The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1900-05-24
STRANGE ADVENTURES OF A POET.
How He had the Romance Taken Out cf Him.

&&arcissus Brown was most esti-
mable young man of studious hab.
its. His father, a tradesman, had |
taken pride in giving him liberal
educa ion. At the age of l9 years,
therefore, Narcissus had finished his
education and had become philos-
opher.
But you,h is fckle An ardent i'm
agination and restless instincts worked
their way, and three months later
Narcissus became poet.
stFather." said lie, one day, 81 feel
within me the poetic instinct. am
poetp'
every we'll, my sor," said the pa
ternal Brown, 'be poet if you will.
So much the better, toe" he added,
with proud fondness, ''because it will
vex Green, the grocer. His son is
writer, but he only writes prose.
So Narcissus became poet. Every
day he wandered off to the little vii
lages near his native city, and there
eommuned with nature. The dusty
trees which lined the roadside moved
him to poetry, and even the windmills
stirred his soul.
"Ah," he would sentimentally say,
show romantic they look! See the
white sails glinting in the sun like
those of fair galleon gliding over
the waves to some far-of shore.
The sea! he had never thought OF
ne sea before The idea suddenly
8ashed across his brain.
"Ah," he unused, 'fhe seal The
bright, blue, boundless ocean! That is
the place for poet. What is there
poetic in this humdrum life ashore?
On the ocean man struggles with ma
ture; he combats the elements; he de-
fes the storm. shall go to sea-"
He returned to the paternal shop
and declared his intention. But his
fsther only yielded after much per-
sussion. At last he consented and
male up q noekaga of fane=- e=-f51;=z-s -f1=z-sa sssz.
FT;T-ssw i.sh ne thought would sell well q
the colonies. To this he added
purse. some tears and his blessing
and Narcissus started for the neares
seaport.
There he repaired to the house of
cousin, resident of the place; h
stated his intention and asked for ad
: vice. The cousin was well acquainte
with the captain of brig which wa
about to sail for Martinique, and Sc
cured him passage aboard of her.
Narcissus experienced Sigh
shock when he heard the name of th
vessel.
'If it were only little more poet
ical!' he thought The line, G
the Mermaid5~Ta'f<'Ee11 ~Ta'f<'Ee1-omng IKE that
s.1az's.,S-t ct the Sarah Annr' And he aske
the captains name. When told it wa
Smith, he almost tainted. He was
sail aboard of the brig Sarah Ann
Smith, master. He would have wi
lingly given larger sum if the car
tain had had nautical name.
However, there was no help for it
his passage money was paid. So til
next day, accompanied by his cousin
he took boat and went on board th
Sarah Ann, to see what she locke
like. On the way out the water wa
very rough, the boat was small, an
Narcissus at once hoped and feare
some accident-something romantic
But he only got seasick.
When he reached the deck he cas-
an eager glance around upon the hard
sons of the sea. Most of them wer
swabbing the deck after getting i
cargo, and there were several engage
in washing and hanging ont shirt
upon the rigging to dry. With an ez
clamation of disgust, Narcissus turne
away:
'They only need fatirons to
washerwomen, said he.
However, he descended to the CAP
tain's cabin. That individual was tall
ing to stout, thick set man, an
signed to Narcissus and his cousin t
seat themselves. They did so, an
Narcissus Immediately began to II
spect the cabin. To his disgust b
found it was prosaic little room, wit
carpet, chairs, table and pictures o
the walls-exactly like room o
shore. Narcissus sighed and turne
his eyes upon the captain. His ide;
of the man who was to brave the eli
ments and command turbulent Gre
was as follows: A mariner of giar
mame-at least six feet; massi7
head; fierce eyes; voice of awe-ir
spring qualities. He looked at Cay
tain Smith and saw that he was
short, thin man about 40 years {
age; he was extremely polite in hi
u,anners; he wore wig, and he too
snuff. It is impossible to describe th
revulsion of feeling that swept owe
Narcissus when he beheld this insie
nifcant parsonage.
The individual who was talking t
the captain was, as we have sale
stoutly built; he was joily-lookin
fellow, and was deeply interested i
trying to beat down the rate OF pa!
sage.
Come now, captain" said ht
''can't you put it little lower?"
81 have only one price, replied tb
captain.
Narcissus thought of the patern'
shop and shuddered.
WELL" said the stout man, afte
muos debate, ''what must be must b.
pnA conSitioa, however: my bo1e