locks of white hair streamed down upon the shoulders. The heavy
pea-jacket was off from one arm, as if he had endeavored to extricate
himself from it in the water. The sinewy arms lay powerless and free
from tension then, but they told me that, when they first drew him
from the surf, both hands were grasping a broken oar with such
strength that they were unable to loose his hold, till suddenly the
muscles relaxed, and the arms fell upon the ground. They turned the
body, and a little water ran from the mouth. Then, gently raising it
upon their shoulders, they bore it home.




LAUGHTER.


In some individuals the risibles lie so near the surface that you may
tickle them with a feather. In others, they are so deeply imbedded in
phlegm, or so protected by the crust of ill-humor, that a strong
thrust and a keen weapon are required to reach them.

A laugh is in itself a different thing in different individuals. Some
persons laugh inwardly, unsocially, bitterly. It is a pure grimace on
your part when you join in their merriment, unless you are superior to
the fear of ridicule. On the other hand, there is a laugh of so
contagious a nature, that you are irresistibly moved to sympathy while
ignorant of the exciting cause, or out of the sphere of its
influence. You will laugh loud and long, and afterwards confess that
you had not the least gleam of a funny idea, all the while.