The herald., 1897-09-03
SHIPS THAT PASSED

| Down the White river, in Arkansas,
where the atmosphere is only saturat
ed solution of malaria, and the unaccli-
mated stranger pants for one breath of
fresh air, Gregory Warner was waiting
for an answer from his brother to a
telegram for assistance" He was also
expecting that his brother would pull
| him in to situation in the county re-
corder's office out on the Pacific coast
| The young man would not have been
recognized by his brother as he sat on
| log in the edge of the White river
Naked to the waist, he dangled his feet
in the water and souzed his shirt
rubbed it between his hands and spread
it on the branches to dry. On the bank
lay his coat, shoes and hat on the log
beside him lunch of cold fish and bis
cult. The little waiter had told him
supper was ready" but he had pre-
tended not to hear, and the waiter
Caught on" to the unusual kind Of
tramp and brought out a liberal feed
This was the boys first meal since the
previous morning, when he had sold
his revolver for two bits and bought
some rye bread and sausage and shared it
with big hungry darkey in box car
Munching the grub and wondering
why he did not feel hungry, he. gazed
meditatively at a johnboat half full Of
water lying few feet away. A log raft
came around the bend above him, the
two men working terrifically at the huge
oars, trying to keep it in the channel
They had evidently lost control of their
craft, and one of them yelled to Greg
ory:
Hello thar, stranger!"
Good morning."
"Onhitch that thar boat un' git aout
hyar an ketch this line an head this
hyar raft aroun'!"
He sprang to the johnboat, spilled out
what water he could, seized the awk-
ward home made oar and padded out
toward the raft. The men heaved
rope at him, which he failed to catch.
The men cursed, and seeing the sligh.
build of the rescuer, bid him close to tn.
raft, and jumped into the boat, one pull
ing the oar, while the other held the
rope. They got the raft headed righ:
and returned to it, climbing back and
leaving Warner in the boat, about ready
TO collapse from malaria, hunger and
nervousness. The raft struck bar un-
expectedly, the rear swung around, the
corner smashing the boat and just miss
ing Warner, who in a moment was strug-
gliEg feebly under the raft. AS the raft
swung clear around, changing ends, the
bar under it held it long enough for the
boy to float out from under, and b.
picked up by the lumbermen. They let
the loosened raft follow the now straight
channel, while they thumped and pumped
the water out and the miasmic air back
into Warmers lungs, then poured whisky
down him and covered him with blankets
under their hut.
In the telegraph office at Newport, now
passed couple of miles, lay telegram:
"To Gregory Warner, Newport, Ark:
Send $50 by Wells-Fargo. Job all right.
Answer. FRANK WARNER"
In the Office of the Border Rufflan the
newly elected county recorder was talk
ing to the editor.
Il can't wait any longer, Warner. If
you don't hear from your man by this
evening I'll have to give the place to
one of Johnson's friends. Your paper
done me lots O. good, an you're entitled
to the place, but Johnson fetched me a
heap o votes too."
On the raft Gregory Warner, A. B.,
eX-tutor or Myom1ng academy, kicked
off mass of blankets and quilts sat up
and remarked You fellows would do
well to kick little less football and
dig a little harder on these verbs. If
you don't bail the old thing out she'll
locate an imaginary point at the bottom
Of the bay. Rah! Rah! Rah! 'S6! Half
a length the winner! Whoop-la! Rah!
1851" Then a pair of knotted hands
pushed him down again, piled the covers
on, and poured another dram down his
throat.
Frank Warner remarked to his wife
at supper: That's the last cent Greg'll
ever get out of me-the ungrateful pup
py Just like him to get mixed up that
way and lose his job. We won'e hear
from him now till he's broke again."
X.