The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-08-29
SOME ODD STORIES

copyright, 1898, by American Press Associa-
toni
Twas passenger on the full rugged Amer
lean ship Marmaton that sailed from Hong
Kong, with cargo of teas bound for New
York, which port the i'll fated craft was des-
tined never to reach Jasper Hume a hard
headed obstinate old tar, was master of the
Marmaton, and his daughter, a charming
girl of IS, was his companion. 1t did not
take me long to find out that Lefa Hume
was engaged to wealthy New Yorker, a
man of middle age whom she simply de-
tested, but as she was q dutiful daughter,
and her father was anxious for the match,
she really intended to sacrifice herself.
took an interest in Lefa, and as the
captain made me quite at home in his cab
in it was not long before she told me she
was sorry the return voyage had begun.
discovered she regarded with absolute
dread the termination of the voyage. for it
was agreed she should be married within a
month after arriving in New York.
On board the Marmaton was a young
American who had shipped as common
sailor for the avowed purpose of working
his way back to the United States He was
handsome and manly young fellow, and
/ could not help thinking him out OF his
sphere, for surprising as it may seem, he
bore the unmistakable stamp OF the gentle
man. His name was Hubert West.
know not what first attracted Lefa's at
tention to West, but we were not long out
of Hong-Kong before she had seen him and
evinced an interest m him. One day she
found a chance to speak to him, and, de-
spite his position as common sailor, she
improved the opportunity. The girl was
olt cho tx,or
her father would be displeased if he knew
of it she did not understand why she
should not talk to any of the seamen she1
fancied to converse with.
By the time we reached the straits of
Sunda the girl was secretly in love with
West, and l had begun to feel it my duty
to give the captain quiet tip, when of
sudden the old skipper discovered how mat
ters stood. I believe be came upon West
and Lefa as they stood conversing in some
secluded nook and overheard what they
were saying.
Then there was fearful row. 1t must.
be the presuming young man was making
love to the girl, else even man of Captain
Hume's peppery temper would not have
been SO enraged. He said some pretty saw
age things to West. and later heard him
storming at Lefa in the cabin, while she
sobbed, but made no reply. He told the
uo,yo, sa;lor 10 +aka care NOT to sneal, tn
Tho oi,l ao.;n ,nlass he was anxious to law
in the hold for a good portion Of the voyage.
Somehow this affair turned my sympa-
thies in favor of West, who bore himself
quietly through it all, without showing
any ions If cr;noino More than ever he
showed the gentleman in his makeup, and
r fell to Wondering what his history could
be A. q ras,,lt + Deliberately cultivated
b;,,, ord so,,obt 70 dray him ont He
,,rovod o,,1+,,red ed,,catad able to snaalr
I've I.nou.o,av f,entlu bnt could not e,et
-, FL - h;-osoIf ond tinaIl1 oaya
-, AZ ~ otta,,,nt ''--
W. ,,a,,, ,,,all ~, on, NOV ocross tba In
5;a,, oasa,, ,nba,, +arrit,ls d;scova,v wac
ada M Marn,s+o , ,yos ~, firel A. fret
- hoId az II,
- -. b,,+ tbon =, ra,,d
ba ,a and n was not long before ali
,,esI;nad +bo. sb;, was doomed Still we
FOUGHT ,, IN the 1ast, gasns honino tn sigbt a
so;l ha,,i,,e ~ hoisted sieypals IF distress
NJ soil a,,naared and at 1anptb the do
sooir;r, sk;nna, came hnrriedlv tn ma his
st t.n fsea ,,aii;d
s.Ne ,,,,lst abandon the shin Immediate
~ ), he ca1Itionslv declared. off is not; gem
sralIv known but have a large amount, of
oannowder aboard and the fire is getting
Dan tye,o,,slv near + will lower Won and
T,afa in the dinov which is a mere coekle-
sbalI and Won must look after her until we
nicIr Won nm with one of tbe other boats. I
want ia Get, her beyond danger without de-
lavn
This nlan was swiftly carried out. AS we
entered the little boat I saw Lefa glance
toward wast who was working at, the long
boat with other sailors A moment later
we were lowered to the water. and then
nnllad from the shin
II mnst he Cantain Hune was not aware
how close the fire had annroacbed to the
novder for barely had we reached a fair
distance from the ship before terrible ex-
plosion took place. Smoke, flames and
timbers shot into the air. was hurled OF
fell to the bottom OF the dingy, which
rocked madly on the boiling water, and
when I looked toward the Marmaton the
shattered hulk was sinking from view.
For the moment, l thought every man
aboard the ship had persisted, and was
filled with the greatest horror by the ap
palling tragedy. Lefa sat dazed and speech
L