The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-28

had smiled little as II in pity of the
mCrbidity that ran out TO meet 50 many
dangers. | did not heed his Gocd-natured
compassion or contempt. whatever ii was,
for knew he had no children. | had
reconciled myself In some measure 10 my
absence from home, and before my little
man was awake in the morvns l was
gone from the house.
II had been arranged that / should go
10 Morocco Wenman had suggested that
country out of regard to the freshness
OF its life and people. The East in the
West. tho costumes of Arabia, the faiths
Of Mohammed ard of Moses, a primitive
form OF government. and social life
that might have been proper 10 the land
OF Canaan tn the days of Abraham-such
had seemed TO him and others 10 be an
atmosphere Of novelty that WAS likely 20
bring spring and elasticity to the over
stretched mind and nerves of a victim
u the civiliza ton of cur tumultuous GEN.
fury. But not in all the world could fate
have ferreted out for me a scene more
certain to develop the fever and fret of
my natural temperament Had the choice
fallen on any other place, any dead or
dying country. any corner of Gods earth
but that bighted and desolate land.
All, bear with me. bear with me.
] sailed to Gibraltar by +. and G.
steamer from Tiihury and the tender
y
pier ,ef, little In my new condition To in
tefcst me. You know what it Is to leave
England In search of health. II hope is
before you, regret Is behind. When
stood on the upper deck that night alone.
and watched the light OF the Eddystone
dying down over the dark waters. 1t
seemed to me that success had no selace
and fame no balm. and riches no safety
81 content. One reflection alone sufficed
to reconcile me to where was--tha work
that had brouRh. me there was done
neither for fame nor for riches. but at
the prompting OF the best of all earthly
passions. or what seemss 10 be the best
Life on the ship was what had fouai
ii before. The first inspections. the secret
inquiries to who was who, the saluta-
tions. the little playful facetiae, the gaps
at table SIS the wind freshened and the sea
rose. the watching Of the chart which
recorded progress then the quoits on deck
in the morning sunshine. the smoking and
joking aud banjo playing In the deck
house al night. the ladies and the piano
in the saloon at tea time--I had seen II
all "A score OF times already. II had no in
terest for me now. and in my Indifference
10 my surroundings ! must have been but
q moody comrade to my companions Of
the voyage.
Thus three days passed ard beyond
casual words had spoken to no one. But
(
sight Of Finisterre in a calm sea, having
crossed the bay with comfort, the word
went round that a storm signal was hoist
cd on the cape. No one who has gone
through an experience such as that Is
likely 10 forget 1t. Everybody on deck,
the hianched faces the hushed voices, the
quick whispers. the eager chances around.
the interrogations of the officers on duty,
and their bantering answers belied by
their anxious looks, then the darkening
sky. the fresheuing breeze, the lowering
horizon. the tingiing gloomy atmosphere
creeping down from the masthead and
the mir Of the whole ship. above and be-
| low. charged as Il were. with sudden
| electricity. II is like nothing else In life
except the hugle call In camp telling
| those who lie drinking and smoking about
| the fires that the enemy Is coming and is
near.
I was standing on the quarterback
| watching the TaSears reeffng sails bat
| tening down the matches. tarpaulng them.
| and making everything snug when a
| fellow pa ssenger whom had no. OBJ
| served before stepped up and spoke His
| remark was casual one. and IL has gone
| from my memory. | think Ii had refer
| once 10 the native seamen. and WAS meant
| as a Jest upon their numbering slowness
/ which suggested pitiful thoughts TO him
! Of what their capacity must be in a
| tGan hts words aroused and arrested my
| attention. II WAS that Of one whose Spir-
| Us had been 4ulckened by the new sense
| Of danger. He laughed. his eyes spar
| kied HIS tongue rolled out his light re-
| marks xith n visible relish. I looked at
| the man. and saw he had the soul OF
| war-horse Tatl. slight dark handsome
| with hushy beard, auivering nostrils. mo-
| bile mouth. and eyes ct ire alive in ev-
| cry fibre and full Of uncomfortable ener-
gy He appeared 30 he man 81 ~ 70
| 81, hat proved 10 be no more than four
aud twenty. learned afterwards that he
| was an American. and was travelling fer
| love of adventure.
| That night we flew six hours before The
! storm, hat Il overlook ear ship AZ last
/ what befti us then In the darkness Of
| that rock-bound coast I aid not know tn-
| fil morning. Can YOU believe liz I took
/ ;uy usual dose 81 drug prescribed - re
| far Insomnia. and lay down 10 sI.ep
| When | went Up on deck In the late dawn
/ az she following dav-the time was the
| sprtng-the wird had slackened. and me
| ship was rolling and swinging along in a
| sea shat could not N heard above fhe
| beat and thad If the engines, Only the
! memory az last nights tempest law
| around IN suilen wave and sky-onlv
| there. ana in the quarters down below -
| the native seamen Of our ship.
4 tt sfNt lace I FtttHAAfA krfFtt was ffSle Ef
| the American. He had heen on deck all
! night. ard ~ told ne what had hap
! pcU"i Through tho dark hours the storm
/ bad been terrible, and when the frzt
! dead llgh. II dawn had crepi across from
| the east thc ship had been sslil tossing In
! great white hllows, Just then A number
| ~ i-9%CarS had h@Vn ordered tla9s on
| SEINE Urgert dutyT know not what-and
! = sudden gust bad Swt ~ one ~ them
| tv0fn crcsstr~c tnSa the sea Efforts
| had he~a made ~ rescue him the engines
| had been reversed. taats rut out and life
/ hisoys thrown into the water hz;t al in
/ vain. The man had been sweut awav.
| sse as gone. ana the shtp had steamed on.
i TIE Disaster s8Ndsnea nse fncxpye<elhly
| couli sac the IaScar fan fvern The rig
! ElHg catch TIE RguaiE!ne glance 81 TN.
/ II h;;s eyes in his black face aS he was
| Swers past 81 the vrcst ~ wave and
| watch his oBt$tTe;CfF4 arms as he sank
] - bis death doen and down ard ssrwr
! |; 81 exasa "a u7a an sHigu}tv that while
/ this hAsi happened | As1 slept PERTAINS
! tbs ever sensitive condition - nv nerves
| was at fault, bar I fell That "a his xa.
/ IN his degree. with5n the rstasgf~a ~ ,ss
/ possibilities thai poor follow az snosn
| skin. another tongue with whom had
| exchanges 10 word ~ greeting Rad that
! dav given hiss Ike for ruy Rfa
/ Hos nlueA ~ sucR euaass5on : rxrf.sSss,
/ n 1he ttTue IL - bard 80 remember r,sey
l bat thar the American gathered the bent,