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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1876)
August. THE WEST SHORE, A Twelve Page Monthly Illustrated Piper, published st Poktland, Oregon, by . I. SAMUEL, Washington-el. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION, (Including Ponage to soy pert of the United States:) One copy, oae year, . . ....... 1 jc Single Number, ...... ao cents, iPostage to foreign countries, K eta. additional. rW Subscription must be'pald In advance, and all papers will positively be stopped at the end of tne time tbey are paid for. Remittances can be made by registered letter,' postofflee money order, or by order on any of the Portland business houses. Printed by Gio. H. Hutu, cor. Front & Washington sts MY BRIER-WOOD PIPE, AND WHAT IT COST ME. I smoke. Not having the fear of jiingjamca before my eyes, I mavsay I "drink" tobacco: for when he wrote his "Counterblast" the enjoyment of me Durntng weca was regarded as po tation, not fumigation. To be in the fashion, I smoke a pipe. But not onlv to be in the fashion. The pipe pleases me as a work of art, and it gives me something to care for and become at tached to. . Your cigar-smoker is an unhappy, solitary creature, compared to me. lie enjoys only what he con sumes, and flings away, into the fire or into the kennel, that which he has just pressed delightfully to his lips. But I always have a cherished companion in my soothing pleasure. My pipe is with me. It is not merely so much clay, tutu wuou, ana amoer. it nas assumed an individuality, and is a partner of my musing hour. We have got used to each other's wavs. and thoroutrhlv un derstand one another; are tolerant of eacn other s peculiarities, and accom modate ourselves to each other's moods. Sometimes, indeed, my companion seems coy and reluctant at the most in teresting moment; but a little attention, nait compulsory, halt enticing, almost always puts matters upon their natural footing again. At other times, I must confess I am ill treated, and my attend ant minister, instead of burning incense before me, will coldly go out, and sul lenly refuse any response to my most importunate wooing, just when it ought to be aglow with warmth and fragrant with perfume. But I am able to trace these little, miffs, in almost all cases, to 6ome neglect on my part. I have been remiss in proper care, or have allowed other affairs to divert my attention more than suits the views of my jealous com panion. Matters, however, very rarely come to this pass between us; a little judicious coaxing generally brings about an understanding, to our great mutual satisfaction. I have spoken of my pipe: I have two. That is, two of princinal import ance. Of these, one is the pipe far excellence, but the other is a prime fa vorite; and there are, besides, three or four that are well enough in their way when the whim takes me to enjoy them ; Din tney nave no particular and recog nized position. l'ipc-smoking is a Turkish habit. The pipe, that is, the one which I always mean when I ask Jenny about mv pipe, is, of course a meerschaum, ft is of such fine aualitv and so exquisitely carved that I am the envy of at least a dozen of my friends, who have not been able, for love or money, to compass such a marvel. The bowl is in the form of a Turk's head, and is decorated with two dark carbun cles by way of eyes. The tobacco is, of course, put through the top of the turban into the nlace of the skull : and I derive consequence in the eyes of some people irom appearing to consume the brains of one of my fellow-creatures for my passing pleasure. I have already the serene joy, only to be ap preciated by the meerschaum smoker, of seeing my Turk's full and lightly fiowing beard turning so gradually a rich brown under my fumigations. )ut although I contemplate the present as pect of his countenance with the great est satisfaction, I must confess that I have some misgivings in regard to the certainly approaching period when the line of demarkation shall invade the face proper, and the finely-cut nose of my i urn snail be divined horizontally across the bridge into a cream-colored section and a tawnydirown section. Then, however, I shall build my hopes upon the time when this line shal have risen to the very turban's edge, while the hue in the lower part has deepened, so that I shall have my tawny-skinned Oriental with a dark, chesnut-brown beard and white turban ; and then