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Updated: May 2, 2025
In the smoker I listened till late to the talk of the drummers who clenched big black cigars between their teeth, or slender Pittsburgh stogies, expertly flicking off the grey ash with their little fingers, as they yarned. I wore a tag on my coat lapel with my name and destination written on it. My grandmother had put it there in a painful, scrawling hand.
Then he haled me to the dining-room, where the remnants of a meal stood on the table, and announced that I had just five minutes to feed. 'You can take a snack in your pocket, and we'll have supper when we get back. I've got to be at the Masonic Hall at eight o'clock, or my agent will comb my hair. I had a cup of coffee and some cold ham, while he yarned away on the hearth-rug.
At supper the day's work was reviewed with many a laugh and jest of pointed comment, and then, those whose horses needed attention because of saddle sores or, it might be, because of injuries from some fall on the rocks, busied themselves at the corral, while others met for a friendly game of cards, or talked and yarned over restful pipe or cigarette.
I have seen two such cases, and I have heard of more, yarned with all their melancholy details during those night watches in which men will tell you the ins and outs of many a queer story that they "never talk about."
He dined chiefly off whisky; and afterwards yarned away to Lowndes about his wife and children. Hadn't seen 'em for eight years. Never mentioned 'em to Lowndes in his life before: and from what one has heard, the wire that goes home this morning will barely spoil her appetite for dinner; which only seems to add a finishing touch to the pity of it all. Mysterious thing . . . marriage . . ."
My salmon boat was a-soak, but in the snug cabin of the sloop dry blankets and a dry bunk were mine; and we lay and smoked and yarned of old days, while overhead the wind screamed through the rigging and taut halyards drummed against the mast. My cruise in the salmon boat lasted a week, and I returned ready to enter the university. During the week's cruise I did not drink again.
We were to fix it all two nights later. When I came, I found him three parts drunk and in a vile temper. We sat down and we drank and we yarned about old times, but the more he drank the less I liked the look on his face. I spotted that harpoon upon the wall, and I thought I might need it before I was through.
By Jove, his latest performance was to send me one of his women as a bribe! 'Good for you! Did you accept it? said Mottram. 'No. I rather wish I had, now. She was a pretty little person, and she yarned away to me about the horrible destitution among the king's women- folk.
We talked about soil and grass, and gold-digging, and many other things which came back to one like a revelation as we yarned. He had been to the hospital several times. "The doctors don't say they can cure me," he said, "they say they might, be able to improve my sight and hearing, but it would take a long time anyway, the treatment would improve my general health.
That was one employment we had, and it made me feel less lonesome; but there was no profit in the thing, for though the priest came and sat and yarned, none of his folks could be enticed into my store; and if it hadn't been for the other occupation I struck out there wouldn't have been a pound of copra in the house.
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