Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-09-02

climate in praise of which language
has already been exhausted.
Like most American cities, San
Diego is full of life and activity and
very methodical withal in the hurly
burly of its business affairs. If move
ment be manifestation of life it ex-
lists here is to an intense degree. The
day is hardly long enough for bust
ness transactions. But if this was the
case with those whose instincts and in
clinations hurled them into this whirl-
pool, it did not apply to those lives
which were drawn out into intermin-
able rounds of leisure. When things
come to a standstill time becomes q
great laggard.
And this was Mrs Allaire's expert
ence after the sailing of the Dread
naught. Since her marriage her hus-
bands labors had entered more or less
into her life. Even when he was not
absent on trip, Capt. Johns rela-
tions with the house of HOLSTER & Co.
kept him busy Besides the part
which he took in the business affairs of
the firm, he had been commissioned to
watch the construction of the clipper
ship of which he was destined to be
y
almost affection did he supervise the
work even to its smallest details. 1t
was like the loving care of the man
who is engaged In building a home in
which to end his days. But it was
even more than this, for ship is not
only house, it is not only an instru-
ment of fortune, it is fabric of wood
and iron to which precious human
l;1oc 70 ha i1,f, M0ra0xro1.
it is not as it were, detached frag-
ment of native soil, which is borne
back home by wind and wave only to
be carried away again, and which in
the end destiny unfortunately does not
always permit to return to the port
out of which it first drifted.
Molly had very frequently accom-
panied Captain John to the shipyard.
These timbers resting upon the inclined
keel, these ribs so like the skeleton of
some vast marine mammal, this plank
ing already in position, this hull with
its complex outlines, this deck pierced
by the broad matches for loading and
unloading, these masts lying on the
ground biding their time to be placed
in position, the interior arrangements,
the crews quarters, the quarter deck
and it's cabins-was not all this suf-
ficient to interest her? Was it not her
husbands life and the life of his COM
panions which the Dreadnaught would
shield from and defend against the gales
of the Pacific? Hence there was not a
single plank which in Molly's imagina-
ton John might not in some emergency
stand in need of for the safety of his
life; nor did a blow of a hammer re-
sound amidst all the noise and turmoil
of that shipyard which did not find an
echo in her heart.
John took pleasure in initiating her
in the mysteries of the work, pointing
out the destination of each piece of
metal, explaining to her the vessels
speed as indicated by the plan of con-
struction. Molly learned to love this
ship of which her husband was to be the
soul and next to God the master!
The house occupied by John Allaire
stood upon one of the loftiest terraces
of the heights which shut in the north
side of the bay. 1t was sort of Swiss
cottage, surrounded by garden contain
ing orange and olive trees and shut in
by plain wooden fence. A ground floor
with a veranda in front, upon which
opened the front door and the windows
of the parlor and dining room, a second
| story with a balcony extending its en-
tire length, and above this the gable
end, the sloping rafters of which were
richly carved-Such was this very sim
| pie but very attractive habitation. The
parlor and dininG-room, modestly fur
| nishcd, occupied the ground floor, above
| them were two rooms, Mrs. Allaire's
and one devoted to the comfort of little
| Walt; in the rear there was small an
mex used for the kitchen and the serv-
| ants. This was the home in which the
captains wife must now face the long
| hours of absence. The babys nurse
and one servant were its only other oc,
cupants. The only visitors were Mr..
and Mrs Barker, the husband rarely
the wife frequently.
| Mr.. Andrew uollister, as he had
| promised, often called to see the young
| wife, being anxious to carry her any
news of the Dreadnaught which might
reach him directly or Indirectly. Before
| any letters can reach their destination
the maritime journals contain lists OF
vessels spoken, their touching at this
port or that or any other happenings al
sea which might be of interest to ship
pers. Molly would therefore be kept
we'll posted.
The first few days were specially
heavy and sad. Molly could not bring
herself to leave the house. Kate Barker
went daily to visit her, and the two
women lavished their attentions on lit
tie Walt and talked about Capt John
Ordinarily, when she was alone, Molly
passed part of the day on the balcony
of her cottage. Ter gaze was turned
seward over the bay and far beyond
the Coronado islands. The line of the
horizon did not limit her vision; she
saw beyond il, for had not the Dread
naught already passed far beyond it? II
thought she passed on board the ship
she stood by her husbands side. A
this moment vessel appeared in tn,
offing and stood in towards the bay
and Molly thought to herself how tn,
Dreadnaught would be sighted in thi
way some day and how she would loon
up as she neared land, and how JOIN
would be standing by the ships side
glass in hand.
l