The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-06-13
ROMANCE OF A DECK-CHAlR.

die-away tone: "Oh. Mr.. Franklin, I'm
afraid I've got your chair. Do take IT.!
Please take it,
OF course 1 was instantly at her side,
imploring her to keep the blessed chair
forever. to wear IL for my sake-not that
she showed the slightest disposition to
give it up.
For three days l waited upon her hand
and foot. helped her up and down the
companion stairs, tempted her with deli
cacies, told her funny stories-not about
sea-sickness-recited poetry to her-my
own, unpublished. and-yes, I fiirted
with her
And she? Oh. it did her good-bright-
ened her up amazingly. She talked bet
ter than photograph, and we were all
In all to each other The doctor was
Dit OF nuisance. presuming upon his
medical privileges, you understand; and
the captain pestered us: but / got my
grip, as we used to say when I rowed
in the college eight, and 1 pulled right
through, giving them my wash" all the
time.
And so we drew nearer to Sandy Hook;
and although / had TO sit upon a camp
stool while l watched over her in my
lawful capacity of landlord of the deck
chair, never enjoyed crossing so much
in my life. and I've been over the At
lantic about twenty times on business.
But within 9 days sail of New York a
disaster fell upon the ship, so terrifying.
so lurid, so indescribably horrible, that
you will think me inconsistent in declar-
ing that it increased my happiness a hun
dredfold, and gave me in one hideous mo-
ment all the concentrated joy Of a life
time.
1t had come on to blow again. A great
oank or bubhling purple clouds had arisen
In the northwest as the night closed in:
and while 1 was helping Miss Bradley
down the companion-way. driven from the
deck by the ugly, threatening aspect of
the sky, blast of wind struck the vessel
heeling her over with a suddenness that
forced me to cling with all my might to
the banister. and Miss Bradley with all
hers to my neck. For nearly a minute
my chin reposed against the top of her
head, but that ecstacy was vouchsafed to
me no longer. As the ship rghted, Milli-
cent parted from me. sprang down the
few remaining stairs, grabbed at a hand
rail, and whisked away TO her cabin sans
adieux.
1 struggled back TO the deck for the
rugs and cushions. and found the vessel
enveloped in a furious storm. Already it
was dark, and the ATLANTA was plunging
like a FESTIVE horse, the sea coming In
floods over the bulwarks, and the wind
tearing and Shrieking among the cOrdage,
and clustering against the big roaring
funnel. The rain came down in slanting
sheets of water, and the sailors were
shouting TO each other, and warning the
passengers who had delayed getting be-
saved my life, l can hardly tell. My
deck-chair 1 left strapped to its mornings
and took refuge in the smoke-rOom with
half dozen other white-faced fellows.
With the greatest difficulty we got TO
our state-rooms, and 1 clambered into my
berth, simply shedding my topcoat on the
floor and kicking off my sopping shoes
l lay on my back with my elbow wedged
against the sides of the bunk to prevent
myself being pitched out by the violent
smashing Of glass and crOckery, the crash
of hat-bOXes, bags, and other unsecured
triheS, which were flying about like pips
in a dice-box. and to the shuddering
whirl Of the screw as the water dropped
away from our stern and left the great
flanges to beat the air The steward
came and put the lights out, a red-tape
proceeding which added to the awfulness
of things in general. Then | began tC get
insufferably warm. IT was summertime,
and with, portfolios closed, the atmosphere
below decks was always stuffy; but never
before had l felt such an oppression. 1
concluded that we had got into the gulf
stream. or something Of that sort, and
they had closed ali the ventilators for
the sake of keeping the ship water-tght.
1 had TO lie there in a bath of per
spiration, for | could not get relief by
taking off my clothes. To unwedge my
self in order to make the attempt would
have resulted in my rolling out onto the
floor where my shoes and a water bot
tie and careless companions razor case
were having perfect frolic together
! grew parched with thirst. Every
moment the air became more unbreath-
able. Ten minutes more. and I gasped
aloud: Il must get out Of this or dier'
I flung myself down, taking my chance
of the razors, and CROPPED out of the door
A sitting fog hung in the saloon. The
dim light of the swinging lantern showed
oil
blinded eyes. perceived that from every
state-roOm abutting on the saloon one
or more passengers had crept out like
myself. and were standing at each open
ing like specters, holding on desperately
to anything. The saloon seemed to be
doing it's best To subvert itself. At times
the floor was almost perpendicular. Now
| was lying fiat upon the outer wall of
my cabin; the next instant l was hang
ing from the rail that ran around 1t, as
if I were a trapeze performer. All about
there was a pandemonium of tumbling
things. The sea Numbered against the
vessel fearfully, and again and again
there was that horrible shudder of the
screw.
Near me chung an old gentleman in
night attire. "A nice thing thisi' he
beloved in my ear. To save discussion,
1 agreed with him that it was very nice
indeed.
Across the saloon was the cabin dedi-
Gated to Miss Bradley. | detected a
ghostly figure there. and made my way
over. holding fast to the chairs and the
table. Yes, ii was she, white as the
dressing gown that swathed her graceful
figure She grasped my hand. Her dark
eyes gazed into my face with terrible
expression
THANK God, you have come to nep'
she cried with passionate earnestness.
We had grown very good friends dur
ing those few blissful days of her con-
valescence. but only by maintaining a
mOny. How | blessed the accommodate
ing tempest which made her now speak
TO me like that
/ kept her hand in mine and brought
my face close to hers-I had to do this
10 make my consolation Ineligible
there was such racket It's all rightp'
l shouted. only gale of wind. Bit
of a sea on. You're quite right TO turn
out if you feel nervous
She shook her head. "Oh, the storm is
nothing she replied
Nothing at allr' 1 assented scofinglv
as if / had been used to high seas and
bowling winds" from infancy But in my
heart l did not agree with her. She must
surely be jesting-making light of il in
panic-stricken bravadO, else why was she
so Enthusiastically over-mastered by fear?
Her face was set like marble; her eyes
glared to right and left; her beautifully
chlseied nOstrils shifted the down
draught from the engine ROOM
As we stood there in the duskiness,
clinging to the side of the cabin and to