Year: 1879

Our Passenger.

 It was lovely autumn afternoon, to- wards the closesof September, when we weighed anchor and sailed out of the River Mersey, bound for Melbourne. We had a good ship-Janet's Pride loaded with miscellaneous articles. On board were fourteen passengers, and take them all in all, pleasanter lot l never steered across the stormy seas.

 There was passenger who soon be- came the pet of all on board. He was man of about eight-and-twenty years of age, possessing very clear complex ion, avery handsome, long flowing beard and very silky mustache.

 His name was Reginald Moore. His given reasons for taking this sea voyage was the delicate state of his health. There was not the least doubt that the poor fellows chest was considerably affected, for his voice, though charming ly sweet, was one of the weakest ever remember hearing; and it had certain hollowness in its sound that in my mind is invariably associated with that terri ble disease commonly called consump- tion. He always wore thick muller round his neck to protect his throat and chest.

 In all my experience-and it has been 8 pretty wide one-I never knew any one with so many friends and such un- divided esteem in so short time as Reginald Moore. There was not, be- lieve, sailor on board who did not en- certain the warmest possible liking for him.

 As for the passengers, they never seemed so happy as when listening to his amusing anecdotes, of which he seemed to possess an inexhaustible store. Aud this delicate young English para gon of passengers had made this con- quest over all our hearts before we had been three weeks at sea.

 He was, too, such clever fellow with his hands he could cut and shape you anything out of piece of wood, from an oyster to an elephant, and at making models of ships never met his equal He was, besides, such 8 kind and con- siderate fellow towards his fellow pas sengers.

 When the three elderly gentlemen, who imagined their fortunes made, were afflicted with sea- sickness, he was the first to come forward and help and wall them about while they were slowly re- covering. He would insist upon theil taking his arm, weak as he was him self, and he would lead them about or deck with firmness that spoke volumes in favor of his own "sea legs"

 I do not remember any voyage evel passing 50 quickly as the one when the pleasant passenger was on board. could, with infiaite pleasure, make , long pause at this juncture in the threat of my story, to dwell upon the pleasan memories still retain of Reginalt Moore.

 We were within weeks sail of Mel bourne. Reginald Moore had all bu completed model of the Janet Pride which he purposoi presenting to m the night before we landed.

 Now he worked at this model princi pally on deck, and strangely enough, h had chosen for 8 work. table the top o one of the empty water-casks that stood on deck, abaft, and under the shelter o the bulwarks.

 While he worked through the day, yo were sure to see him surrounded b some of the passengers or sailors. Tn amount of industry he displayed wa . truly wonderful, for he was invariabl at work in the early morning, long bt fore any of the other passengers dream of turning out of their snug berths.

 As I have already stated, we were br six days sail from Melbourne. For th first time in our experience of him, tt pleasant passenger appeared at the dil ner table with solemn, downcast .e: pression of face and silent tongu Before dinner was over, I asked hi what troubled his mind, and caused tn unhappy change in his wonted manne

 At first he tried to evade my queri by replying that it was |" nothing, not ing in particular ;' but I pressed hi consistently until I won from him { explanation.

 ".Perhaps, after all," he said, it only fair that I should explain matter The fact of the matter is, my watch h been stolen"

 Stolenl" we all explained in a breat

 Undoubtedly" he answered; "b I pray you, Captain "-here he ,,turn' to me-"I pray you say not one wo about it. The only thing that rende the loss of consequence to me is the ia that it once belonged to my poor mot or. On that account alone, would n

 have lost it for any amount of none

 However, it cannot be helped, and the1

 fore it is useless to cry over split mil

 as the old adage has it. My only I