New-York tribune., 1903-06-08
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER IL
I START IN LIFE AS AN EMINENT PERSON
Mr.. Scougan lean. strident who
If he lectured US often. whipped on the whole
with Judgment and when deserved II. So
we bore him grudge But neither did We
love him nor take any lively interest in him as
a bridegroom. and was startled to find these
feelings shared by Mr.. George in the porter's
box when discussed the news with him I'm
10 have a new suit of Clothes said Mr.. George.
but whoever gets Scougan he's no catch"
This sounded blasphemous. while It gave me a
sort of fearful joy. 1 reported II. under seal Of
secrecy. to Miss Plinlimmon. Naval men. my
dear Harry" her comment. are notori-
ously blunt and outspoken, even when retired
upon pension: perhaps. indeed. II anything.
more So II Is in consequence of this habit that
they have sometimes performed their grandest
feats. as for instance when Horatio Nelson put
his spyglass up to his blind eye l advise you
to do the same. and treat Mr.. George as a
chartered heart of oak without remembering
his indiscretions to repeat them" She went on
10 tell me that sailor men were beloved In
Plymouth and allowed TO do pretty much as
they pleased. and how. quite recently. quaker
lady had been stopped IN Bedford-st by jack
tar who said he had sworn to kiss her Thee
must be quick about It. then" said the Quaker
lady And he was
more familiar with Mr.. George AT any rate.
confded to him next day that I thought Of
being a soldier.
do you know what we used to say in the
navy?" he answered We used to say. A mess
mate before a shipmate. shipmate before
dog and a dog before soldier"
You think" said l. somewhat discouraged.
that the navy would be better opening for
me?"
"Ay." he answered again. eying me gloomily:
that is if so be We can't contrive to get to
jail He cast glance down upon his jury-leg
and patted the straps Of IT with his open palm
The leg now, that used to be here-I left ii in
a French prison called Jivvy. and often 1 thinks
to myself. That there leg is having better luck
than the rest OF me- And here's another Gu
rious thing What dye thi- k they call 1t in
France when You remember person in your
wfn?"
/ hadn't a notion. and said so.
Why legs" :" said he. And they've got one
of mine. II was superstitious. you might
almost call IT coincidence. hey?
This was the longest conversation ever had
with Mr.. George. 1 have since found that senti-
ments very like his about the navy have been
uttered by Dr. Samuel Johnson But this must
be q real coincidence. Mr. George spoke them
out OF his own experience. and had cause to
| recall them later on. as you will see
Mr scougans bride was the widow of a
Plymouth publican who had sold his business
and retired upon a small farm across the Ham
| oaze near the Cornish village OF Anthony. On
the wedding morning (Which fell early in JULY
she had. by agreement with her groom. prepared
| delightful surprise for We trooped after
prayers into the dining hall TO find. in place OF
the hateful porridge. feast laid out-ham and
eggs. cold veal pies, gooseberry preserves. and
| best of all-pIate upon plate OF strawberries
| with bowl upon bowl Of cool, cIotted cream. Not
| a child of US had ever tasted strawberries or
! cream in his life. you may guess if we ate
| with prudence At half-past ten Miss Plinlim-
| mon (xho had not found the heart TO restrain
| our appetites) marshaIled and led US forth.
| gorged and torpid, TO the church where at IL
| O'Clock the ceremony was to take place Her
| eyes were red-rimmed she cast them up
toward the window behind which Mr. Scou-
gall, no doubt, was at that moment arraying
| himself; but she commanded firm step. and
even firm voice to remark outside the wicket.
| as she looked up at the chimney pots. that
| nature had put on her fairest garb-
The day to be sure, was monstrously hot and
| stuffy Not breath Of wind ruff1ed the waters
| of the dock around the head Of which We
| trudged to a recently erected church on the op-
| posite shore I remember observing. on our
! way, the dazzling brilliance Of its weathercock-
We found its interior spacious but warm and
| the air heavy with the scent-it comes back 10
| me as 1 write-of peculiar sweet oil used IN
| the lamps. Perhaps Mr.. Scougall had calcu-
| lated that a ceremony interesting TO him
| would attract throng of sightseers; at any
rate we were packed into gallery at the ex-
trerne western end OF the church, and in due
time watched the proceedings from that respect
full distance and across a gulf Of empty pews
That is to say, some OF us watched / have
no doubt that Miss Plinlimmon did for in
stance nay, that her attention was rlveted-
Otherwise I cannot explain what followed
| On the previous night had gone to bed al
most supperIess as usual. 1 had come as usual.
ravenous TO breakfast, and for once had sated.
and more than sated desire. For years after.
though hungry often enough in the course or
them I never thought with longing upon cold
veal or strawberries. nor have l ever recovered
a virgin appetite for either.
II Is certain then that even before the cere-
n,onv began-and the bride arrived several min
utes late-I slumbered on the back bench OF the
gaIlarv The evidence of six boys seated near
me agrees that at the moment when Mr. Scou-
gall produced the ring. quietly. but with
out warning and made my exit by the oeiiry
door They supposed that taken i'll; they
themselves were feeling more or less uncon-
Portable
The belfry stairway, by which we had reacheo
the door of our gallery. wound upward beyond