The Lamar register., 1892-07-16
" BROOMS."

ttNes ana 1lslSes she couldn't have
been more than u years old when
sho first said that she liked me. and
she stuck TO II up to the minute | bid
her good-by and started for Japan.
What's feilcr TO do when a girl
keeps tellln' him she's 10 love with
him' Ol-eoursc had TO give IN
after awhile. knew her father
would fumc over IL aad call mo a
rascal hut 10 tell tho truth. L
couldn't help llkin' her and thought
10 myself IL she liked me well enough
10 marry mo IL would not make so
much difference what her governor
said anyway"
These remarks were made by Tom
Ahcrcorn on the deck Of M American
man-oi-wnr anchored In an eastern
port We spent many idle afternoons
as old friends will In reminiscent
conversation l had been cruising
about tho world for nearly three
years before Il occurred 10 me that
was tired OF It. A mere romantic
caprice considerably reinforced by
Tom Aborcorn's bFusque persuasion
had lod mo into the service in tho
Grs; p,Rce aud nov that the glamor
OF marine expori1nce had worn OF
began 70 wonder whether would
Ho; 10 happier on land
There was some reason TO believe
that Tom was also growing dlssatis-
fc1 though he seldom hiHlod any
thing 20 that offoet lie WAS Il rough
aHd ready fellow. and the liis OF the
sea Eas more suited 70 his nature
than 10 mine While was nt COL
lsgs breaking down n naturally deli
cato constitution By hard study. he
Was IL = machine shop developing an
Iroa muscle that had oceasloa TO
envy more than all the crudiiiou 4
had acquired.
but while Tom was physically
adapted 10 cope with ocean yicissi-
tndcs there was = mague, that ever
druW his thought, ashore. lie was
cnrhgci to bs married Tho father OF
his inam9ratA Was n large aud wealthy
broom manufacturer In Philadelphia
and Tom always spoke faosiiously OF
The young lady as Broons In fact
that vAs the alcknamn by which she
vas called By the members OF her
family and her mos, Intimate friends
bat Mr. Gray ling knows all about
1; now. continued Tom after
pause Bgooms told him | fancy
be would have been pretty mulish II
no hAda't .cen IL was no use, so he
says DO you love himF and Brooms
replied = wha; do you take me for
papa hypocrste2 Thea the old
man says All right marry him -
Any farther conversation was cut
% b. she grgf voice Of the executive
o.acer The vessel was trespassing
upoa tho channel and the harbor
master had sent an order FOR Il TO an
chor farther out in tho roAdstead so
that It would not be an obstacle in the
course which ships entering or leav-
log port we're obliged to take.
Tota iinmediate y went 10 his duties
iu tha cugine-room where he met
wiih an accident that nearly cost him
his lila Al nearly the foot OF the
iron hatchWay he slipped and fell SO
;hat bis leit FOO, caught in n rapidly
re diving crank Before he could
throw his arms over his shoulders and
grasp an irou rod toextrIcats himself
his leg was horribly mangled just be-
low tho knee by another revolution OF
tho crank. lie tainted away before
help could be summoued-
After Tom bad baff-l,..--s,enca len carried seon-
&C Gus -ta,The deck. set about fnt the
-astsencc Il tho surgeon. who
ASHORE 10 check the flow OF blcoou
from the wound by twisting hang.
krrchief around the upper part OF h's
limb with a t1uruiquet. When thS
surgeon appeared on the scene he as
surcd me that had saved my friends
life though the leg must be ampu-
tated at ouce he declared as he ga1ed
oa the poor man groaning with 80
49, dgai---st Ul OF Iom protestd-
,nns he was borne iuto n cock. pit
and laid on table. The surgeon in
sI..sd that there vas not even time TO
administer ether / have forgotten
how nnny men were required to hold
him. II was wholly beyond my cour-
age TO stand by and see them mutilate
INV co rads with all those knives and
saws Into his mouth they forced
Woolen cloth 10 serve the double pur-
pose OF munllng his cries and furnish
ing him something TO bite on
Al last it was over. and then they
r,sye him opiaies. from the time his
wound was bandaged | became his
nurse and watched over him through
tue long days and nights as though
he was a brother. lie grew so enact
ated and weak that no one would have
recognized him as the whilom strong
muscular Tom Abercorn- But ne
began 10 mend after n few weeks.
though hs convaleseence was slow.
He grew nervously morbid and fre-
aueatly when reading to him l would
look from my book and find him sob
bing hysterically. / did not interrupt
his grief thinking it was but the ma
turai result OF physical weakness
But one day when I was about TO read
to him his favorite poem. The Lady
OF the Lake he begged me TO defer
it. He was unusually pale and
thoughtful on this occasion. On tho
previous night he had been In great
pain. and exceedingly restless
George said be in serious
tone Il am going to write to Brooms
that our engagement is OF and tell
her why. am only halt man now
ana he made droll feint OF taking OIL