I shall stop smoking this pipe, and lay it awav in a little cahlnei n ,r.,i trophy. Hut although I worship with all loyal devotion at my meerschaum shrine, I confess to a crcat fondness for lini. brier-wood pipe the second in order u. inctcucnce among my favorites so great that, if the meerschaum knew it, it would. I fear, breed between us. This brier-wood beauty 13 im iucic uui 01 woou witn a hole in it, but the daintiest little nine ilv.i ,r was made. Its chief charm, however, it. mar. n gives me no trouble whatever, and always accommodates itself to my convenience and mv trmnor it quires no solicitous 'looking after, like incomer; wnicn, 1 must confess, is ca pricious and exacting, like all prima do nas of well-established reputation. I can enjoy it when I please, anil as I please taking no thought whether it is too hot or too cold, or whether it is in a condition to be handled. Its very form is at once graceful and convenient. The stem is made with ndniihln e,-.i- turc, which conforms to the position of my uiuitio ana nngcrs as 1 hold it, and to that of my chin as I carelessly let it hang from my mouth. It is mottled beautifully, and the bowl is lined with the finest meerschaum, which shows it self above the edge like the creamy foam upon rich ale. But, alasl one evening I discovered that it had a defect; and I am of such an exacting disposition that I never tol erate any faults that can be remedied, except those in my own character. Mrs. Maddox has often said that she " never found hany gentleman as was so 'ard to please as Mr. Robinson." Mrs. Mad dox is my landlady. She describes her self as ' a Henglish lady in rejuiccd cir cumstances." Hltd is fiuul nf rwn;...,l reference to her "connection with the narrystocracy." It is more than sus pected that the particular form of hnr rystocracy with which she was con nected was with a certain Harry, Lord W , and that the nature of the alli ance mav be best learned frnin the el. umns of the London Times, among the reports 01 trims nciore Mr Cresswell Cresswell for divorce. Mrs. Maddox frets at mv exactions: but lennv. whn is the maid that takes care of my room, llT. I. - I T. .. J . ' smyo, - a u ue sure nir, KoDinson is a bit Darticinr: but then then.',, fort in doing any thing for him, 'cause J.....,, m-w ,,c auuwg wncnus wen done." The fact is that Jenny is a very excellent and intelligent person. I found out that she understood and ap preciated me very soon after I took my present apartments. She has continued to do so ever since; so that it has come to be an untlerstood thing in the house, that if Mr. Robinson wants aiiv thing done, it will be done if Jenny can doit. Mrs, Maddox losses her well-oiled black curls in which I detected a gray hair the other day and has more than once insinuated that " the hussy " has particular reasons for her attention to Mr. Robinson. But let me tell you that Jenny is not only prettier and bet ter behaved than her mistress ever was, but one who, if she lived in London, would never become acquainted with Sir Cresswell Cresswell, unless, indeed, through the instrumentality of a brute of a husband. What might be Jenny's views and feelings, were it not for ccr tain differences of social position which must obtain under all forms of govern ment, I, of course, am not called upon to say. But the defect in my brier-wood pie. It was a scratch on the stem, made ac cidentally with some tool or other, and which escaned the nntire nf the m-ilrni. and also mine when I bought it. Touch toucn in line organizations alwavs so much more delicate a sense than sight, with all men so much more to lie relied upon as evidence of fact revealed it to me. I was sittino ttnon the hnlmnv on one of these glorious autumn eve nings, smoking with Miss Kate John stone, That is, Miss Johnstone was sitting there with me, and I was smok ing. She is a charming girl ; so sensi ble, cheerful, and good-nntured, and yet with a will of her own. She often stts, or used tn sit nn the h-ili-mit, in th ,.. ning while I smoked, for she did not U:..n. . I e. r . i , the open air. She is a belle wherever she rnes. And well she mnv he Kiieh a round, lithe figure, such an archetl msiep, ana stun wnite dimpled hands and shoulders, such clear brown eyes, and such wavinp chesnttt hair are 'not often the united property of one wo- much, only thirty-five thousand dollars; but the whole thirty-five arc there, and all well invested. Munneigh Bagges, Esq. she