THE INNOCENT FROM HOME.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2061, 22 September 1885, Page 4

THE INNOCENT FROM HOME.

Paut II. — On niK Ska. " The sea, the sea, the open sea, The blue, the flush, the ever free," Is very beautiful and majestic in theory, and lovely to watch from tho shore, but for a conservative Waikatn man, it is decirkd'v too free for such a short acquaintance. We got on bo.ird the Havvea at Onehunga. at .S a.m. on Tuesday. It was mining haid, but we thought it did not matter. Wo wero now fairly st.i. ted on our way, and wo need fear no gentle voice bieakmg in upon our tranqinhty, saying, " father, the cows aie in the yaid." The Hawea did not come up to tho notions I had formed of a, floating palaco ; still it is larger than any of tho fast and favourite paddle steamers on the Waikato n\er. Wchadbre.ikf.ist.it nine o'clock ; everyone was theic .md boomed t > enjoy it. Then we all went on deck and studied our fellow-passengers, and the le^s interesting scenery of tin 1 Manukau. " Who talks of being aoa Mck," I said ! No one i> ill, and lam quite enjoying tho «-.ilt air. In about two houia we come to the b.u, when suddenly tho motion changes. A totall) new sensation overpowers me. What is it ? I try to think it is the steneiy. J3ut no 1 Then I think it may be the light of other days, brought back to my mind by the newly-marued couple I saw pacing thi 1 deck so l.wmgly. I look lonnd foi tlum. Wheiu are they? Tliey have disappeared ; mi Imvp the four ineiry youugteilows who weio just now telling funny \arns and airmging expeditions for Chri^tchm eh and Wellington. Why ! so has everybody eKe, except the ciew. I think I shall go and see what has become of them, and .iKo what on earth (or se i) is to become of me, for th it is becoming quite a serious and anxious thought to me now. With increasing difficulty of locomotion, I manage to crawl down the steps into the saloon, thence into the cabin, wheie I am placed with two other happy tourists. The happy tourists are already lying in their berths and gioanmg like a choius of lovesick frog«. I feel anything but cheerful myself, but manage to ask thorn if they aie going to die. One answeis tint he hopes to ; tho other seemingly does not care foi casual converse. I just got laid down in my berth when tho real fun bogan. Did not Mark Twain *iy he fancied he tln.w up his immortal soul ' Well, if I could have got anywhere off that boat I would gladly have thrown up the "Wellington E\hi bition. ' I so-dly thought that there was no available pott between Onelmnga and New Plymouth, but I would h.ivo bartered tho whole Pacific Ocean foi just enough land to ho down upon. I was not at all pirticulai about the quality, or how iiihcli per cent por annum I might make olf it. Chocolate •oil, hill land, swamp, any thing would have b«en welcome. You t-ay land has undermined the financial constitution of many a good Waik.ito man ; that may be, but when you are mortal nick finance has very little place in your thoughts. Now I think of it, did not Uichaid of "The Waikato Hotel " fir>t st irt us on our down ward career? Kiehaul, if we live to visit your rising township again, not one foot p.vt Mrs (jwynne's shall yon drive us. I wanted a sea trip, did f ? Oh, that I had listened to the wise man of your vill igu, Mr Editor, when he sang at tho Catholic entertainment, "Take my advice and don't go. Better to die with the divil you know than die with tho divil >on don't know." I thought I was badly used with the hard tunes, tan children and fifteen cows, but by thin time I felt I had had quite enough foreign travel, and an mexpiessible longing c.i me over mo to bo back at Kukuhia, as the same poet be intifiilly sings, "diggin' praties agin." The situation was becon.ing so alarming that I considered it w.is really time to think of my sin*, ho I started; but it was such a long job I thought I would leave that unfinished and try and remember any little debts I might have. This seemed a more hopeless business than the sin«, so 1 decided to let my creditors look after that. Then I began to wonder what my poor wife and family would do when I was gone. But I could not spare much time for anyone but myself. The steward passing by, I asked him " Will it evermore be thus, and were wo having a real rough time of it?" because when Waikato people travel they like things done in tho best style. He as Mired me that I might be quite convinced that this was tip-top style, for once outsido tho bar we wero getting tho benefic of tho equinoctial gales, also that the eclipse was expected on the morrow. He said they had never known it rougher, and tint they could only go half speed, and that if we ever arrived at New Plymouth, it would bo after 21 instead of the usual 12 hours run. After the consoling conversation I felt relieved and tried to analyse my situation. I was in ii tiny room no largei than a fowl house at home, and was lying in about as much ipace as we nhould givu to three hens' nests, with somebody el»o's lair just eighteen inches above ire. I have ridden many a despei.ate buckjnmpcr but never ono to keop at it like the Hawea : first she would plunge f<m\ ard and stand you on your head with li*-r screw m the air making the whole vessel .shiver, then you would hud yourself on your feet for a moment. Not to be p.iitial she would then bang you against the wall of your cabin on ono side, the n«*<t moment you might be lying helpless on tho floor. This kept up the whole night with the occasional diversion of a sea smashing the skylights and pouring down into the saloon. At eight m tho morning they said we wero along-udr the breakwater at New Plymouth; never was more welcome announcement. I thought if I had to sell my last factoiy share I would sacrifice it mid go overland H\k others had come to the same conclusion. How different we all looked from when we had seen each other the moining before. One or two were studying the eclipse through some brown paper but the majority like myself did not care foi rdiphed. The bride and bridegroom might have been married for years, they looked so miserable. When I was going off the capUiu said, "You'll bo back by 11.30." "No thank you" said I. "It struck me during the night that some friendi of mine in Waikato would prefer that I should travel through the country that I might describe to them the far famed Waitnate plains." " You will sacrifice your ticket." '• Oh " I wild, "in our district wo never think (f personal lorn or gain. It in what is for the general good, and I feel that it will bo for the general good if I travel overland." I told him I had enjoyed the trip exceed ingly, and hoped to travel with him next time I came abroad, but mentally resolved that it should not l>e during the equinoctial gales or before an eclipse. I do not know the Captain's name, but have thought ainco that "Kell'em " would be a good name for tho man who takes chaigc of a paity of excursionists who fanry they are going to have a good time down tho West Coast. EcLhCTIC.