Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-07-22

.sA spAin.DanE 100 MUCH
I The sensitive ear of the engineer had
caught the slight irregularity in the
mighty tremble Of the machinery that
runs from stem to stern OF the vessel,
and excuses the knocking Of tho cross
head GIBBS on the score OF the 80, 600
mile run since the engines had bad an
overhauling. They we're turned for
home now, aud be noted the man at the
wheel gave three extra turns for the
wife, waiting for him at Plymouth.
With English lanes go near the lads
would make the ship walk her appointed
path on1the deep that night. There
were none 10 port to make him drive
faat or slow, only the board OF vessel
owners and Sir Kenneth to say
Good NORM, McAndrew Back again? An
how's your bllge to-day?
Miscallin' technicalities-.
but drinking glass of Madeira with
him-"the anld feet engineer" over
the successful voyage. Those technicali-
ties were near his heart: be could not
have forgiven wife for miscalling
them, and, although he could overlook
The matter, il hindered any approach
to perfect corfliality between him and
the board. There ia fine irony in the
fact of vessel and engines being owned
by men VINO miscalled the teebnicali-
ties, while to the lonely engineer, who
has not shilling's interest in them,
they take the place of Elsie Campbell,
these 30 years with God. Is not that a
subject for a poem, oh We of purhlind
eyes and little faith? The irony is un-
conscious there il no envy. 1t did not
occur to him, perhaps, that they owned
these my engines.
The night was g fine, clear and dark,
full draught breeze" We have all
seen such nights, standing IN the
shadow of the bridge and watching the
smoke trail a Hombre banner from the
stack with the long shining, wind
whipped track Of foam lying in the
wake Of the vessel. The old Scutchman
stood there and unused, dropping into
broader Scotch in moments of excite.
ment, as memories thronged. Wide
knowledge of the world and men and
deep piety are colored by everyday ex.
perience and the specific work. Mental
and physical habit and spiritual con-
victiop fix them into what we call in
dividuality. This marks the poem at
once as one OF rare power, and the writer
as one having the true poetic insight
into men and motives.
Lord, Thou hast made this world below the
shadow of dream
An taught by time, | TAX it so-exceptin'
ALWAYS Steam.
From coupler-nange to spindle guide. see
Thy hand. O God
Predestination in the stride o. yon conneetin'
rod.
John Calvin might ha' forged the same
pnOrmOIls certain. slow
Ay, wrought it in the furnace fiame-my
"Institutio."
Only Scotch Presbyterian knows
| what pre,leHtination is the eternal and
pitiless working out of the just laws OF
| the Almighty, aud through what n fiery
| furnace of accusing conscience he lust
walk daily who is the elect OF God.
| There ~ no other creed that allows SO
little leeway to the steam pressure. But
| kept to the notch the Institute"
would land its passengers 10 the harboi
| of heaven, That" knock wee" must
have been distinct pain to him. The
| integrity of the engines was more thar
a matter OF pride to him, it was ser,
mon and a daily walk, in precept and
practice teaching the fundamental laws
OF life and eternal life. As it approached
this he counted his own life success
or failure. Hs reviewed the past, mark
ing the day when he began as boiler
whelp" nearly half century before
when the highest pressure was II
pounds and breaks in pipes were mendeC
with tow. The gauge below marked
l55. Steam had made strides that lef
time behind
Stop there? Nay. Science knows nj
such thing as standstill. For 40 year
he had watched the progress of les
weight and larger power" and seel
the gauge climb up. He had no fear
for the coming Of tie gloritied machin
and the perfect ship that would wall
the water unharmed as did Christ a
Galilee. But would mem keep pace witt
it? lie felt that he had not. Tn
memory OF wild days was with him:
The sins o four and forty years, all up ar
down the seas.
Clack an repeat like valves half fed.
How tho technica!ities come home
telling all of us who have heard TIL
warning sound. as no other compariso
could have done, that for those VIII
have sinned the valves of vain regre
will clack and repeat when it ia too lat
to undo the mischief. While men va
cillated bewteen good and evil. engine
had grown in grace.
Nova together hear them lift their lesson
theirs an mine;
Law, Order, Duty and Restraint. Obediencl
Discipline,
The poets, from David and Home
down to Milton and Tennyaon, hay
taught no more than the iron hor &
that eats coal and obeys the laws of th
.,s,tt hnf tta1,. Att
escape. McAndrew had seen little
the ''wee, crimson tipped flower" lit
| of the ocean as viewed by the cahi
passenger under an awning. Most {
3 the time be was testing follower. boil
, or mandolin on my back - tb
cranks three inches from my nose
: Yet he found God there. When he vi
holding his lire in storm, drowsy Q
a the hatch and listening TO the moorir
. chain 60 'rippin' down through cor
Q trash" he heard tine call TO duty "cle
= as the gongs," and light on his iniqu
I ties "clear as our carbous burn" Il
p things OF his daily life furnishing hi
! his similiturles as straight TO the maj
I, Ms in the days when David sang "Tl
u Lord is my Shepherd" because in h
. youth he had tended sheep and kne
i the encompassing love for the herd.
q it was who made the flock poetic b
Z cause of his own ideal relationship
Il it, and through his devotion to Il
Q duty coming TO understand the God
l. Israel and his all.brooding care. S
how mis- task breaches to McAndrew
i Obsairyel Per annum Well have here tN
" thousand souls aboard
y Think not dare 10 justify myself befo
8 the Lord.
N ~ .b.+ 80 oi.;..