The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-29

vessels that enter beneath Battery point
move up past the gray walls and green
quay doors Of the port to the jetties where
their cargoes lie All day long L can see
them faring up and down past the mouth
of my creek, and all the year round listen
TO the sounds of them-the dropping or
lifting of anchors the whining of a siren
whistle cutting the air like twanged
bow, the concertina that plays at night,
the rush of the clay cargo shot from the
jetty into the lading ship. But all this is
too far remote TO vex me. Only one YES
sci lies beneath my terrace, and she has
lain there for a dozen years. After many
voyages she was purchased by the board
of guardians in our district, dismasted
and anchored up here to serve as a hospi-
tai ship in case the cholera visited u.s. She
has never had sick man on board from
that day to the present. But once upon
time three people spent a very happy night
on her deck, as you shall hear. She is
called the Cleaner.
I think l was never so much annoyed
in my life as on the day when Annie my
only servant, gave me a months warn
ing" That was four years ago, and she
gave up cooking for me to marry young
matchmaker down at the town-a youth
of no mark save for a curious distortion OF
the left eyebrow (due TO much gazing
through circular glass into the bowels
of watches), a frantic assortment of reli-
gious convictions, habit of playing the
fiddle in hours of ease and an absurd
name-Tubal Cain Bonaday. I noticed
that Annie softened it to "Tubey."
OF course tried to dissuade her, but my
arguments were those of wifeless man
and very weak. She listened to them with
much patience and went off to buy her
wedding froek She was a plain girl,
without scintilla of humor, and had just
that sense of an omelet that is vouchsafed
to one woman in a generation.
So she and Tubal Cain were married at
the end of the month and disappeared on
their honeymoon, no one quite knew
whittier. They went on the last day of
April.
At half past in the evening of May
had just finished my seventh miserable
dinner. My windows were open to the
evening, and the scent of the gorse bushes
below the terrace hung heavily underneath
the veranda and stole into the room where
sat before the white cloth in the lamp
light. l had taken a cigarette and was
reaching for the matchbox when CHANGED
to look up and paused to marvel at IA sim
gular beauty in the atmosphere outside.
1t seemed a final atonement Of sky and
earth in one sheet Of vivid blue. OF form
could see nothing-the heavens, the wa
tiers of the creek below, the woods on the
opposite shore, were simply indistinguish
able, blotted out in this one color. If you
can recall certain advertisements of Mr..
Reckitt and can imagine one of these
transparent, with soft light glowing be-
hind it, you will be as near as can help
you to guessing the exact color. And but
for solitary star and the red lamp of a
steamer lying off the creek S mouth this
blue covered the whole armament and face
of the earth.
lit my cigarette and stepped out upon
the veranda. In a minute or so a sound
made me return, fetch a cap from the hall
and descend the terrace softly.
My feet trod on bluebells and red robins
and now and then crushed the fragrance
out of low lying spike of gorse. knew
the flowers were there, though in this
curious light 1 could only see them by
peering closely. At the foot of the terrace
pulled up and leaned over the oak fence
that guarded the abrupt drop into the
creek.
There was light just underneath. 1t
came from the deck of the hospital ship
and showed me two figures standing there
"a woman leaning against the bulwarks
and man beside her The man had a
fiddle under his chin and was playing
"Annie Laurie rather slowly and with a
deal of sweetness.
When the melody ceased, I craned still
farther over the oak fence and called down;
"Tubal Cain!"
The pair gave a start, and there was
some whispering before the answer came
up to me.
SIS that you, sir?'
"To be sure, =" said l. "What are you
two about on board the Cleaner"
Some more whispering followed, and
then Tubal Cain spoke again;
1T doesn't matter now, sir. We've
lived aboard her for week, and tonight's
the end Of our honeymooning. If it's no
liberty, sir, Annie's wishful that you
should join us. "
Somehow the invitation, coming
through this mysterious atmosphere,
seemed at once natural and happy. The
fiddle began again as stepped away from
the fence and went down 10 get my boat
out. In three minutes l was atioat, and a
stroke or two brought me to the ships
ladder. Annie and Tubal Cain stood at
the top to welcome me.
But if had felt no incongruity in pay
ing this respectful visit to my ex-cook and
her lover / own that her appearance made
me stare, for, if you please, she was
dressed out like lady in gown of pale
blue satin trimmed with swans down--a
low necked gown, too, though she had flung
a white shawl over her shoulders. I'M
agine this and the flood of blue light
around us, and you will hardly wonder
that, half way up the ladder, paused to
take breath Tubal Cain was dressed as
usual, and, tucking his fiddle under his
arm, led me up to shake hands with his
bride as if she were queen. l cannot
say if she blushed Certainly she received
me with dignity, and then, inyerting
bucket that lay on the deck, seated herself,
while Tubal Cain and / sat down on the
deck facing her, with our backs against
the bulwarks.
Its just this, sir, )" explained the bride
groom, laying his fiddle across his lap and