The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-09
A FALL FROM AL0FT.
THE DEATH OF "a CHAP NAMED
PRICE"

An Accident on a Transatlantic
Liner-sniIor superstitions The
Second Officers Greeting ON Coin q
Ashore.
Ripan. Eng, Letter in New York Post.
Bend ON the union jack" orders the
officer on the bridge "Ay. ay, sir and the
most beautiful of English flags hutters
aioft as we steam into the mouth of the
Humber at Spurn. The boa swain turns TO
a landsman standing on the forward deck
and explains: lyon flag has only two uses,
sir, one TO signal for a pilot and the other
as pail for the dead l wonder as l
listen if he appreciates the deep signif-
canoe Of keeping that flag solely for those
two occasions. We stroll about watching
the pilot put off in his little skiff, come
alongside, Chamber up the boarding ladder
and over the rail-; we hear the bluff, hear
ty greetings exchanged between old ship
mates entering a home port then we steam
slowly up the yellow waters of the Hum
Der finally to drop anchor outside the har-
Dor Of Hull, idly waiting for the turn of
the tide to enter the great docks.
The passengers stand about in little
groups, unable 10 settle down TO any of
the usual ship-b board amusements or oc-
equations, impatient to make a landing
and go ashore. Two girls and man stroll
aimlessly into the music room. One begins
STUNNING a popular air while the others
hum as she plays; but even popular airs
pail after nearly nine days. The steward
NJ 10 /, IL kL~ s,a,.
of an emissary of the Car delivering a
"ukase." 1.-THE captains compliments,
young ladies, and would you please stop
playingY' There was a general laugh al
what we supposed to he the captains chaff
and general rush on deck TO call him TO
account.
But, what has come over the ship? The
doctor is hurrying aft with roll of ban
dages the captain, beside him, carrying a
bottle of whisky Knots of sailors stand
about on the decks. their work forgotten.
their voices hushed. Three prentice lads
on their first voyage. who have been I'M
ceasing in their larks and devilment,
stand together, their young faces sudden
ly grown set and Old their young voices
silenced in horror at the thing they have
just seen. A passenger asks passing
sailor what has happened. With the sar-
casm of chance the man is one we have
always chosen to interrogate because of
a very funny impeachment in his speech,
and his answers were usually followed by
that suppressed sort of silence that only
waits a favorable moment 10 burst into
merriment Far other is the silence that
now follows his halting answer: "A
ch-ch-ap named PIP Price fell from aioft;
he's d-d-d-dying." Dynel and a moment
ago he ran up the rigging with a jest
on his lips. Was it sudden giddiness? Was
he all too sure of his footing on those
perilous but familiar nights? Dying!
Perhaps dead by now and in sight of
, ward us, and we know that all is over with
the CHAP named Price" The sailors
draw close together, the prentice lads
grow gray beneath their tan, the very sea-
gulls seem to wheel in air less buoyantly
\ seaman goes aft to lower the ensign
that floats astern.
The sailors ape muttering sullenly: ev-
cry superstition they can gather from
their inexhaustibe store is exploited and
made to fit the present occasion. Twas
a joodgment on us for workin' on a SUM-
da'." THE derricks may rot afore one of
us'll touch another this day." "This ere
ship as an unlucky maine. I sailed in
a ship o. this naime once afore an we
'ad nothin' but bad luck" eye mind thot
pidgeon thot lit on T. ship when we were
off t. Sciligs; ehi but thot was t. bod
sign,' and so on and on till they have
run the whole gamut of superstitious fan
cy.
The boatswain now remembers that last
week the dead man spoke of writing home
to his people, saying, "Who knows, some
thing might 'appen to me any time and