The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-05
Cbe Dof11e Reading Circle
THE COWARD OF SALEM.
COPYRIGHTED 1897 BY cHAs. b. LEWIS.
PART I.
BY Charles b. Lewis,

Up the wide street dividing the old
town of Salem in halves-a street lined
with trees which cast their shade when
the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth
walked young map of twenty-five. 1t
was evening of summer day, and
children were at play in the streets
and their parents sat on their door
steps, enjoying the breeze coming in
from the sea.
That's Tom Holy-thats the cow
ard" whispered the children to each
other, as they shrunk away from the
pedestrian, whose bronzed face and
peculiar gait proved him a sailor.
Tom Holly, the coward" added men
and women, as they looked up and
then turned their heads away.
The young man saw, If he did not
hear, and his teeth were hard set, and
his breath came faster, and he reached
the crest of the hill and opened the
gate in front of a weather-beaten
house. On the porch sat girl of twen-
ty- sat there alone, with folded hands
and anxious face and eyes fastened on
the gate. She heard the step afar off,
and recognized it. Her heart beat
quicker, as the sailor opened the gate,
but she did not move. He advanced to
her feet, and stood there and looked
down upon her, love lighting up his
face, and yet look of sternness ming
led with it, but she looked him fair in
the eyes and had no welcome for him.
"Well, Mollie, and so you believe the
Btory?" he finally asked.
"How can 1 help it?" she queried, In
reply.
"And you regard me as a coward?"
1.-THE whole crew declare that you
showed the white feather in the face of
danger, and it was even worse than
that. Not a man will speak in your
favor. Even the children flaunt your
name. / can't love coward, Tom; I'd
sooner hang myself than marry man
who was scorned."
'I told you how 1t was" he quietly
said.
80 you did; but the others say differ
ent There's fifty against you"
Eyes, they are all against me; but
they do not know-they cannot under
stand. 1 was in hopes you'd believe
me-stand by me. Well, let it be as
it is. Good-by, Mollie."
"Goodby, Tom" she replied, as she
looked away across the flowerbeds.
He stood for a moment, hoping she
would say something more-show signs
of relenting-ask him to tell his side
of the story again-but she was silent.
His slow step, and without a look
behind him, he walked down the path
and out of the gate, and down the
street toward the harbor. AS he went
looking straight ahead of him, his face
growing white under the bronze, the
children drew out of his path and
sneered and Knocked and whispered:
'Yes, that's Tom Holly, and he's a
coward! Coward! Coward"
Seven days previously the whaling
shiI True Blue had returned to Salem
after three years cruise. She haG
made lucky voyage, brought back
all her men in good health, and al
had received hearty welcome-al
but Tom Holly. Scarcely had the shiI
been moored when gossip was busy
with his name. He had gone out aS
second mate OF the True Blue, ant
up to the last four months of the voy,
age his record was one to be proud of
His boats crew had fastened to more
whales than any other, and now an(
then the captain had cautioned hin
about being too rash. One day al
the boats were lowered for solitary
whale. He was q big one and fighter
He smashed two boats, and Tom Holly
picked up the crews and took them t
the ship. The whale headed for tn,
ship and Tom Holly cut in and har
pooned him and sheared him off. Fo
the next half hour the whale dragged
two boats after him. Then he turned
and with his great lower jaw swinging
from side to side and his flukes lash
ing the water to foam, he rushed upol
the captains boat. The sweep of hi
jaw caught her and sent her high in al
and flung her crew into the sea, an,
1t was then they called Tom Holly
coward. His crew wanted to dash IL
to the rescue of the men, but he or
dered his boat off. They said he wa
pale-faced and trembling and confuse,
in his orders, and that the whale hat
but to lift his flukes to bring about
tragedy. 1t made no difference that h
finally put the boat alongside the mon