isan orphan, and Mr. Bagges is her uncle and guardian who had noticed her ini'linnii,,,, ... .: .1 balcony while I smoked, took me aside one evening and spoke to me about this "Mr. Robinson." cuiil h 111 1,., been my duty to observe indications on uui pan ot a tiesirc to address my s ard and niece, Miss Johnstone." " Indeed, Sir," I began, I haven't et " "PlttV don't enl:im nr n.ml. The transaction, I have no doubt, would be a most honorable one. I know ) uur position anil your reputation. I shall not make mvsclf directly or indirectly a party to the affair. But I think it onlv correct tn suv tn vnn ; ,.:... of prudential considerations, which, of u,titnV, uemg n mini 01 sense, you en tertain, that the amount of the lady's fortune has been much exaggerated tv report. She has only thirty thousand dollars: ami all of that mntt he tti.,.i upon her at her marriage. 1 should, tiowcvcr, dc willing to consent to the investment of ten thousand dollars in a safe SDCcilll nartnershin fnr the hn,,..tit of her husband. I may as well add ui.u s tun empowered ny me will to re tain the whole property as trustee, and make only such quarterly payments over eight hundred dollars a year as I should deem fltlvtKiihle in rvit,. ulie th..l.l marry without my consent. I've just stuu us muiii to nir. Axiefree. liood cvening, Sir. I have a business en gagement," ho was Axlctrcc? Why the son of a villairchljIi'Lorufh u lin h,,.l ........l his way through college, and into the ., tuiu wuu was quite popular in our llOUSC I always dill hut,. nnnnlur and who hail made a sort of particu lar flmil!liiit!in-n .citk Xtl... T..I.....1 .... ..-.,. vv ,,,,,, j millstone by holllintr her hnrite huril n,,.l .;... ing her quickly off the saddle one morn- uik wiicn, just as sue was starting lorn ride, the animal began to rear and plunge most violently; after which time she would sometimes sit and hear him talk about Dante and Shnkspcarc when I thought she might much better he out upon the balcony with me. Dc this as it may, there Mr. Munneigh Barrffcs left mt. with th ,iBBr.,A if I could get Miss Johnstone's consent s inigiit nave ner, and with her ten thousand dollars in cash for any safe concern in which I might desire to be come a partner. Why it was just the sum that Grist, of Hopper and Grist, the rising flour house, mentioned that they were looking out for with a capa ble iuninr ns f'n. Mv rriA ....... :.. my hand; and so I smoked upon the balcony rctrulnrlv. ttlu-nvs iuvit,.,! V,B lohllStone Ollt With n,r in I,,,,',,.. l... evening air, and always made myself us ugiccnoic as possinie. On this particular evening, as I took my little pipe from my lips, I felt for the first time a long scum down the wavy, well-polished stem. It was the merest scratch, n scarcely perceptible indentation of the surface. But still it was there: and it nltr:irt,,1 at.,... tion, and finally annoyed me. A hun dred times ditl my 'finger wander up and down the pipe-stem, tracing nut the length and sin me nf Iho hl,,,:.J, n. T talked lo my fair companion. I could "'' """nig my eyes irom ncrs to the nine once nr twin., even u,h;u Gh was sj.caking; till finally sho stopped ouuii in nn- iitiiiiiieoi a sentence, and it was only bv A nrmnnllv r,i,l n,..i: ment, based upon what she wits saying, that I prevented her from retiring Quickly into the nnrlnr where T b....r Axletrcc was sitting. I finished my smoke and my chat with her; asked to be allowed tn attend herm, h..r t-;.l tl... next nftcrnoon, and we parted lo our ivspecmc cnamners. On lonkitif nl mv nitu. T l..,,.l it... the depth of the scratch was even less .1 1.I i . .. uiuii it nan seemeu to ine toucn oi my restless finger. It really did not mar the pipe at all, and to most eyes would need pointing out to lie seen. But there it was; I hatl discovered if; and I should know nf id existence if the Whole World besides Were i,rne,.nl I, was the spider in my soup, the skeleton in mv closet. It ann,,.....l ..... nM it more because of the absolute perfection of the pipe in all other respects. Why ehnnld rw,t lhl ih... ...... iJ .. ........,,, i,,,,! wlu Hu nearly perfect be made absolutely so? There nuu itawn, ami i was determined that it should he maile mtrfw.1 ...l.U . delay; and that I woultl place it the uav in ine nanus of a little Hun. rariaii. with whose llmmv n it nnncii.