The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-05-28
SEEING THE PEOPLE OFF
Going Down to Sea in Ships and
Coming In.
The Speed For the Parting Friend and
the Welcome for the Coming One,
The Overdue Vessal. Glad to
Go and Glad to Get Back
Home Again.
Especial Corres.ondence.I

Lord deliver us'
The remark came from most mild
and reyerent little woman. Who could
blame herr Tho thermometer was high,
and the pier was like wooden oven,
the sun was in her eyes, the sickly
swish Of the muddy looking water
against tho pier was in her ears, and she
was left behind.
I wonder if the fortunate holiday
taker appreciates tothe full tho self sac
ritise Of the friend who goes down to
the wharf in summers heat or in win
ter's storms to say "goodby.'
1t is such sad, unsatisfying task
You may like the friend very much and
hate to see him go; that's one draw
back. IL the voyager is woman, you
are laden down with flowers, and you
take many messages you never can Mt
tend to and make many promises you
never can keep Moro than this, you
want very much to go away yourself
The sight of the hurrying officers in their
blue and brass, tho clatter of life aboard
ship, the natty looking MILDLY caps and
fore and ats on the passengers, all in
spire You with sudden desire, or make
an'old longing moro potent, to 60 down
to the sea in ship.
Life at home in the old, familiar
channels seems n grpbby thing at best
q prospect Of Broadway before you when
your soul tllirsts for Piccadilly, and
Manhattan Beach when you want to
hear how the pretty speech of France
sounds at Treuville
And then when the big hulk glides
out of the haven into the sunlit narrows,
and you wave your handkerchief until
.f9ur arm aches, what is there left?
Why, you must steal away, one Of
crowd of discontcnted people, hot, half
angry, uncomfortable, burning tears on
your heart, if not in your eyes, if the
departed is loved che, and the query,
What if amid tho strange chances of
life this should have been the last good
oy?"
Somehow the cars seem more stuffy
ON that day than on any other. More
people step on your toes, New York
looks ugly, embarrassing, sordid, and
not until you have had good cry does
relief come.
Very different is the meeting of a
snip carrying precious cargo.
People who are scarcely friends, or
who have but negative fondness for
you, go down to see You sail, but only
thuse bound by the secure ties of rela-
tlonship or love bother to watch for the
ships arrival and get up, perhaps in the
chill dawn, to welcome you back.
All, there is happiness in this There
is 1oyl Who cares if tho matutinal cup
OF coffee must be foregone? Who cares
II one has to hustle into ones clothes
While sleep is still heavy in the eyes?
She is coming homo today. Today
III see her again, " the young man says,
Or the old man either, for that matter.
Why, that ride down town III the gray
light, when only marketmen in Jump
ers are abroad, is glorified for you. You
get to the pier and find yourself, as YOU
think, first there. The old dockmaster
SMILES inwardly at your impatience us
you ask:
Has she been sighted reallyp I rot q
telegram last night, but you never can
~ o'iO VI tilS tAuCI llUlC.
"Oh, yes; she's lying off quarantine.
She'll be up an hour or SO from now, |
guess, he says carelessly.
Do You mind waiting an hour? Why,
bless You, not in the least! You tako q
position well out on the wharf, surprised
TO lind that there are others like You in
the world-20 others maybe-all look
.ng toward the blue perspective with
that softened expression of happy wait
ing in their faces.
And what coGradeship there ia be-
tween You all You awkwardly knock q
woman's parasol out Of her hand. She
smiles, and as You pick it up asks who
yon are expecting She's waiting for
her husband, and he's been gone six
weeks Another, little mother in
mourning, stands very quietly, her arm
around little girl She is waiting for
an elder daughter who has been absent
year, who was i'll for two months in
Paris and whom she had hardly dared
nope to sec again
s@ Aud then the ship turns the corner,
passing under big Liberty's gracious
snadow. AS it comes on, stately and
Slow, every eye is strained to make out
the familiar face among the crowd on
deck You hear little shrieks all around
you: There she is !" II know his bald
head. " Oh, mother, how are you?
Glad to get back?"
The conversation, passionately eager
and sometimes hysterical, takes place
from deck TO wharf long before the gang.