Part 3 (1/2)
Our pa.s.sengers were strolling along St. George Street when we met them.
CHAPTER IV.
A TRIP UP THE SAN SEBASTIAN.
Strange as it may seem, the Shepards, though they had resided two winters in Jacksonville, had never been to St. Augustine, or even up the St. Johns River. The state of Mrs. Shepard's health had not permitted her to travel for several years, until the preceding summer.
They had simply left the ancient city and the up-river glories of ”The Land of Flowers” to a more propitious season in the future.
”How do you like the looks of St. Augustine, Miss Edith?” I asked, after we had pa.s.sed the civilities of the moment, though I did not venture to present Mr. Kirby Cornwood to the party.
”I like it well enough,” replied the pretty young lady, with something like a yawn. ”But I am getting tired of it so soon; for we have seen so many old Spanish cities in Spain and in the West Indies, that St.
Augustine reads like an old story.”
The face of the native Floridian wore an expression of horror as he listened to the remark of Miss Edith. Possibly he might have abated his astonishment at this partially unfavorable opinion of his native city if he had known that she and Owen spent most of their time in thinking of other matters than an old city.
”I am delighted with the place,” added Mrs. Shepard. ”But we pa.s.s various objects of interest without knowing what they are. We have not even a guide-book to help us out.”
Mr. Cornwood smiled, but he said nothing. I wondered that he did not offer his services to the lady; but he manifested what seemed to be a very strange modesty for him, standing a little apart from the rest of us, and not even looking at the pretty face of Miss Edith. I took the liberty to introduce the Floridian. He removed his Panama, and bowed low when I mentioned his name; but he did not even speak, much less indulge in any of his pretentious speeches. The walk was resumed, and in the course of the forenoon we had explored the city, from Fort San Marco, on the north, to the point at the south of the city.
Mr. Cornwood proved that he knew all about St. Augustine. I had studied the history of the place and the state very carefully during the leisure hours of the voyage from the Bermudas, and I was able to confirm the truth of all he said, so far as my knowledge extended, though he went far beyond me. In a little while he was the very centre of the party. It is true that Owen several times requested him to ”cut it short,” at which the Floridian did not seem to be at all offended; but he soon found that the rest of the company did not wish to have even the historical portions of the guide's discourse abbreviated.
I do not intend to give the history or describe the objects of interest we saw in Florida, except incidentally, for it would take all my s.p.a.ce to do these, and I do not pretend to do much more than tell my story. I must say that I was very much interested in the history and descriptions of Mr. Cornwood; and I have no doubt my readers would be equally interested, if I had pages enough at my disposal to include them.
The Floridian did his duty modestly, though he had become the most important person of the party for the time being. There was not a particle of the ”brag” and pretension which had caused me to distrust everything he said. As we walked from place to place he kept at a respectful distance from the pa.s.sengers, and never intruded himself upon them, though he was always ready to answer any questions. After a three-hours' run we returned to the pier.
I had expected that the party would prefer to go on sh.o.r.e, after their sea-voyage, and take up their residence for our stay at the princ.i.p.al hotel; but they manifested no such intention. As they had taken nothing on sh.o.r.e with them, I had told the steward to have dinner ready for them at the usual hour. The port quarter-boat, which was mine, had come to the landing-place, and the party embarked. I invited Mr. Cornwood to go on board with me, and he accepted the invitation. He took his place in the fore-sheets of the boat, apparently for the purpose of maintaining his respectful distance from the pa.s.sengers.
In a few minutes we were on the deck of the Sylvania. The pa.s.sengers retired to the cabin, and Cornwood followed me to my state-room. As soon as we entered the apartment his manner underwent a sudden change.
He was as free and familiar as he had been at our interview on board in the morning. As I interpreted his conduct, he considered himself on an entire equality with me, while he intended to treat my pa.s.sengers with the utmost deference and respect. I did not object to his view of the relations to be maintained to my pa.s.sengers and myself; on the contrary, his view was precisely my own.
”What is your price for the service you propose to render, Mr.
Cornwood?” I asked, when we were seated.
”Five dollars a day, including Sundays,” he replied, without any hesitation. ”Of course this salary is besides my board and all expenses.”
”That is only three times my own wages,” I added with a smile.
”If you will engage me for a year, I will call it fifty dollars a month, and be glad to make this slight reduction of two-thirds,” he answered promptly, and with the most easy a.s.surance. ”I can make hay only when the sun s.h.i.+nes, captain; and I could make more at your wages twice over than I can at my own. The year is not often more than four months long for my business. I attend upon first-cla.s.s parties only, and I charge eight dollars a day when I am engaged for only a single week. Your party want to go up the St. Johns for at least a month.
However, if you object to the price, there is a party at the St.
Augustine Hotel who want me for a week to go to Indian River with them.
They are willing to give me ten dollars a day; but I prefer to go with your party at the price I named.”
”I am very much obliged to you for this mark of consideration on your part,” I replied. ”Though you are a perfect stranger to me, I suppose it would not be regarded as an insult for me to ask for any testimonials.”