Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-08-14
THE PHOTOGRAPH
A Providence and a Judgment.

jesty's troop ship Idena steamed
along, bound for home.
All day the fierce sun had streamed
down with blazing beams which those
on board endured, cursed or grumbled
at, according to their various DISPOSE
lions.
The sensation of the day had been
provided by a Lascar stoker, who,
rushing from the inferno Of the engine
room, leaped headlong overheard, mad
for one delicious plunge into GOODNESS
after enduring the torrents of heat.
Man overheard" rang out. En-
gines were reversed. Ladies started
from languid redundancy. A smooth
faced subaltern offered 100 to against
the niger being picked up" but no
one troubled to listen to him. for the
water hereabOuts is swarming with
sharks. However, just as horror be-
came subdued into resignation, black
speck was seen still swimming vigor-
ously. A beat was lowered, and the
poor wretch was dragged back, COL
lapsing utterly when certain of safety
All this, however, had happened
six hours ago. The incident had been
discussed, commented on and capped
by similar cases, and long before the
dinner bell rang the customary state
of boredom had set in.
After dinner, when the sun had
finally disappeared, and the stars
shone out OF the wonderful lumin-
osity OF southern night, someone.
probably the majors wife), proposed
dance, and presently the notes CT
Ualty All all
languorous Tilt Of melancholy sweet
ness even those who vowed they
didn't dance to seek out partners.
Among the many who circled
around We're the officer in command,
Captain Assheton, and his partner,
Miss Phyllis Welsh.
The ladies OF the Dovecot denied
that Miss Welsh had any claims to
the attractive adjectives by which
the men on board the ship described
her. They emphatically agreed among
themselves that the only epithet she
deserved was that of being Eau out
rageous firt''
Whatever her character might really
be, tonight more men than Captain
Assheton though Miss Phyllis Welsh
locked 'uncommOnly fetching" Her
eyelids, dropped as though to hide the
eXulting brightness Of the eyes they
shaded, while excitement restored the
bloom which year spent in Indian
gayeties had somewhat paled.
As she glided round she breathed
quicker than the heat of the even
ing or the motion Of the dance ac-
c0alted for. To experience the delight.
fGGr IN,rhf Irrbfn no
amused her to make others feel half
terrified. half alarmed her
Once raising her eyes she met full
glance from Captain Assheton, and a
thrill Of certainty swept away the last
doubt whether Or not her loveswas re-
turned.
Lets come and sit it out" said Cap
tain Assheton then he added, II want
to speak to yOu-to tell you, Phyllis"
He stopped abruptly on perceiving an
orderly coming to speak to him.
We'll, what is it?" he asked peremp-
torily.
Please, sir, the doctor says Private
Robinson is seriously ILL.,"
Capt Assheton turned apologetical-
ly to his partner. Il must leave you
for a few minutes. VIII you wait for
me here? l shall be back in five min
utes.'
Yes" assented Miss Welsh, lean
ing back languidly in a deck chair.
I'll wait for you here if you're not
too long
Capt. Assheton and the orderly
strolled away.
Custom has not yet steeled Asshe-
tons 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 struggles. No
tears fail to tell him that even he, poor
fellow, has some one who will miss
him. No. The doctor merely reports
him seriously Ill 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, if on land, Tommy" is
buried in a coffin, the price of which
government 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 shr1uded
corpses which stand upright, drifting
and swaying in the currents of the sea,
halfway between the bottom and the
surface of the ocean.
On reaching the sitting deck where
the sick, the wounded ana tle. dying
lay, the orderly stoppe,F beside the
berth CT Private Robinson.
Usually the officer il command knows
nothing OF the men whose dying words
he has to report, but, as it CHANGED,
Assheton had heard something CT Pri-
vate RObinsons career. He knew that
Robinson was a gentleman ranker,
one of those good-lookiIg, reckless, un-
lucky fellow against whom fortune
seems TO have a spite.
AS AsshetOn came to the side of his
berth the dying man stared up with
curious expression Of defiant despair.
Above him, beside him, all around the
deck lay other sufferers, listening ard
watching to hear what the poor beg
gar had to say.
1t was hardly the place for conf
dences, and AsshetCn felt fully the en-
barrassment of the position. Robinson,
however, had reached the time when
the world recedes into the background
of ones consciousness. and what has
to be done must be done at once, or left