Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-03-12

/ exceedingly WE'LL OhSSa AbNSSHt 49,
Denning did enOuRce that ''if Joe WASH t
Joe there really might be something in
the fellow" but this was after Mr..
Denning had dined unto repletion and
/ his cOndescenSion was expansive.
Only Mary, in tina midst OF her Joy,
would sometimes feel a reaSonless re-
morse as she glanced at Joe, and this
would ensender \ brief gsntleness to-
ward him, brief, since its reception
Eould be so grotesque.
The party found that the steamer on
which they were TO sail wonld be unusu-
\ ally crowded; the steerage was swarm
Ing with the detritus Of the Continent;
! the cabins were crowded with pleasure
seekers who had exhausted their pur-
pose. This press could not have az
/ iected the Dennings, for their rooms
/ had been held for them, but their
/ friends, the Changers, young couple
with a little daughter, were not so for
tunste, and yet affairs at home urged
their departure. So Mary willingly
welcomed Grace Granger as roommate,
~ Sjle Joe accommodated her parents
b~Nsc0g with the Major, much TO
,5a Istter,s Ss%SpIeasure, had not his
sweetheart's smiles sse e2s.ssO sssuasins
reward.
And so the great ship sailed on ~
way, a microcOsm with penury and filth
next door TO wealth and luxury, vet
ignored because they were unseen. But
such disagreeable neighbors sometimes
compel q recognition of their proximity,
and when this occurred, as it did in
mid-ocean, then il was that Mary began
TO doubt.
The ship was an old one and INSULT
GENTLY manned. There had been con-
slant complainings from the frst-class
passengers who as such, OF course, could
not realize when they were well off.
1 But one morning terror revealed 10 them
/ the DattineSs OF their woes.
II was the Major who first heard the
news. He was enjoying al early stroll
/ and cigar as was his wont, when an Off.
Ger with whom he had become friendly
+ beckoned him mysteriOusly aside and
said:
eve don't want it generally known,
/ and that's why 1 tell you. l man Of
your presence and nerve can be most
useful In promoting cheeriuioeSs. The
cholera has broken out in the Storage. ="
/ The cholera. That greenish livid
/ spectre Of agony and sudden death. The
\ Major took three or four vigorous pulls
/ on his cigar, and then he threw il away.
4 Somehow his stomach was not quite
right for smoking. He turned sayagelY
on his informant.
"What kind of id company is this
I ~ yours?" he shouted. First you treat
4 YOUR passengers like dogs and then you
I Introduce the plague among them. It's
Outrageous, and If there's q law that can
reach your people you shall suffer for
liz. The cholera in this dirty, crowded
\ hulk"
Ssh! Sh. Sirw interrupted the
officer anxiously. Not so loud. We
must keep IL secret. Fear is worse than
cOutagion."
Don't tell me, snapped the Major
\ Gwen the condemned are given few
moments preparation. The passengers
should protect themselves by concerted
action; and il won't be my fault if they
don't. The cholera? My God, how
badly feel"
| Shaking Off the restraining grasp the
/ Major rushed into the smoking room.
/ To was vacant, for breakfast had not
vet been served As quickly as service
could fetch them he gulped three long
drinks of brandy and then the compla-
cent smile which had Strayed returned
10 his face. He even lighted another
cigar. After all it might be false
alarm. And in any event it surely
would not trouble q man like him. Di
rect contact might he dangerous
/ indeed: but he would guard
against that. Doubtless, lot of
cattle like the people in the Storage
might breed a pestilence, but who was
\ 50 clean, 50 wholesome, such believer
\ in the virtues Of air aud water, oh, 10.
And yet, disease was no reSpecter Of
persons; suppose that it should come to
/ him? 1t was so fatal, so instantan-
eously fatal! Why, before a man could
| think, he was seized, he was gone. A
/ foul. loathsome death. Ugh. It was
/ like being smOthered in filth. Then
overheard, in a sack, to float suspended
I IN the cold, sullen depths. Oh, no.
man had no earthly show; IL he had,
/ like stOrming q rampant or daShing on
| uNIeEWhkN WIN AANeetA - w VIZ
( front, why, then, the Major would
/ be there. But now, "sauve cue peut'
was good enough for him. Let fools
/ aud women do the encouraging, he
should look ont for number I. Strong
men were always favorite marks-here
I the Major threw away his cigar. He
| had had g tendency even as a boy. Oh,
to think of this horrible ship and its
horrible freight! If one could only es-
|cape-here the Major walked up and
down the floor and rang for another
\ go" And at this juncture Joe Pal
mer entered. All, how scared Joe would
/ be when he heard the awful tidings,
Even 10 his anguish the Major smiled.
Z "Oh, Joe" he exclaimed, we're
done for, we are doomed! The cholera
I is aboard. The steerage people are dy-
+ ing like poisoned rats in hole"
Cholera" said Joe. That's bad.
Hum, Aren't you coming to break
I faSt?"
breakfast! You fool. Can't you
realize the position you're in? We are
doomed, / tell you. You, /, old Den
ming, Mary, everybody. Aud you talk
about breakfast. Don't you know that
I the food is surely infected? The only
thing to DO Is to keep by ones self and
drink lots Of brandy. VIII you try a
Z bale"
Thank you. replied Joe, simply, II
never dink ia the morning; it makes me
neavous. or course I realize that the
/ situation is most critical and know
that we agree as to how it must De met.
/ Ignorance is the only salvation for all
these delicate, eXcitable people. The
/ disease can be confined 10 the steerage,
] Pm sure, aud no one Will be the wiser
except you ard me, and we can stand it,