- chiefly of three r'a. four V lu-n V ahd av, somewhat promiscuously di uioutcti, i snail not irouDlc you, an.:i who. a meerschaum nW.mnl..r i.. own country, had been reduced fccre; it out hick oi money to buy stock, to a mere pipc-mender; for which he ight consolation by living with a pijx- in his mouth. Hut I was impatient of delay. Why not do such n trifling and simple piece of work myself? I hod the inv nlemctlts by me. vhv tint n th,.,d t determined to do so, and in a minute- was rubbing away at my pipe-stem with the finest sand-paper. The sur lace was soon Kinontlu'il! hut nhist I saw, when too late to stay my hand, that I had rubbed off color' as well as surface. My pipe was a light kind of bricr-wood which hud hei 'II CtllilK.il darker to give it the usual and the cov eted coior. i ncrc was but one remedy to sand-paper it all over, and stain it all anew again. So at it I went, ami rubbed until the first part of the opera tion wits completed, and I postponed the rest until the morrow. When I awoke in the nioiuii.v. my. eye first sought my pipe where I fctt ir upon my toilet table. Yon simbt- be- eiiiiue it vi-,ie n ui.u. ll,-,f 1 l.u.t,I -A..-. I- " - " " I"!"" 1 .lltl-l ; just as you smiled when you found that mat Kcpi-cappcti noy, who is the de light and the torment pf your life, ttxik the Inv crii with llm rn..l I....L l... .... .... ,.. inoiwir. iii.i, von denied yourself to buy for him to bed tne nrst tew nights alter the acquisition of the longed-for treasure. But you, when that handsome bay who does his mile so easily within j..i"o first took his rjhtce in vottr stable, tliil vim tmi nvt morning, come to the breakfast-table with the otlcr of his stall about you ? When that pretty little yacht first took you up the river to your country-placc. uui noi yuur wile delect you standing at your bedroom window at an un wonted matiiml hour, in a very scanty garment, feasting your eyes upon her the yacht, alasl not the wife as she sat iikc u uttcK upon me waierr wnen that rare, early edition of your favorite poet came, rich with the decorating skill of Havdav. didn't vnttmiile in n iwmi.. scious sort of way carry it up stairs with-i you when you went to bed, and take -last look nt it "ns it was un there" iC tcr VOtt Were limlreseeil nn.l n i'li-ul r..L at it in the morning before you. ware -,l,..un '.. t t'i A' -i r i .mow i iwi nuuvr you lull. -fArcu what difference docs it make whtitlwrv it is a horse, n' limit, n hnnlr itr .f,.r gun or a pipe? I looked thco. Att my . hobby as you looked at yonss,.md.it : seemed whiter in the daylight tiiatnun tier the gas-burner; and 1 tMtitlfat.l had done a foolish thing. 0,oi:,im' brought me wisdom as wallLis roat, I should have done no more titan consign the mm. In 11,.. I......I. ,.e i:..t.. r..:.... i i"' . 11.1111111111 m j mile ii lenii of the consonantal designation. But 1 thought that was hardly srrtith while, and that us I had hegiin'l might as well go on, The truth was that I secretly shrunk from asking his iiaitratioiis, tnougn 1 did not acknowledged to my self, for fear he should nrnnounca mv pipe not genuine. 1 niiinlcrcd a young druggist among my acquaintances, andcaHing upon him oil mv wav homeward eurlv lluit iilii-r. noon, I was provided with various dyes, inciiiiiiiig logwood and copperas, and a tincture which be ihiuurht w,,,1.1 . ducc exactly the tint required. On renchintr the limine T mri.u.L Vf;.. Johnstone, radiant, upon the from steps,. mm, entering, uigeiiier, we nad a mo ment's talk about mir mili,.fi,ili.,1 ure, for which the afternoon promised 1 finely. But 1 found that a full hour IllllSt DOSS before We shnulll miiiint m.r horses, anil I determined to improve a part of this by finishing my pirc. it woultl lake but a little while, initl jiut leave me time to leisurly don my riding gear. I took off my coat, turned up my cuffs, and opplied the tincture with a camel's hair brush. Hut to my sur- Drisc and distrust the flui,! ti,l,;.-U shaken in a bottle seemed to have just mv leuuisii-urown nuc that 1 so much desired to produce, when spread over the wood dried of hriohi - color, besides looking as palpaply rm """ scnccks.andmak- llltf the stem as slri.L..,t . iun.n ..-t. by the aid of which Jacob so eflictually "did " his father-in-law in that little op eration in sheep and neat cattle. This cxirencncc cost me some minutes of my hour, but it taught me nothintr; for 1 went on with my job as if liesotted. I summoned the ever-willing jenny, anil me a Vcdgcwood asked her tn eel me mortar, in which I had seen the waiter i :