Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-02-04

With an offended glance Sho turned
TO leave him, but relented at the
sight of his doleful countenance.
1T must DO pretty bad, though"
sho said, Ito make you want to run
away"
1T is! It's slaves life, and if
I've got to be just common scrub
l prefer to work on dry land. All
that talk about tho glory and honor
of the lifo is rubbish. I've tried it.
They won't miss mo till they go
aboard tonight at sunset. But if
they should catch mo tomorrow I'd
be locked i'll the brig for week on
broad and watorw
Though she had no idea what the
pressivo and terrible to Dorothy.
What u brave fellow no must be to
attempt escape in the face of such
punishment! And yet there scomod
something decidedly questionable
about the SORT of courage that led
him to run away from disagroeable
duty rather than stay and faco it.
Nor could she admit that no was OK
actly her ideal of bravo young Amer
lea as ho sat in a dojectod heap at
tho far side of tho dark little cell.
IF | had brother, Sho began
slowly, her eyes fixed steadily on
| tho rcscntfu faCo before her, IF |
had brother, l think | should want
him to be either u soldier or sail
or. And if he were in the navy and
got to be an officer, how proud I
should be! TO have your own broth
or really helping to protect your
country, how safe it would mako
you feel!
But, she won't on sympathetio-
ally, IF you are sick all the time, 1
don't wonder you hate it. The
American consul hero is n real nice
old man. ] know him, and I'll tell
him just how you feel, and I'm sure
he will help you. But" she oontin-
ued, with a sad little smile, Il am
disappointed, for all summer since
I've been here l have boon Watching
these Portuguese boys and girls, and
they don t soom half so nice rs ours.
The girls just sit around and don {
have any fun, and the boys act so
stupid and lazy l want to shake
them. I've been wishing they could
come over to America and SEQ our
boys, and-now l just hate to have
them know that there is single ono
who isn't brave and loyal and true
to his flag"
Silence followed this somewhat
ohoky but earnest confession. The
boy sat with his chin stolidly buried
in his hands.
Suddenly a movement in the court
startled them both, and, glanoing
through tho broad arch behind her,
Dorothy saw tho bent figures of
some of tho old women, evidently re-
turning from early mass.
Keep way back in the dark, "
she whispered hurriedly, while fold,
ing up her stool, and don't move,
or they will see you. I'll como back
after breakfast and bring you some
thing to eat. Goodby"
Dorothy rctraced her stops to the
patient donkey at the gate and rode
straight to an opening whence she
could got view of the harbor
There, sure enough, with sails furled,
swinging lazily with the warm sum-
mer brcczo, lay the Victory, and
from its stern hoated the most beau
tiful flag in all the world.
Il didn't know / should ever feel
so worked up over sight of that
darling dag Dorothy exclaimed,
fairly dancing in her saddle. II
must tell mother"
AS she turned back to the main
street she found the place alive with
the white suits and sunburned faces
of American sailor boys. The old
town was reused from its comfort
able slum Der by light hearted, strong
bodied youth turned loose for holi-
day. Up and down the streets they
marched, their rolling gait assumed
If not yet acquired, chattering
with delight at being ashore and
bursting into hearty cheer at sight
of the stars and stripes above the
consul's Office.
Hero and there were stragglers
deep in the delights of home letters
just received. Some had invaded the
tiny shops In search Of Fayal baskets
or linen for home friends, and others
were bargaining for fruit and donkey
rides. Dorothy, almost torn asunder
in the conflict between her desire to
greet each countryman and her eff
forts to preserve proper maidenly
J decorum, FASTENED to the hotel and
burst into the breakfast room. But
hero still greater surprise awaited
hor. She shyly drew back as she be-
held her mother seated at tho head
of long table, on her gentle face "a
little flush of excitement, while lin
ing the table were two rows of Jolly
sailor lads.
Pointing to scat left vacant for
Dorothy, Mrs. Scott soon put them
all at ease They fell to with a will,
and "shoro food vanished at an
alarming rate. After the first shy
ness wore off and tongues woro
loosonod Mrs. Scott drew from one
and another bits of their history,
homo life and plans, and her kindly
interest in their boyiSh condolences
staid with them longer than she
Guessed, for oven sailors manly
hearts yc"rn now and thon for a
Nmnt hor tnlk ~ and fhNSn who love