The Saint Paul globe., 1900-06-11

Him and thank Him, and His love will
be with US"
Is this the common talk of the sea?
DO Smollett and Marryat make their
heroes converse like this? Thrust your
hands into your ribs, We ribald crew, and
laugh with goddess merriment a this
presentment of a sailor who was a gen
tleman, who feared God, to whom the
helplessness of his companion was an ap-
peal to the heart that loved her, respected
her, and desired that she should be true
to herself and to him.
He was alone at the wheel and now
she was gone to rest and the dog was
asleep he was alone in the ship, but he
could keep a lookout as well as the dog,
and the dog would not be called upon
to serve until the girl was alone at the
wheel whilst her lover slept
Many thoughts were this fine young
sailors; he was full of hope and courage
and often bent his mind to shrewd con-
temptation of contingency-the Shift Of
the breeze, the head wind, the gale, and
other gay humOrs and tragic scowls of
the life. But the winch was four men,
and the watch tackle a little company
Of hands. and he did not despair. Some
times he meditated on the port he should
make; If 1t came to the worst, then, when
in the English Channel, he would shape
a course from Ramsgate Harbor and run
her on the mud, and no man must be
suffered to board her for the money Of
the safety of the ship was to be his and
hers, and that was the settled resolution
of his soul.
When Y o clock came round he did not
wish to sleep; he would have chosen
rather that Julia should have slumbered
until dawn. But the refreshment of rest
was an imperious demand with which he
must comply for his own and for the
sake Of the girl, the safety of their noble
companion, the safety of the ship and
her cargo. He thought he would try
Julia by calling and he shouted four or
five times, but as he had foreseen the
sweep of the wind broke his voice to
| pieces in the companion way, and her
ears were blocked with sleep.
The dog started up and came to his
side at the Outcry Of the man. Fetch
her, Sailor! fetch her. he cried, pointing
to the companion hatch.
The Newfoundland barked and seemed
to wonder.
Fetch her, Sailor: fetch herr he
roared again, still pointing.
This time the dog understood. He
sprang to the ladder and vanished and
a moment later Julia's cries were pierre
ing. But it was merely the noise of ter
ror such as would be excited in a girl
awakened from q sound sleep by the
resolute drag Cf a dogs teeth. She
understood the thing in a minute, patted
the dog who was dragging her by her
skirt to the ladder, snatched uP her hat
and the captains cloak and arrived On
deck with the dog, whose tail timed the
wag of the stars over the mastheadS
"Havc you slept he asked.
TOO WELL" she answered, I screamed
because Sailor broke in upon a night
mare and fitted 1t"
"Wil you be able TO hold the wneel?'
"Fn try. What is the time
After midright-nearly one bell" he
answered.
She stood at the wheel, and her firm
grasp was full CT promise Of control.
"Ts that the course?' she inquired, look
! ing into the compass.
eyes, and keep her 10 1t as best you
can by the starshine whilst 1 trim the
lamp"
What is our pace dear?
Six and 81 half at least" he answered.
He made haste to trim the lamp and
saw to the eidelights, and his spirits
were high and his hope mere exalted yet
| when he saw how well the girl steered
| A big ship for a girl to CONTROL And all
! the sweet archness of her Incompatible
! posture was unconsciously expressed to
| her lover as he flashed the light over
before adjusting 1t for the illumination of
! the card.
Now for a little supper" said he,
then 1 shall lie down"
He fetched some food and wine, and
| ate himself whilst he helped Julia to eat;
| the dos was remembered; and all the
! while he kept his eyes fixed In critical at
! tentiOn upon the girls handling Of the
wheel.
/ Sailor, go forward and keep a lookout,
tsi,. I6 I'd n
order which, as you know, the dog un-
| derstood and was accus toned to obey.
| He had supped and was thankful, and,
| faithful to his duty as Tom Bowline the
! brave Newfoundland tIotted forward to
the forecastle and took up a position on
| lookout betwiXt the knight beads.
| Here is my watch, Julia" said Hardy.
Call me at half-past two-but sooner,
at the instant of need, if your arm should
weary of the breeze shift and drive you
! off your course I am a sailor and used
to keeping my ears open in sleep. l am
close beside you there, and your first cry
will bring me out like cork to the drag
Of a corkscrew."
'I will call you at half-past two" sha
answered. "She is as easy to steer as a
boat. Look how steady the course swings
| at the mark there!'
He paused and gazed round him. The
white cloud was speeding swiftly across
the stars, and the ship hunmed with the
wind as the thrill of It's ebon lines Of
gear, Of shroud and stay and back-stay,
shook its transport into the plank. The
! glass was steady-he had seen to that
when he went below for the midnight
supper; and there was no sign of worse,
! or changeful or other weather within
or on the verge of the mighty liquid
sweep, whose heart was TIE ship, carry
| ing onwards always the illimitable girdle
| on which she f1oated, the central figure
| of the night.
Hardy got into the hencoop-a tight fit;
but in 1t he was well sheltered, for the
| coop was under the lee Of the weather
| bulwark. He drew an old coat he had
| brought UP over him, pillowed his head
| on the rolled-up flag he had thrown into
| the hencoop, and in a minute was asleep.
! A esilor's sleep is sound and sacred as
! the slumber of death TO his messmates
| and shipmates as they mutter softly
round about him and tread the upper
| plank with airy feet that all shall be
| hushed in the forecastle-husEed unless
| it be the crying OF the wind or the sui
len thunder of the bOW-sea, or the cries