Arizona republican., 1898-06-19
nv wrun1aM NICHOLS.

it's isolation. Nobody dreamed Of ln- l vading my retreat, and there l could imagine myself monarch of all sur veyed- ruling a realm so deserted that I the very loneliness of it, for which l ! loved it. sometimes terrified me.
 Nv uncle's death, cutting short my stay in Rodneytow led to my removal to the far different scenes of small ! city in central Illinois. where dwelt an- 1 other of my fathers brothers. child i less widower He was an austere man, intensely practical, and we'll calculated to cure me of the romantic moods had learned to cherish, had we but come to terms of affection. Unluckily, however, we had too little in common to reach even amity At IS I was told the time for study was over, that the time for l toll had arrived. He took me into his shop-he was a merchant in a small way-and for year strove zealously 1 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 I had any plans in mind.
 1 One of my friends-a few had been acquired, perhaps by force of circum- l stances-had entered medical school in neighboring city; and, on the spur of the moment, I elected to follow his example. My 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 mo- tice that the funds in his possession would hardly suffice to do more than carry me through the school. Unde- tered by the warning, matriculated, and for two years studied faithfully. second, and thus becoming entitled le- I gally to experiment. on humanity. As, | by virtue of strict economy, there was still some money to my credit, I de- termined to spend a year at famous eastern school; and I carried out the plan, only to meet one of the keenest of disappointments at the close of the period, through failing to secure GOV | eted appointment as hospital interne
 Just at this time, too, came news of the death of my uncle. He bequeathed to me a letter of sound advice and a thousand dollars. By means of the lat ter-and disregarding the former-I l spent fourth year in study, this time selecting another of the great institu- i tions. The balance left at the end of the season served to equip modest office in the city, in which Capt. Peck found me. 1 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 share of anxiety as to my 1 health, and one can understand the will ingness with which became surgeon of the Mary Peck.
 She was almost a new ship. Maine built, Yankee-officered and manned by a crew representing many nations. She was of about thousand tons burden, and was freighted with cargo of con 1 siderable value. Her living quarters aft were comfortable, if not luxurious. and the cabin fare was excellent. The captain and his wife, the two mates and I, made up the population of that part 1 of the vessel.
 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 a sharp gale soon after she cleared the coast, the ship 1 encountered fine weather down to the line, with plenty of wind, but not too much of it-a very important qualifica- tion in the eyes of the novices. As the I T Al amazingly, the color came back 70 her cheeks, and her strength increased. mr. l til we almost forgot that she had begun the voyage an invalid. She herself credited old ocean with her improve ment, and the captain was much of her 1 way of thinking, while my notion of the matter was that the companionship of her tall, bronzed husband counted for more with the little woman than sea air and sunshine combined. At all events, however, the surgeons post promised to be a sinecure.
 To the line, as has been said, fortune showered her favors upon us. but no sooner was our prov cleaving the waters of the southern hemisphere than the gifts of the tickle goddess ceased. For a fortnight we had calms or breezes so faint as hardly to give the ship steer age way. Yet she contrived to crawl on, daily putting some leagues of her road behind her; for her master was a smart seaman, and made the most of every cat s-paw. Nevertheless it was slow work, and all of us longed for cooler days and fresh winds with an invig- oriting keenness in their rush.
 l was leaning against the rail one night, lingering beyond the usual hour and 10th to quit the coolness of the deck, when the captain came up, and. standing beside me, liglted a cigar. The night was still and moonlit, and the ship lay almost motionless.
 Still ocean holiday weather said I. Do you look for much more of it?''
 T hope not" said he, emphatically. Its the sort of holiday that's worse than labor.'
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