The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-07
copyright, 1881
On Board the Yacht Pink,
Below Fire Island.

Below Fire Island.
Everybody knew what was the mat
ter with me after / came back. Some
said it was that tired feeling for which
newspapers advertise so many patent
medicines. According to one doctor it
was nervous prostration, according to
another it had something to do with the
brain, while another gently limited at a
vacuum where the brain should be. This
caused a pain, for 1 knew that what
waited was thoroughly good Whit of
sea air and a short though merry life
on the ocean wave. SO the captain of
the Pink-he called it that because it
was always fresh as paint and as sweet
as carnation-himself invited Molly
her ensign, who was home on leave; the
colonel and me to go away from this
weary world for a little while, live
aboard the Pink and realize how much
we loved each other.
Sometimes when there are two women
on board a yacht they are apt to grow
nasty, but L am old enough to have
passed the envious stage. 1 appreciate
Molly's good looks, while I try to make
myself appear as we'll as possible. l like
to see the ensign make love to Molly.
though 1 shouldn't care to be neglected
Il
about rich men having steam yachts
built, and I wonder and wonder again
where their senses are, for there is
nothing in this world so beautiful as
boat that is well built and that goes
sailing over the water like a swan-an
localized swan, controlled by the mind
of a man.
We are immensely comfortable. the
five of US. Our host is charming bach
elor with heart big enough to love all
womankind and whose marriage would
be great grief to all except those wo-
men who had never met him. Then there
Is the ensign, who has been to Egypt.
seen the beauties of India, Paris and
London and eventually laid his heart at
the feet Of an American woman, while
as for the colonel-well, the colonel is a
delicious remnant of the past, not worn
out, big enough to be useful witty
enough to be entertaining and having
the courtesy of a Bayard. Molly is
young, pretty and in love, while well
1T has been many a long day since 7
was in love, but I find that there is
much enjoyment in life. and friend 10
a good thing to have. We loaf around
and talk and sleep and dream away the
sunny hours, while we wonder how tbe
people at Newport are standing tba
heat and whether those at Bar Harbor
are really enjoying themselves or only
making pretend to.
Tonight the moon is out, and Molly
and l are stretched on low chairs with
the men at our feet on soft cushions
The moonlight has made a pretty MIC
lure or II, and the sailors are singing
some everyday ditty that loses its COM
monplace sound and blends in with the
general air OF romance and makes us
very quiet and very happy. At last the
ensign VINO IS given to thinking about
thlhSs' SAID; Who of you does not love
to see d good melodrama? 1t is lifelike.
thdt Is the charm of it. The society play
Is lie in the drawing room. but the
melodrama takes in all sorts and con-
uiuons or men. The H1elodrama is an
impressionist picture - the colors are
iald on crudely, but distinctly-while the
society play is a Meissonier. where ev-
cry detail is wrought out so finely that
IL hardly affects one unless a magnify
ing glass is used. Some of the NAV
WriShts are putting too fine a point on |
their pencils. On a white sheet of pa-
per they can only make light gray lines
ana Whlie gray and white are cool look
ING they are neither impressive nor
tIuIhIul' Tor life is sketched out in NOR
uaht strokes. and If the gray comes in
ut all II Is between the black and the |
white LIES picture is never gray and
white"
Ihat is all very we'll" said the colo !
mel quietly. but why. when we go to
see melodrama, do the tears run down
The face of Molly. Why does Bah sit so
quietly in the back of the box? Why does
my old heart ache so hard I am forced
10 think il viii break my shirt front ,
III tell you why 49, because the melo-
drama is nearly always the old. old sto-
~ Of love and forgiveness and of homes
ty triumphant over vice: because il re
minds us in this old world of ours that
the time comes when we must remem-
Der that love. goodness. gratitude and
honor are not confined to the drawing
room but may be discovered where least
expected"
Now, as for me- remarked the cap
tain. 4 thought it was the emotional
side that affected you women"
Yes" replied Molly. that does
amount to good deal: but. saw what
You viii. il is the heart beat that con-
tradicts us all. no matter how hard We
may try 10 prove we have no heart "
She looked so bitterly at the captafn
as she said this that he laughed. threw
his cigarette into the water and asked
IN agree that we have hearts. bur
want somebody to tell me what She
means by heart beat?"
The ensign spoke first. 1T is-weu /
you know. II is the something that
makes you feel that humanity has been
touched and that each time your heart
throbs there is another one 10 answer
St"
'It's-well." said Molly. u can feel it. /