The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1898-08-31
THE PHOTOGRAPH

]
esty's troopship ldena steamed along,
bound fer homo.
All day the fierce sun had streamed
down with blazing beams which those
ON board endured, cursed or erumbled
at, according to thoir various disposi-
| lions.
The sensation of the day had been
| provided by Il lnsear stol,er, who rush
ing from the inferno of tho engine
room, leaped headlong overheard, mad
for ono delicious plunge into eoolness
after enduring tho torments of heat
MAN overheard, rang out Engines
We're reversed. Ladies' started from Ian
guild redundancy a smooth faced sub
altern offered 100 To | against "the mig
ger being picked up, " but no ono trou-
BLEED to listen to him, for the water
hereabouts is swnrming with sharks
However, just as horror became sub.
dued into resignation a black speck was
seen still swimming vigorously. A boat
was lowered and tho poor wretch was
dragged back, collapsing utterly when
certain of safety.
All this, however, had happened six
hours ago. Tho incident had been dis
oussed commented on and capped by
similar cases, and long before the din
ner bell rang the customary state of
boredom had again set in.
After dinner when the sun had
finally disappeared and the stars shono
out of the wonderful luminosity of
southern night. some ono (probahly tho
majors wife proposed dance, and
presently the notes of waltz rose and
fell, alluring with its lanRuurous lit of
melancholy sweetness even those who
vowed they didn't dance" To seek out
partners.
Among tho many who eireled around
wero tho officer in command. Captain
Assheton, and his partner Mis- Phyllis
Welsh.
Tho ladies' of the Doveeot denied that
Miss Welsh had any claims to the at
tractivo adjeetives by which the men
on board ship described her charming
manners and face. They emphatieally
agreed among themselves that tho only
epithet she deserved was that Of being
IAN outrageous llirt, F."
Whatever her character nighS really
be, tonight more men than Captain
Assheton thought Miss Phyllis Welsh
looked "uncommonly fetching. Her
eyelids, heavy with dark bushes, dropped
as though to hide tho exultinR bright
ness of tho eyes they shaded, while OK
citemont restored tho bloom which
year spent in Indian gayeties had some
what palcd.
As she glided round she breathod
quicker than the heat of tho evening or
the motion of tho dance accounted for
She wondered at her own sensations.
70 experience the delight. fear, rapture
aud doubt which it had amused her to
make others feel half terrified, half
charmed her.
Once raising her eyes she met full n
glance from Captain Asshcton, and II
thrill of certainty swept away the last
doubt whether on not her love was re-.
turned.
Lets como and sit it out. - said
Captain Assheton; then he added, II
want 10 speak to you---to tell you,
Phyllis lilo stopped abruptly on per
ceiving an orderly coming up to speak
to him.
well, what il it," he asked per
emptorily.
please, sir, the doctor says Private
Robinson Is seriously ILL., -
Captain Assheton turned apologize
ally to his partner Il must leave you
for a few minutes Will you wait for
me here? | shall be back in five min.
utes."
Yes, ," assented Miss Welsh, leaning
back languidly in deck chair. "I'll
wait for you here if you're not too
long !"
Captain Assheton and the orderly
strobe away
Custom had not yet steeled Assheton's
heart against feeling pang of sorrow
when called to visit the poor fellows
whose dying words it was his duty
when officer in command to note and
report.
When Tommy Atkins dies. there is
no useless fuss made over the event
No loving hand clasps his to strength
en- him during the last struggle. No
tears fall to tell him that even he, poor
fellow, has some one who will miss
him. No. The doctor merely reports
him seriously i'll. " The officer ON duty
comes to stand by his bedside and note
down whatever message Tommy may
choose to send to mother or sweetheart
waiting for him at home. Then, few
hours later, IL on land, Tommy is buried
in coffin the price Of which govern
ment stops out of his pay, or if he die
ON board ship, with some shot tied to
his ankles. overheard he Is dropped, to
sink out Of sight and join that weird
company of shrouded corpses which
stand upright, drifting and swaying in
the currents Of the sea, half way be-
tween the bottom and the surface of the
ocean.
On reaching the sitting deck where
tho sick, tho wounded and the dying
lay tho orderly stopped beside the berth
of Private Robinson.
Usually the officer in command knows
nothing Of the man whose dying words
lac has to report, but as it CHANGED
Asshston had heard something Of Pri-
yate Robinson's career. He knew that
iAODihhoh was BSHticinuH rhukeTt
one Of those good looking, reckless, un-
lucky fellows against whom fortune
seems to have spite.
As Assheton came to the side Of his
berth the dying man stared up with a
curious expression Of defiant despair.
Above him. beside him, all around the
deck lay other sufferers, listening and
watching TO hear what 1.-THE poor bog
gar" had to say.
1t was hardly tye place for CON
fdences, and Assheton felt fully the en-
barrassment Of the position. Robinson,