LITERATURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5221, 29 January 1885, Page 3

LITERATURE.

♦ UP THE RIVER WITH A LUNATIC. Alf Dixon, Tom Giffard, and I had gone up the river camping out j we had done our second day's work. II was early morning on the third day, glorious. I was in the boat, getting tlie steering-lines in order ; Giffard and Dixon were on the bank, talking to Dr Rawle. Ab I understood it, tlie doctor was at the head of a private asylum for lunatics. He was Giffard's friend, not mine. He had been taking a constitutional when he happened to fall in with ub just as we were sitting down to our open-air breakfast ; the chance meeting led to Giffard inviting him to share our gipsy meal. He did. He was a pleasant fellow, not too old and not too young. I liked him exceedingly. We talked of things in general and of lunatics in particular. Something led to his mentioning — I think it was speaking of the cunning of a certain class of lunatic, and the difficulty of keeping them within four walls — the fact that one of his inmates had escaped a day or two previously, and had not yet been retaken. Thiß was tho moro singular, as it was tolerably certain he had not gone far, and search had beon made for him in, every direction. As Giffard and Dixon were saying good bye, preparatory to getting into the boat, the doctor laughingly said : " Should yon happen to come across him, I shall consider you bound to bring him back safe and sound. He's a man of forty-four to five, tall and bony, iron-gray hair, and has a curious habit of Bhowing his teeth and winking his left eye. Don't look out for a raving lunatic ; for on most points he's as right as you and I. He's wrong in two things. Whatever you do, don't let him lose hiß temper ; for whenever he doea, though ever so slightly, he invariably goes in for murder — he's all but done for two keepers already. And don't talk to him of England or Englishmen ; for if he should get upon his native land, he'll favour you with some observations which will make you open your eyes." Wo laughed. Alf and Tom shook hands with him, and got into the boat. We promised, if we should happen to meet him, we would certainly see him returned in Bafe custody Alf stood up and shoved us from the shore j we sang out a last good-bye, and left the doctor standing on the bank. It was a beautiful morning. The river was delicious, clear as crystal ; we could see the bottom, and every stone and pebble on it ; just a gentle breeze, fanning the surface of the water into a little ripple. We lit our pipes and took it easy. lam a good bit of a traveller, know ninny lovoly nooks and crannies in foreign lands j I have lived abroad as much aB at houio . but I will match the higher reaehoß of our own Father Thames for beauty and for charm against any sconery in Europe. And on an early summer morning, after a Bpoll o£ glorious weather, it is in all its prime ; tho water so cool, so clear ; tlio banks so greon, so charming ; tho stately treGß on cither side ; the mansions Been ovor tho meadows, or peeping out among the trees. You may choose your Rhine, your Garda, or your Maggiore, oryourgoldonßayof Naples, but leave Cookham and old Fnthor Thames to met Presumably, we had come for river beauties and the camping out; presumably j but a*

a matter of fact, there was a young lady | lived not bo far ahead, a mutual friend, | Lilian Trovers. Separately and jointly we had a high opinion of Miss Travers, not only of her beauty, but of other things as woll j and having come so far, wo hoped wo should not havo to return until at least we had had a peep at her. Unfortunately, though we know Miss Travers, we had no acquaintance with mister — there was no misses. Wo had met the young lady at several dances and such-like ; but on each occasion she was under the chaperonage of old MrsMaokenzie. Apparently Mr Travers was not a party man. But Lilian had promised to introduce us to him whenever she got chance, and we were not unhopeful she would get that chauco now. So you see that little excursion riverwards had more in it than met the eye. We went lazily on, just dipping the oars in and out; smoking, aud watching the smoke circling through the clear air. All thoughts of tho doctor and his parting words had gone from our minds ; we talked little, and that little was of Lilian and the chances of our meeting. We had gone some two or three hundred yards ; we were close to the shore j Alf could almost reach it by stretching out his oar. We were dreaming and lazying, when suddenly some one stepped out from among the trees. He was close to vs — not a dozen feet away. He was a tall man, rather over than under six feet. Ho was dressed in a dark brown suit of Oxford mixture ; he had a stick in his hand, wore abilly-oockhat,andliiscoat was buttoned right up to his throat. He had light whiskers, a heavy drooping moustache, hair unusually long, iron-gray in colour. He _ tightbe a soldier retired from his profession, oran artist out painting j he certainly looked a gentleman. Wpwerepassing on, when he raised his stick, and shouted out — "Stop!" It was a regular shout, as though we were half a mile from him. We stopped, although it was an unusual method of calling attention. " Gentlemen," he said, still at the top of his voice, " I should be obliged if you can give me a seat. I have a long way to go, and I am tired." We looked at him and at each other. It was a free-and-easy style of asking a favour ; but he seemed a gentleman, and an elderly one too. Common politeness dictated civility. " I am afraid," said Alf, " we've hardly room ; she's only built for three. " " Oh, that doesn't matter," he said, " you can put me anywhere, or I'll take an oar for one of you." I waa on the point of advising a pointblank refusal, not appreciating his offband manner ; but Alf thought differently. " All right," said he ; "we don't mind, if ypu don't. Steer her in, Jack." I steered her in. No sooner were we near the shore, than quite unexpectedly he stepped almost on my toes, rocking the boat, from side to side. Hang it!" I said: "take care, or you'll have us over." " What if Ido?" he returned ; " it'll only be a swim ; and who minds a swim in weather like this ?" We stared at him } the coolness, not to say impertinence of the remark, waa amazing. Begging a seat in our boat, knowing it was full, and then telling us he didn't care if he Bpilt us into the river ! He seated himself by me, setting the boat see-sawing again, crushing me into a Comer } and without asking with your leave or by your leave, took the steering lines from my hands, and slipped them over ' his shoulders. " Excuse mo," I said, making a snatch at them; "but if you'll allow me." " Not at all," he said ; " I always like something to do, and I expect you've had enough of it." Hi 3 coolness was amusing ; he was impenetrable. I knojt I for one regretted we were such mules asTio have anything to do with him. We waited i_ silence a second or two. " Come," he said ; " when are you going to start !" "Perhaps," said Alf, a bit nettled, "as you're in oufr boat a self-invited guest, you'll let us choose our own time." The stranger said nothing; he was stolid and silent; Tom and Alf set off rowing, the stranger steered right across the stream. " Where are you going ? " mid Alf ; " keep us in." " I'm going into the shade , the sun's too strong.-" He had the lines ; we could hardly insist on his keeping one side if he preferred the other ; he took us right to the opposite bank, under the Bhadow of the willow-trees ; for some minutes neither of us spoke; with him cramming me on my seat and ramming his elbows into my side, my position was not pleasant ; at least I let him know it. " I don't know if you are aware you are occupying all my seat." (To be continued.)