6
THE HESPERIAN
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nothing of tho ono day's unpleasantness. If
a person liked to read, thoro was no botter
time to indulge in that pastimo. A book, a
chair, and a rug or two made many look
very comfortable, whether they felt so or not.
Then thoro came that indefinable feeling as
you looked out over tho ocean with nothing
but wator around, not oven a small ship in
sight. Oue can spend hours, too, simply
watching tho waves. They have a groat
charm to an idle person.
But at night, ono feels, more than at any
other time, the vastness of tho ocean. There
is a fascination about tho water as it seems
to rush past you in the gloom. Then if you
wish your thoughts to go faster you may
turn from the side whore tho wator is black
and watch tho propellors churn the water in
to white foam virion sparkles with a phos
phorescent glow. You have an environment
suitable to every mood and it is with regret
that you turn away.
Tho days, though sometimes tedious passed
pleasantly enough. When wo passed a ship
at close quarters, all the passengers would
line tho rail and cheer. Once we sighted a
whale spouting quite a distance off. After
that the cry of "whale'" was given regularly
to see the rush.
One day wo went through the engine room.
As we carried a passport with tho great seal
of tho University of Nebraska upon it, we
received special attention. No party the
Bizo of ours had ever before been shown the
machinery. As for the stoke hole, it must
bo seen to bo appreciated. It is safe to say
that no stoker over experiences "life on tho
ocean wave" in the commonly accepted in
terpretation of the phrase.
Enough people were on board to make
quite a city. Aiter the second day, they did
not act differently than they would on shore.
During the short voyage of six days, there
was a death and a birth in tho steerage, and
one man missing from the second cabin.
He is supposed to have jumped overboard
at night.
Religious services were conducted on Sun
day in tho first cabin. Tho Episcopal ritual
was used. As wo wore botweon countries,
prayer was offorod for both president and
tho queen.
By tho last day, tho pooplo bocamo restless.
Whon land was sighted, which happened to
bo at night, thoy all heaved a sigh of relief.
"VVe woro nearly a wholo day in sight of land
before reaching South Hampton. Incoming
vessels are sighted off tho Lizards, from
which point tho operator telegraphs to South
hampton. When tho "Paris" arrived,
therefore, a gang of mon were in waiting to
unload tho luggage and mail, which had
been hoisted on deck the day before, the
mail alone filling five English cars. Not a
minuto was lost.
After waiting two hours, wo landed, and
taking tho train that was in waiting, we wore
soon on our way to London.
G. Frank Fisher.
Oliver Wendell Holmes.
The last of the old guard is gone. "The
last leaf upon the tree" has fallen ; but the
music that the breath of heaven made there
whon the summer aun shone will never bo
forgotten. It is too soon to talk about
Holmes' place in literature. Tho flowers on
his grave are not yet withered, and all that
we can think of now is that wo have lost a
friend, ono who could always bring a smile
into our hearts and never left bitterness
there- Among all that old New England
guard, Holmes was the cheeriest and kind
liest. He has not been loved by tho com
mon people so much as Whittior, because ho
has not been bo well known. Tho critics
tell us he was not American, but English.
Some day wo seo it coming there shall
be sweet-souled poets of America who shall
be scholars of the broadest culture, and
gentlemen of the true school, who shall write
strong poems and true books, and shall bo
honored greatly in their own country, and
tho critics sftall not say that they are essen
tially English. Thoy shall have to admit
some day that sons of America may be all