The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-12-04

that 1 could get ana l Knew or d
 plank upon which I could Jump
 overheard and I had notion that some of the bum-boat women who,
 like all old people, instinctively pro-
 tect their juniors when they are in
 danger of life or limb-that some of
 these wo1hen or possibly a less inn
 questionable biped of my own sex,
 would save me from drowning and
 after .that-well as Madame Pompa-
 dour said to Louis XV-the deluge.
 In other words I didn't know what
 would happen and I didn't care so long as I repaid the mate for the
 blow from which my shoulders were
 still aching and made my escape
 from the ship. So I lost no time in
 finding that other belaying pin. The
 fellow saw me approaching and made
 young and he was an old offender l
 was too quick for him. In the presence of the assembled crew who,
 like me, had been watching the
 bum boats, I dealt him lick and he
 went down on the deck like sack
 of potatoes The crew was paralyz-
 ed for they thought the second mate
 was killed and that I would have to
 walk the plank, so I very deliberately
 got my plank (not the one that was
 in their minds) and went overheard.
 No one a akampted to stop me and as
 I touched the water, being an expert
 swimmer,sI passed among the boats
 and very soon a swarthy woman of
 middle age with a good muscle had
 me in her boat and regardless of sell
 ing any more fal lals and such to the
 sailors on my ship she was resolutely
 rowing toward the shore where I was
 hidden away in a little house and
 taken good care of by the members
 of her family until my ship weighed
 n1n, nff I,oy frst 1 O
 underworld. Did I kill the second
 mate?" exclaimed MT. Macdonald. I
 never knew and I made no especially
 insistent inquiries On the subject.
 Discretion you know, is the better
 part, etc., particularly when you have
 hit a man on the cocoanut with be-
 layink pin, on ship sailing the un-
 presses it in the 'Chambered Nauti-
 lus.' But I can tell you this much,
 my boy; I swatted him for fair-yes,
 sir, certainly did.''
 This disagreement between officer
 and common sailor was a very serious
 matter for the latter as well as for
 the former with his injured cranium.
 The boy had no money, he had gone
 overheard in light attire and without
 his shoes, stockings or5 cap, the
 weather though pleasant in the day.
 time was trying at night and he was
 seventy miles from the nearest Amer
 ican consulate. But undaunted and with that rare courage that enabled
 him to surmount many obstacles in
 his later life, he set out for Tangier
 and he made the journey quickly and
 safely arriving, as he once said,
 slightly disfgured, but still in the ring!" And then he added, whimsi- cally, as he twirled the sgd degree symbol attached to his watch chain. ''1t was a case of, over the hot sands and no mistake" The consul listened to his story, believed every word of it and, although MT. Macdonald did not say so, undoubtedly fell in love with this charming representative of his own loved land bey ond the bill lOwy sea. At all events the consul fitted the lad out presentably and
 got him a semi official berth on an English ship on which and on others to which he transferred his services at different points, en route, he com pleted his voyage around the world l and sailed proudly through the Gold en Gate from which he had emerged into the open sea year or more before. Bronzed, full of experiences his. alert mind enriched by what he had seen, he visited Marysville and was. at once engaged as teacher. Here he remained for several years
 
 and ultimately he tired of the scholastic atmosphere of Marysville and the odor tutelary of the academy and one bright morning he went again to San Francisco and Marys- l vile knew him no more. excepting as he returned there from time to time, to visit his mother and other surviv- ing member of his family.
 After many adventures and vicissi- Mr Mon60na1 at the end of few years, a soldier in the regular army and stationed in Texas. When his time expired he | went to Washington and became a clerk in one of the departments When Leschetizky. the famous Vien- nese teacher of the piano became a | trifle boastful of his having been the gymnast of the keyboard replied l airily: "Leschetizky could teach me 1 nothing about the piano. That was quick to be seen, but he played ex- cellently we'll the billiards and I to him make my bow that he did much improve my game" I doubt ii much was taught to MT. Macdonald | while he was government clerk l but they write very good hands in Washington and it was here that he acquired style of writing. that has always been admired by his asso- ciates. It was strong, bold, easy to read and graceful withal. In a let ter to me written on the day he was starting for home, from the Mayos hospital at Rochester, Minn., his hand had all of it's conspicuous character istics and in nowise differed from it's usual appearance. Those recovering l from an illness carrying them into the valley and among the shadows of death generally take to a lead pencil, but MT. Macdonald's letter was writ ten with pen dipped in real ink. Ii bore no trace that it's author was a It bespoke rather a spirit that was dominant and that was housed in a strong and healthy body. In Wash ington MT. Macdonald married his helpful and excellent wife, the mother of his grown son and the gentle daughter who, in a few years will blossom into wOmanhood now left to mourn their irreparable loss Here also he made the acquaintance | of MT. Edward D. Easton at that 1 time the representative of the North ! American Monograph Co. Later he formed the Columbia Monograph Company, an organization to which was entrusted the sale in the
 District of Columbia, Delaware and | Maryland of Edison photographs MT. Easton was instrumental in hay ing Mr.. Macdonald represent the
 North American Monograph Go in Philadelphia and still later he became one of MT. Edison's ass;..ants Finally when the North American had begun manufacturing in Bridgeport 1. MT. Macdonald was sent here as in- SnecfOr. he nf