The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-12-29
"who was the skipper. Nlckg" asked

who was the skipper, Nlck?" asked
Afullaney.
Well, mebbe his name was Dickey.
an mebbe It warn't. He's admiral
now, and retired an his name don't
sinnerfy. 'T'any rate the gig ulster be
called away regler every night at eight
bells and the sklpper'd light out for the
beach an the hotel over there He'd
give me orders to wait fur him an that
nd be the last we'd see of him till 9
o'clock In the morning"
The night I've in mind was in Sep
tembea an the weather fine as the gold
lace on a new made lootenant's uni
form Warm an pleasant with a bit
of an early moon an a dustin o. stars
overhead. After the skipper left the
boat, let the crew run up to Mill Creek
an hauiin' the boat under the wharf I
nlied my dhudeen an took ter enjyin'
u quiet lay off In the starn sheets. &C..
| sionally a boat from some O. the other
ships would sweep in an make a landin'
an shove off agin, but artcr Il while as
the night got old. all this stopped an
thing got quiet on the landin float
an wharf.
The rollin' o the gig and the gugGle
the water round the piles of the
wharf kinder lulled me inter half doze
when OF u sudden hears the swish
| an rustic of a woman's skirts on the
prov OF the landin' float an then a
desprit choking sob.'
II was wide awake in minnit an
peering out from the darkness under
the wharf ] sees n woman standin on
the edge of the float A beautiful young
critter, She was. In Il ball dress o. SHIN
merry stun, reached round the neck SOS
to show the full o. her neck an Shout
ders She stood clost to the edge of
the loat, her face turned twards the
hotel, light bit O. lace gear on her head
an a touch o the electric light in her
face. Twas on'y q minnit she stood
thar like a gallant ship all aback. with
look o misery an God forsakennes in
her young face tibet I'll never furgit to
my dyin' day"
The old man paused and brushed
hand roughly across his eyes. From the
| ball room Mt the Hygeia.. the strains OF
the Visions D'Armour' waltz floated
IN dreamy waves out over the. waters.
The band was Dlayin a toon suthin
like thut," said Nick: recovering from
his abstraction, AN suddenly she
| throws up her hands an cries. God, fur
iioat into the water. I grabs the boats
painter quick, gives a strong pull an
the boat shoots out from under the
wharf list in time for the gal to fall
inter my arms instead of the water"
1t was on'y u mint / held her here
snowflake, but i'll tibet short time the
scent o her hair an her laces kinder
went to my head an feelin' comes over
| me as If wanted ter kill or shed blood
! my arms
What have ye done?" says she, strug-
Gin from me. "Oh, why didn't We let
| me die?"
Hush, miss" says I. I'VE didn't mean
II; Ihar hatnt misery enough in the
wide world ter justify what you was
agoin' ter do. Come now, be sensi-
bic. / haint questionin', but what
we've been hard driven, but whatever
your trouble be thar's q better way
outen 1t than this"
Not for me-not for me-" says she,
sobbin' an rockin' to an fro; then sud
denly We hears footsteps on the wharf
above an she shirers an turns to
me.
Hide me-" says she. don't, fc.r the
love of Gcd, let any one see my mise
ry.''
AYE, aye" says T. an shoots the gig
back under the wharf.
The footsteps came slap slapbin'
down the plankS an presently stop
right overhead. In another minnit a. man
In the uniform of a army OFFICER walks
down the Prov OF the float clear Inter
our sight with the sheen o the electric
light full on him. y handsome young
teller he was, as he stood thar, but for
all that, from the way she covered
TO me as she sot eyes on him, figured
him as The cause q the little gals
trouble an the lust O. KILN famed in
my heart.
he stands minnlt lookin round an
out over the water q chewin' of his
moustache an n mutterin' to hisself.
D the luck! says he presently,
I've gone too far"
Right We are, my hearty" thinks l.
and you're n goIn' farther" With that
tells the gal to keep quiet an slips
onter the float behind him an in the
Hap of reef point has him on his back
on the foat an me OH top o. him with
my hand at his wien.
Say your prayers" says 7, AN say
en- quick fG.r by the Etnrnal we're
goin' ter meet ye're Maker
Before he had chance to speak the
gal was out of the gig an on her knees
'longsde of us.
"Oh, sir" says she, tacklin' my
hands, don't We harm him-don't we,
don't ye. The sins mine, not his. If
yc'u kill him. then kill me too for II
love him and want to die"
God! boys. she was q movin' an
q heart tearin' sight i'll the glitter o.
her ball dress. the glory o. her young
beauty. with her white bosom hcavin
like the sea In a gale, the agn'y o her
shame an terrcI' struggling with her
love of the man who had betrayed her
an all the while up at the hotel the
band was still Il playin' while down
ON the float mongst the lights an shad-
dcrs q heart was breakin', a. mans soul
was on the brink O. damnation, an q
ole fool ragin with the fire o hill in his
heart.
"Tany rate let him go as she asked
fle got up slow like, turned to the gal
where she knelt with her face buried
In her hands, an stood lookin' at her