A SAILOR'S COMPLIMENT.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7928, 17 December 1887, Page 6

A SAILOR'S COMPLIMENT.

A compliment true and genuine was paid by a sailor who was sent by his oaptain to carry a letter to the lady of his lore. The sailor, having delivered his message, stood gazing in silent admiration upon the lady, for she was very beautiful. "Well, uiy good man," she tald, " for what do you wait? Thera is no answer to be returned. " " Lady," replied the sailor with humble deference, "it you please, I would like to know your name." "Did you not Bee it on the letter?" "Pardon, lady— l never learned to read. Mine has been a bard, rough life." " And for what reason, my good man, would you know my name V ■ " Beoause," answered the old tar, looking up honestly, "in a storm at sea, with danger afore me, I would like to call the name of the brightest thing I'd ever seen in my life. There'd be . sunshine in it even in darkness." \ ROUGH ON TOM SHERIDAN. The life of Sheridan, senior, was not a wise one. He drank to excess, and he ran into debt to Bupport his extravagant style of living. But he disliked sceptical notions, and held to orthodox ideai in philosophy and religion. Tom ons day tried to engage his father in a die-

ousaion of -the doctrine of necessity. "Father,". said he, " did you ever do anything in a state of .perfect iudifferenoe — without motive, I .mean, of aoms kind or other ?"\ Sheridan, who, knew what was doming, and did not relish such discussions; answered, " Yes, certainly." "What! Total indifference— entire, thorough indifference ?'.' " Yes—total, entire, thorough indifference.'' ", Then tell me," persisted Tom, " what is it you oando wjth total indifference?" " Why, listen to you Tom," replied the father.