Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-01-11

OF all events. II means population. and
what does that signify bot the passions,
the Struggled. the griefs. hopes. reli.
giona deaths and aspirations sfter death
Of poor humanityY'
Zone does sometimes laugh in the
wrong place. SIR" said Mr.. Hardy. in
. voice Of respectful apology. II have
laughed in church, sir, but then, TO be
sure, was needless young man.
1T must be q nice thing to have O
nice wife" said Boldock.
"A nice wife," said Mr.. Hardy.
"A nice wife. certainly, =" exclaimed
the commander. - lady that would
make comfortable home for o man. A
man wants Q comfortable home. feel
the need Of il all the while am ashore
and yearn for it all the time am II
SEQ. do not like lodginga There is .
coldDess, an indifference. IN insensibil-
ity to your feelings and wants-to wants.
mean. which are not to b supplied By
anything in the philosophy Of laschkeys
and shaving water"
II have no great opinion Of mar.
riage." said the mate. THE billing
and cooling season is commonly reckon
ed the best part. but then comes the
family. and in q little while, sir. you
may calculate how long the couple have
been married BY measuring the distance
one walks behind t'other when out for
| . stroll.
| Every man wants home" said the
commander after . succession of cork
drawing sucks at the heavy amber
mouthpiece of his pipe.
"Seems to me, sir, q man wants q
good deal that he can't get There's
nothing that I'd like better than home
myself But it's too expensive.
BOldock hove out sigh that had the
strength and volume Of groan. A sail
tapped aloft; sheave on some rusty pin
sQuealed like rat to some sudden drag.
''At all events" said the commander,
II am sick Of the sea, Hardy. and shall
abandon it before long"
II wish ] could see my way to take
that view. sir" said tho mate. looking
at the lights in the water.
ut is pleasant. +" said the commander,
ito think Of settling down ashore when
one Is at sea. picture q white faced
cottage with red roof. That red roof
shines amid the trees I've fancy OF
being able to see my house when I'm @
long way OF from il. In imagination,
Hardy, I stand upon q lawn like velve,
and snuff up the most delicious smell OF
flowers and listen to the silver tinkline
Of little fountain Of water. When
step into the house, enter rooms fur
nished with objects which delight me
pictures of engagements ut sea, antler:
and bows and arrows from savage places
an immense leather armchair, with plen
~ of stern sheets, in which sit, in slip
pers and shirt sleeves, with pipe in
| my mouth and q book ON my knee. lis
. tening to the humming Of the bluebottle.
and the bees out of doors"
!, THAT sort Of home takes q deal o.
keeping up, sir" said Mr.. Hardy, con
tinuing to leer at the sheeting and cloud
ing lights alongside, in whose image,
and wild, fanciful drawings, as tn
cleaning stuff met, dissolved and trem
bled on in fibers and darts from tn,
briggs side, tho poor fellow might hav,
witnessed illusions not less hollow ant
hopeless than the dreams which ha,
sometimes haunted his lonely quartz
! deck lookouts.
: The commander, finding his pipe out
| went below. The cabin was empty
, Boldock seated himself nc the table. an,
, presently sailor arrived with keith
Of hot water, which no placed before th
commander on three legged rest. Tb
, same sailor produced from . locker
) bottle OF rum, lemon and some loa
. sugar, and then, with n flourish Of hi
thumb at a lock Of hair and q thirst,
, lingering look at the bottle, he went vi
q the ladder and vanished.
i Boldock mixed himself q glass Of no
3 rum and water and regretted that Mr.
, Matthews had retired, rs he loved com
q pany. A great many thoughts sported il
d this stout sea dogs brain, but it il Ger
a tain they did not concern the bushes
!. of the brig. Probably his mind neve
e once glanced at the reef he was boun
n to. He sat smiling and smiling. Tn
{ little sea parlor was speedily aromati
a with the scent of hot rum and lemon
4 To many nostrils, especially to those o
: the ocean going among them. nothin
;. il comparable for Righteousness to thi
noble smell Boldock sat slipping hi
a grog, with smiles which deepened az tn
= liquor in the bottle sank, till he hear
a the briggs bell tinkle four So it was
{ o'clock in the south Pacific, much abou
4 where the Wellesley was. an amsziD
q black night. and the water quick All
9 splendid with the lightnings of phos
a phor.
Boldock drank three glasses. He wa
d no more affected by the liquor than tn
' briggs figurebead would have been ha
q the drafts been poured over it as
{ leaned in blue coat and cooked hat un
Q der the bowsprit Of the vessel. II
o thought he would I'LL another pipe an
: watch the weather in company wit
Mr.. Hardy for half an hour or 30 On
J. was in the act Of putting the rur
Q bottle away in the locker when the doc
o Of the cabin occupied BY Miss Man
sci opened, and the young lady. habi,
t ed in her dressing gown. her feet loos
in pair Of Mr.. Hardy's slippers. ster