The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-14
SEA SICKNESS.
How Near It Brings One Into the
Shadow of Death


After f. w. Howe, editor of the Atchi-
son Globe, had reached Queenstown on
his way to Paris, he wrote to his paper
that he would remain abroad until a
bridge is built across the Atlantic ocean. |
he was desperately seasicl all the way
over, and he recounts some of his
thoughts and experiences as follows:
was accompanied on the voyage by
a man named ShOup. a friend of mine
from the west, who had never seen much
OF the world, either, but he seemed to
enjoy the trip as much as I had expected
TO- we mad not been an board hour
before he knew half the passengers. Some
OF them came from Illinois, where he used
going to bed, Shoup kept disturbing me
every little while to introduce some new
friend he had made. All of these fellows
noueed that was not doing we'll, and
mad something to say about it, which I
thought disgusting.
Shoup was on Speaking terms with the
of1lcers by o'clock, and I had a notion
70 ask him to use his influence to induce
the captain TO turn back. for was GER
tain by that time that the trip would not
agree with me. had purchased a steamer
cna1r, IN which was lying wrapped in a
blanket, and when saw the sailors climb
the masts and remove the white covers
with which the dirty sails had been con-
cealed in port, gave up and took all the
remedies for sea sickness offered.
ally started 10 lead me to nv ROOM he he
couldn't do it, was so heavy, and he was
compelled to call on some of his friends
from Illinois to assist him. Four of them
were compelled to carry me, and I hated
everybody on the ship from that moment
at me.
Being left alone, in an Indifferent sort
of way I began watching the objects in
the room L remember a valise and a
small trunk particularly, for every time
me- the snip rolled s the trunk and yalise
races. At first bet the valise, because
it was the lightest, but I soon found I
was losing my money After that I
backed the trunk, in which I knew
| Shoup had a very large pistol that I
hoped would go off. 1 wanted something
/ desperate to happen.
| There was a certain time in the ships
motion when I did not take any interest
/ trunk In the motion of a ship there is
! a certain drop which can not be calculat-
| ed. and which will make you so much
worse that you can not think of anything
! else. Although there is no average. I
should say it happens fifty times a day.
Sometimes it happens that there are two
! drops in as many minutes, but they never
come close together you begin looking for
another right away, but another one does
not come until you have forgotten !, al, all
| there will be a dreadful accident at sea; a
ship will start downward on one of these
drops and never stop until it reaches the
| bottom. 1 know it.
Mr.. Shoup was a good deal cut up when
| I told him of nv determination to desert
| him, but I was firm, although he predict
1 would enjoy the return trip But 1
! knew better and went 2 oo11t collecting
my effects to avoid missing the tender,
which was to come off from Queenstown.
I the first man on the tender after
the plank was thrown out, after giving
Shoup a few trifies to take back to my
friends. and the last saw of him he was
! waving d handkerchief at me.
If you ask me when l am coming home,
! I will reply never. Queenstown is not
much of place, but it is good enough for
me. 1t is at least steady, and feel safe.
When 1 pay for meals here, 1 can eat
them.
They say it is more pleasant in Belfast,
but there may be water to cross between
here and Belfast, and 1 will not risk the
move.
When bridge is built between Queens
town and my native land, I shall be glad
to return. but until that time my family
will find it necessary to get along without
me. OF course, L regret that I ara an
exile and would prefer to live in my own
country, but there is something dearer tc
me than liberty, to-wit: my life. While
/ was at sea, l was SO near death that
could look into the valley of the shadow.
and now that I am feeling well again. !
do not care to run any more risks. The
only think I like about the sea is the
! shore.