The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-08-23

hedges all round. You write poetry such
as | know You can about Il cornfeld,
and farmers. and farm buildings with
matched roofs. and you'll wake up one
of these mornings dixie all poets hope to
Go some day) and find yourself famous.
And because why. You want to know !:
Well. miss. its because corntieldS and
the country. and all that. are what pee
pie want to hear about. and dream
they've got handy to their own back
doorstep. They're 50 peaceful. 50 rest
full. You take il from me. no Il would
ever. want to read four words about this
beastly cruel sea. and the bruteS of men
who make their living by driving ships
across it. No. by ia. No, miss. You
take it from Il man who knows. they'd
just despise it." And so they argued
endlessly 1T the point. ZACH keeping m
unchanged opinion.
Perhaps of all the human freight that
the cattle boat carried. Mr.. McTodd was
the only one person entirely happy. He
had no watch to keep. no work to do:
the meSsroom was warm. stuffy and en-
tirely to his taste: liquor was plenty and
the official engineers Of the ship We're
Scotch and argumentative. He never
came on deck for a whiff Of fresh air.
never knew 4 moments tedium: he lived
in Il pleasant atmosphere Of broad dia-
lect. strong tobacco and toaSting oil. and
thoroughly enjoyed himself: though when
the momen of trial came. and his
thews and energies were wanted for the
saving of human life, he quickly showed
that this Capua had III no way Slapped
his efficiency.
The steamer had, as has beer said.
carried foul weather with her all the
way across the Atlantic from the river
Platte, as though it We're Il curse III
tlicted for the cruelty of her steycdores.
The crew forgot what it was like to
wear dry clothes: the after guard lived
in Il state of bone-WelrineSs. \ harde:
captain would nave still contriyed To
keep them up to the mark: bur the man
who was in supreme command WAS fee
bic and undecided. and there is no doubt
that vigilance was dangerously slack
ened.
\ fog, too. which came down to cover
the sea. stopped out all view OF the sun.
and compelled them for three days to
depend on dead reckoning: and (aftel
the event. it was said Il strong current
set the steamer unduly to the westward.
Anyway. be the cause what it may.
Kettle was pitched violently ont Of his
bunk III the deep Of one night. just
after two bells. and from the symptoms
which loudly advertised themselves. it
required no expert knowledge To tell
that the vessel was beating her bottom
out on rocks to the accompaniment Of u
murderously heavy sea. The engines
stopped. steam began to blow off noiS-
lily from the escapes. and what with
that and the cries of men and the clash
in" Of seas and the beating Of iron and
the beast cries from the cattle decks.
the din was almost enough to split the
ear. And then the steam siren burst out
into one vast below of pain. which
drowned all the other noises as though
they had been children'> whispers.
Kettle slid on coat and trousers over
his pajama$. and Went and thumped al
Il door ut the other side Of the alley
way.
Miss Carnegie:'
Yes
Dress quickly
Il am dressing. captain
Get finished with it. and then wait.
III come for YOU when it's time"
1t is all very we'll TO be cool on these
occasions. but sometimes the race is 10
the prompt. Capt. Kettle made his way
up on deck against Il green avalanche
Of water, which was cascading down
the companionway. No shore was in
sight. the ship had backed off after she
had struck. and was now rolling heavily
in a deep trough. She was low in the
water. and every second wave swept
her.