Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-10-12

snap and creak as though about to burst
their bonds end throw lifeboats and
other deck paraphernalia into the
depths of the ocean. Going to meals
was a farce. and nany there We're toss
ed about in their berths who thought
their end had come.
Through it all my friend never once
was moved from his dignified and i'm
penetrable calm, and when on Sunday
morning service was held in the saloon
his deep. musical voice could be heard
above all the rest, both in hymn and
prayer, and in the evening. at his re-
quest, an imprOmptu service for the
benefit of the steerage passengers was
arranged, apd Us l listened to the
earnest prayer and the few we'll
chosen words that seemed to sink deep
into the hearts of the ignorant, home
sick hearers 1 said to myself: This
man is one of Natures noblemen.''
Eevery day he busted himself among
the sick and sorrowing, carrying COM
fort both in words and in more mater
ial form to the unhappy travellers by
sea, whether they We're to be found
among the first cabin passengers or
below decks in the midst of the Door
wanderers who hardly dared to hope
that they would ever see their native
land again. When the sun came out
and the sea went down there was no
one on board SO well known or SO
universally liked, and sometimes | felt
a thrill of jealousy as one after the
other would break into our tete-a-tetes
and the old confidential relations Of
the first few days seemed as though
they would never be renewed.
The night before we landed, however
we were pacing up and down together
and l noticed that my companion was
not i'll his usual genial mood. Several
leading questions of mine fell apparent
ly upon unheeding grounds, and when
at last very good story WAS received
with the most chilling silence, I stopped
snort in our walk and regarded him
with unfeigned amazement. Seeing
this, he stopped also and in an en-
barraSSed way half laughed as he said:
Forgive me if 1 appear unnatural and
constrained tonight. 1 have been de-
batting with myself whether to tell -,;-oe
the secret of my coming aboard. I
know you have often wondered at ny
leaving ] son to whom I am so sim
cerely attached, and yet when 1 tea
you the real reason l feel somehow as
though the friendship so pleasantly be-
gun will be brought to an abrupt end
ing"
Nothing [ am sure that you will
tell me can in any way alter my deep
regard for you" | put in, feeling that
[ spoke the truth as / looked upon The
open cOuntenance and thought of the
deeds of gentleness and Christian
charity that I had witnessed. What
ever it is I know you are acting as you
think right, but if it will be at all
painful to you to tell me let it pass out
of your memory forever"
With a quick grateful glance for the
first spoken words and utterly oblivi-
Gus of the others, he went on in a
nervous hurried sort of away and with
out more ado plunged into the confess
sion that had evidently been troubling
him for some time.
Il dreaded to lose your friendship
therefore I deferred telling you that
which may completely alter your opin-
ion which l hope l have gained You
know how l love my son-you also
know how little money / receive in
the charge that calls me pastor. say
| these words more as an explanation
than as an excuse. My one great aim
! is for my boy to go to college. He is
brilliant and will surely shine if once
the doors of professional career are
open to him. l had no means to send
him and the thought has kept me ava e
night after night, night after night.
| One day | read Of great gains at Monte
Carlo in French gambling game called
roulette, and l said to myself what is
this roulette? | consulted every book
that would tell me anything about it,
and from that hour l was haunted by
the thought that there must be some
way to win at this wonderful money
getting game and I studied. studied,
studied, hoping to strike some way that
would enable me to gain large sums
from the few dollars that | had laid
! by for a rainy day. At last | triumph
ed and have now worked out a syS-
tenn by mathematics that will conquer,
! [ am sure. By roulette | will win my
sons way through college. Of course
! [ could tell no one of my plans or even
let my boy into the secret When ]
received the pass that would send me
free across the ocean I cried with joy.
Ny congregation think l came away
on account of my broken health, but
to you l have told the truth and it is
for you to decide whether you despise
the minister or sympathize with the
father"
In establishment | had listened to
this curious recital. WAS he mad?
[ pondered. But no, there was nc
trace of madness in that quiet face OF
lurking in the depths of the dark brown
eyes; and yet, could the earnest Chris
tan gentleman and the gambler with
a system be one and the same?
For an hour we walked and talked
but never again touched upon the sub
ject that was nearest his heart. I did
not try to dissuade him from his plan