The times., 1897-09-12

IL was tremendous surprise. We did
net know till then how much. faith we ;i;td
put in his deinsions. We had taken bis
chances OF life 80 much at his own yalua-
uion that his death, like the death of an
old Lelief, shook .he foundations OF cur
society. A common bond was gone; the
strong, effective and respectable bond of
sentilnentallie. All that day we I1onned
at our work, with suspicious looks and
disabused air. In our hearts We thought
that in the matter OF his departure Jimmy
had acted in aperverse and unfriendIy
ner. He didn't back us up, as a shipuHte
should In going he took away with hiul-
self the gloomy and imposing shadow in
which our folly had posed with humane
satisfaction as a tender arbiter OF Fate.
And now we saw ii was no such thing.
IL was just blamed foolisfness; a silly
and Intellectual meddling with issues Of
majestic import is, if Podnsor: was
right. Perhaps he was? Doubt survived
Jimmy, aud like community IF banded
criminals. disintegrated by a touch OF
grace, we were profoundly scandallZed
with each other Men spoke unkinuly 10
their best chuns. Others refused to speak
az all. Sullivan only was not surprised.
Dead IS he? OF course" he said,
tie calm still held the ship speltiS.Ind
within sight of Flores,
DeaG-of course. He wasn't surprised.
Here was the land, and there on the
forehdtCh and waiting for the sailmaker
there was that corpse. Cause and effect.
And for the first time that voyage, the
old seaman became quite CHEEKY and gar
rulnus, explaining and Illustrating from.
the stores of experience how in sickness,
he sight of an island (eyen 4 very Small
one) is generally more fatal than the view
of a continent. He couldn't explain why.
Jimmy was 20 be buried at 5, and it
was 3 long day till then Ia day OF mental
| disquiet and even of physical disturbance.
We took no interest in our work and very
| properly We're rebuked for it. This. in our
constant state of hungry irritation, was ex
| asperasIg. Dunliin worked with his brow
| bound in a dirty rag aud looked so ghastly
| that Mr. Baker was touched with com
passion at the sight of this plucky suffer
ing.
"aughl You, Donkinl Put down yoIr
| work and go lay-up this watch. You Inoi;
ILL.,"
'II ham, sr-in my 'ead,' he said, in
| a suhdned voice, and vanished speedily
This annoyed many, and they thought
tie mate ''bloomin soft to-day" Capt
! AllistoGn could uc seen on the poop watch
ing the sky over from the southwest, AMI
it soon got TO lie known about the dec;s
| that the barometer had begun 20 fan ia
the night, and that a breeze might be .x-
pected before long This by a subtle rs
sociation of ideas led to violent quarreling
! as TO the exact moment OF Jimmy's death.
| Was 1t before or after .'that ere glass
started down." 1t was impossible 10
know, and it caused much conteEptuJs
| growing at one another.
/ Reliast took bis bereavement very hard.
! He gave proofs of uuextinguishabl ble ,le-
| votion. II was he, and noOtheF nun, that
world help the sailmaker TO prepare what
was LETT Gf Jimmy for a solemn suTren Ter
| To the insatable sea. He arranged The
weights carefully at the feet-two holy
| stOnes, an old anchor shackle without
| IL pin. some broken links OF WORKOUT
! stream cable He arranged them this way
then that.
Bless my soul, you aren't afraid he win
| chafe his heeI?'' said impatiently the sail
maker, who hated the Job. He pushed the
needle, putting furiously. with his he al in
| clouG Of tobacco smoke. He turned the
| flaps over. pulled at the stitches, stretched
! at the Cauv as. Lift his shoulders full
! to you a bit-so-o %. Steady Belfast
! obeyed. overcome with sorrow. dropping
! tears on the tarred twine. Don't you drag
/ the canvas too taut over his poor face,
| Sails he entreated tearfuly.
/ what are you washing yourself for? No
| use to nobody. Who VIII miss hiua?"
81 do-f pulled him out mourned Bel
fast. dismaIly.
On two plauks nailed together, and an.
| parentiy resigned and still, under the folds
of the Union Jack with a white border,
| James Wait, carried art by four men, was
! deposited slowly, with his feet pointing al
| an open port. 4 swell had set in from the
westward, anc following on the ron OF the
| ship, the red ensign, at half mast, darted
| out and collapsed again on the gray sk y
| like tongue of Pickering fire. Charley
| toiled the bell, and at every swing TO star
board the whole vast semi-circia OF sterly
| waters visible on that side seemed to come
up with rush to the edge of the port, as
if impatient to get at our Jimmy.
Everyone was there but Donkin, who
| wdS too i'll to come; the captain and Mr
Creighton stood bareheaded on the break o!
the poop: Mr.. Baker, directed by the cap.
tain, who had told him gravely, g Y GU know W
| more about the prayer book than Go. -
came out of the cabin doer quickly, and
a little eHharr assed. Alithe caps went Off
He began to read In low tone, and with
his usual harmlessly menaeing utterance.
| as though he had been for the last time re
proving confidentially that dead seaman
| &C his feet, The words, missing the un-
steady hearts OF men, rolled out to wander
without home upon tie heartIess sea
and James Wait, slenced forever, lay un.
critical q nd passive under the hoarse nur.
mur Of hope and despair
TWO men made ready and waited for
those words that send so many of our
brothers TO tiieir last plunge. Mr.. Baker
began the passage.
stand by" muttered the boatswdiu.
Mr.. Baker read out, ITO the deep and
paused. The men lifted the inboarf end ot
the pl;.nksr the boatswain snatehed of
the Union Ja2k, and James Wait did no.
move.
Higher" nuttered the boatswai an
grily,. All 1.-THE heads Were raised: every m an
stirred uneasily. but James Wait gave nc
sign of going In death, and swatIed ur
for al eternity, he vet seemed to hang Oh
IL the ship with the grip Of an undyinl
fear
Higher, lift" whispered the boatswain
ficrcciy.
He won't CO." stammered one Of tht
men, shakiIy. and both appeared ready t,
drop everything.
Mr.. Baker waited, burying his face in th.
book, and shuffling his feet nervousIy AL