The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-05-26
asET, Pa. WEDNESDAY, MAY 26. 1897.

be what they call a 'deserter,' would
MT you?" she inquired.
al suppose so,n he answered dogged-
ly, but flushing in spite of himself at
word Of disgrace. Anyway, I'd
rather be called even traitor than go
backr'
s'It seems to me 'deserter' sounds
about as bad as 'traitor,," observed
Dorothy.
"Oh, well, it's all up with me now.
You're girl, and you'll go and tell,
and that's the end of itp'
~ shan't tell. even if am a girlw
she retorted. "All girls aren't tell
tales, and I'm sure It's none of my
business if you want to go and be a
deserter or any other awful thingw
With an offended glance she turned to
leave him, but relented at the sight of
his doleful countenance.
at must be pretty bad, though"
she said, ''to make you want to run
away"
at is, It's slaves life, and if I've
got to be just common scrub / prefer
to work on dry land. All that talk
about the glory and honor of the life
is rubbish. Tve tried it. They won't
miss me till they go aboard at sunset.
but if they catch me tomorrow I'd be
locked in the brig for week on bread
and waterr'
Though she had no idea what the
''brig" was, this sounded very impress
sive and terrible to Dorothy. What n
brave fellow he must be to attempt es-
cape in the face of such punishment.
And yet there seemed something de-
cidedly questionable about the sort of
away from disagreeable duty rather
than stay and face it. Nor could she
admit..that he was exactly her ideal of
brave young America as he sat in de-
jected heap at the far side of the dark
little CELL
"If / had a BROTHER" she began
slowly, her eyes fixed steadily on the
resentful face before her, ''if / had
brother, L think | should want him to
be either soldier or a sailor. And if he
were in the navy and got to be an ofii-
Ger, how proud / should be! To have
your own brother really helping to
protect your country, how safe it
would make you feel.
'But," she went on sympathetically,
''if you are sick all the time, / don't
wonder you hate it. The American
consul here is a real nice old man.
know him, and I'll tell him just how
you feel, and Pm sure he will help
you. But, 'she continued, with a sad
little smile, al am disappointed, for all
summer since / have been here have
been watching these Portuguese boys
and girls, and they don't ,em half SO
nice as ours. The girls just sit around
and don't 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 see our
boys, and-now l Just hate to have
them know that there is single one
who isn't brave and loyal and true to
his flag"
Silence followed this somewhat
choky but earnest confession. The
boy sat with his chin stolidly buried
in his hands.
Suddenly movement in the court
startled them both and, giancing
through the broad arch behind her,
Dorothy saw the bent figures of some
of the old women, evidently returning
from early mass.
keep way back in the dark" she
whispered hurriedly, while folding up
her stool, "and don't move, or they
will see you. I'll come back after
breakfast and bring you something to
eat. Goodby."
Dorothy retraced her steps to the
patient donkey at the gate and rode
straight to an opening whence she
could get a view of the harbor. There,
sure enough, with sails furled, swing
ing lazily with the warm summer
breeze, lay the Victory, and from its
stern fioated the most beautiful flag of
the world.
"I didn't know should ever feel so
worked up over sight of that dar-
ling fiagm Dorothy exclaimed, fairly
dancing in her saddle. 81 must tell
motherw'
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 comfortable slum-
Der by light hearted, strong bodied
youth turned loose for a holiday. Up
and down the streets they marched,
their rolling gait assumed if not yet
acquired, chattering with delight at
being ashore and bursting into hear
ty cheer at sight of the stars and stripes
above the consul's Office.
Here and there were stragglers deep
i'm the delights of home letters just re-
ceived. Some had invaded the tiny
shops in search of Fayal baskets or linen
for home friends, and others were bar
gaining for fruit and donkey rides.
Dorothy, almost torn asunder in the
conflict between her desire to great
each countryman and her efforts to
preserve proper maidenly decorum,
hastened to the hotel and burst into
the breakfast room. But here a still
greater surprise awaited her. She
shyly drew back as she beheld her
mother seated at the head of long
table, on her gentle face little flush
of excitement, while lining the table
were two rows of jolly sailor lads.
Pointing to seat left vacant for
Dorothy, Mrs. Scott soon put them all
at ease. They fell to eating with
will, and "shore food" vanished at an
alarming rate. After the first shyness
wore off and tongues were loosened
Mrs. Scott drew from one and another
bits of their history, home life and
plans, and her kindly interest in their
boyish condolences staid with them
longer than she had guessed, for even
sailorsi manly hearts yearu now and