Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-06-30
A SHIPS COMEDY.

When Mrs. Georgia Holden lifted he
laces and red morocco heels across the gang
way of the r. M. s. Lady of Lorraine, sh,
was possessed strongly of the feeling tina
something must happen soon. She ha(
felt the same prophetic touch before il
very many ways, but today 1t dubbed II
the phenomenal. "Such a presentiment
my dear" she remarked to her compan
ion, THAT it came in with a buzz, ant
stays in my head like a neuralgia"
For 8 months in IL Mrs. Holden held al
but every right of married life, widowdom
and maidenhood. AS she herself expressed
the situation, "tt is charming to think
and feel like a widow and all the time
your husband to be living and in Africa. >
Her philosophy might be summarized in
three phrases-that nothing lasts long,
that nothing matters much and that II
will be all the same a hundred years hence
There was a husband in the case. Pos
sessed of devils of unrest he was exploring
the kongo with a camera, joining his wife
at Tenerife for the 'sround the world
trip. Jack Holden's sister said that he
married George for her eyes, which were
violet and blue and nine other colors, Of
the lights caught them. But no man hat
yet denied they were worth the marrying.
Well, the ship left her berth in the dock
Mrs. George slept and the presentiment
at flourished as the bay tree. So that when
the breakfast gong and the ship was head.
Ing down the channel she at the compan.
ion met and touched eyes, as 1t were, with
q man on the same FURNISHED stair, she
drew in her toes and said half aloud, II felt
so sure it would be-. " "We've met in-in-
another placer" he asked gravely. ooh,
dear, no.! I'm SUR we never have, !" she
said decidedly and swept past him into the
saloon. But-so it happened-they were
cast to the captains table and allotted
consecutive seats. This was the beginning
Of things.
Now, filtration in towns is, on one O,
other side, not above the constrainine
touch of diplomacy. But on a ship iwhen
the husband is a fortnight ahead ciroum.
stances are sadly plastic and manageable
There firtor and firtee meet at all meals
and in between. After dinner in the
fore peak, straining over the ships rail
they watch the white moonlight strike the
ships bottom and CLINT blunted from the
copper, or, leaning on the anchor, whisper
little things to the tinkle of tho lady't
banjo. Yet later they may sit against the
wheel box, losing themselves In the uJJeI
loneliness Of it all, and, needless of the
brown little flying fish, dream Of Puck
and the fairies. There is in these circun'
stances, as they say in the law, difference
operative and material.
"Let's forget all about consequences and
husbands and all horrid things" she said
once as in a white fluffy muslin thing she
sat by the aforesaid wheel box. IT'S the
divine right Of queens" he answered
lightly. He was a man who prided him
self on taking things as they came along
-mercies, great or small; loayes or crumbs
were all the same to him.
Following a night across a card table
she in cross meaning arraigned him for
parsimony In parting with his hearts. Sc
In the small hours he with an industrious
penknife extracted all the hearts from the
pack. Heaping them into an envelope, he
sent them to the lady, quilting on a visit.
ing card the pretty paraphrase, "Take all
Try hearts, my love, oh, take them all!'
AT santa CRUZ HOLDER came on DOdrQ,
and his wife was gala gowned and delight.
full. They art, drank and were glad until
they touched the tropio Of Capricorn.
Then his wife got a fever, a common,
couch for a fortnight sort Of thing, and,
full Of signs and fury, was instantly quar-.
antined to the ships hospital. Mathew,
the man, was nervous and sent messages,
but the husband sat by her side for many
hours, brought her c%ontraband chocolates
and read her light verse in the language
Of France. On the third day she sat up q
little and was merry.
It wa Sunday, and bedtime brought
Punishment for Holden, and he came on
deck. They were crossing the line, and
the heat hung over them as a shroud. AT
q trailing glory Of phosphorescent light
spread itself fanwise from the ships screw,
and over the ship from keel to truck whis
pered the humming stiffness Of a tropit
night.
The ship was breathing heavily, as 9
creature in pain. 1t lifted its great breast
to the waters and trembled like one who
would be free, but was held to a bondage
A weeping, low set moon dropped Its lips
to the night, tenderly as a mothers kiss.
In the engine room the pumping cob Of
the piston rods beat out a music Of misery,
and the tortured stokers lifted their heav
Ing shoulders to the airshafts and prayed
for a death by freezing.
Holden crossed the main deck and tool
the companion to the promenade. Fol
seven days In the tropics most Of the mef
sleep on the upper deck, the women In th,
drawing rooms. H~olystoned and ash white
In the moonlight, there was something *
eerie about this camp Of silent forms thai
shudderingly he picked his way to the taft
rail, bent his shoulders and wondered al
the waters.
There was a cry from below, and he saw
the black shadow of a man drop from til,
side like a bag Of sand, plunge and disap
pear. On 1t floated In the wash-on to
ward the screw. In the instant, with tiaht
hands, Holden leaped the rail and fol
struggling into the water. McWhirter wa,
of6cer on the bridge. He heard the din O
the falling bodies, and the instinct Of th,
sailor told him the 1ause. Springing Il
the telegraph, he damned the handle K
"Stop herr" then dead across 10 "Ful
speed astern.n Along the shin sounded
the pipe Of the boatswain' 3 whistle and
the quick call Of "Man overheard Or
poop and fore peak the watch caught ths
ny, and the frightened passengers, alert
from sleep, whispered and turned strained
eyes to the sea.
There wal y hurrying to and fro. Low.
or the gigl" roarcd McWhirter. The boat
wal lifted from the clocks, the men let K
the trigger, she swung out on her davita
and, with ropes long jawed in tho strain,
dropped like a skimming gull on tina oily
water. On the shlp-so still 1t was-theJ
heard the creak Of the whipping oars,
And the green atarboard light glittsrsd u
On evil eye.
Holden, holding the man BY thN arm