and
never enjoyed a smoke more than the pipe
8 l lighted after it. We fished for another
hour or so. The gent then got tired Be-
sides our cargo was a middling good
our
Iugsall and steered with a plentiful sparkle
Of fish in the bottom of our boat for the
harbor
All on sudden 1 saw the gentleman
catch hold of one of his fingers and turn
as pale as the starn sheets he was sit
ing IN, He then started up with
grOan."
Why whatver's wrong. sir?' I ask
ed. Lost nothing, 1 hope?'
I've lost ring which 1 would not
nave taken thousand guineas for. 1
would not have taken all the money there
! IN the world for the ring, cried he,
shasdy white aud staring aft at the sea
as man looks when ne comes TO a
thing
HOW could you have lost IT.? said I.
m II must have slipped from my finger
When my hand was in the water he
And then he became like one fallen
ndu' blasting and blooming his own fol-
as never l heard, a man, searching
very pocket with frantic looks, then
mopplng on his knees and hunting over
MAJ part OF the boat where he had been
St.uHs When fishing. The fish were well
~ ara; there was no chance of the ring
a, fallen amongst them. 1t came
Inns :" ms, then; if the ring wasn't in that
-. Va 'AV podl Wnere we could see and
t rIll over 1t was overheard, and it didn't
axe US long to discover that it wasn't
In the boat.
&. GOOD God! cried the poor gentleman
a. piteous lamenting voice, sitting
oowh, What shall / do? That ring con-
' salned an exquisite little portrait of my
W., Wy VINO is dead, and lock of her hair
s u"Ier a seal Is it possible to recover
such a thing?
~, ne tears were standing in his eyes.
Iney fell from him as he looked stern
sstt, US towards the spot where we had been
a'S. sung oh, nor he groanned, that rings
SGi,e forever! 1 was afraid it was and
MI mink 1t worth while to comfort
90 f"i ny telling longshore lies on the chance
~ recovery. A ring isn't an anchor.
ing isn't grindstone. Most things
e,'S d man chance with his dredging
1' ..H. creeping machinery but a ring none.
.NeAt morning / was down by the wa
~, sac when the gentleman came up to
D.G GIong with Inspector Bum.
-, OK said the inspector, who knew
"" "eli' the loss Of this ring is a bad Job
60, OWE are going TO offer a reward of fifty
: meas for the recovery of 1t. Now /
,r.. II may be found. says he, provid-
sr'9 we can get the exact bearings of the
Ely a' you were fishing at along with this
&. me gentleman stood listening eagerly.
! could give you the bearings said I,
a Va Fae 80