The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-01
THE DEATH OF A COWARD.

|
He seemed altogether apart from the sti
and life that three hundred emigrants oil
board created. His whole soul was file
with dumb and impotent protest agains
his fate, and the life before him. Old Cap
tain Malcolm had shown little wisdom
when he sent his only son to sea to have
some pluck knocked into him.
In the fathers defence it may be sait
that he was utterly unable to realize the
timidty and senstiveness of the boy. Al
his ancestors had been rough seamen who
had faced storm and danger on every sea
and courage and nerve were hereditary
qualities. And now the last of the Nal
coins seemed more of a girl than any OF
his five sisters
II All the exhortations to maniness, all the
covert reproachss that came from his ia
Their, were so many darts that raakled and
festered in his soul. but failed to compel
his nature to be ether than it was. The
boy was made for peace, for the quiet and
/ uneventful life that an Office in his native
town could have offered under his mother s
watchful care. Instead, he was here. an
| apprentice on the steamship Pride Of Asia,
big cargo boat just off the slips on the
| Tyne, and carrying emigrants to the Cape.
The ships doctor came out OF the saloon
| In the poop to go his evening round below.
With him was his wife. a slight, sirlish
| figure, wrapt in heavy cloak. She turned
7 at the ladder which led to the lower deck
ard was about to go back, when her eyes
| fell on the boy. She had noticed him once
! or twice before, and his white face and
I lonely air reused the wOmaniy sympathy in
| her. She touched him lightly on the
shoulder and said. You are leaving home,
| like me-"
| The boy started. A slight color spraug
to his checks. and tears to his eyes. He
smiled family. showing a gap where two
teeth had been knocked out by a smaller
boy in the only fight he had ever had at
school.
Yes, ma'em." he replied.
You must feel lonely" she said; but
you will soon be back, and then every
one will think SO much OF you"
Her voice had something caressins AMI
inviting about it; and so his confid5 me-.
overcoming his shyness and reserve, b, oke
/ bounds. He told her everything-how he
would hate this life. how ali filed m
with fear and disgust, the cold and dirk
ness, the chan and horseplay of his fellow
around him. He told how impossible it
was to come up to his fathers STANDARD,
how he felt he was a born coward. and
that he would always be one, shrinking
instinctively from the danger and excite
ment that holder natures toJk pleasure IL.
She Listened symlathetically. He hand
had patted him once or twice, and encour-
aged him to go on. When he ended, sha
said: You must not be too hard on your
self. 1t is always these who fear the
least that are bravest in the end. Wtel
the time comes, am sure you will do Jour
duty"
The boy heard her listlessly. He had
little heart to respond to any appeal to b s
maniless. There seemed no time when Re |
would not shrink from hardship or danger. |
He almost felt as II his confdsnce Ia |
been misplaced. and that she had UNDER |
stood nothing after all.
She saw the change, and her interest IL |
him somewhat waned. Courage to wom- |
an is the primary quality in the other sex, |
and nothing VIII compensate for the lack |
of ii. She babe him good night, a-d tuned |
back to the poop.
In few minutes the second mate pas sed |
along the deck. and told the boy to go be
low. Then all was quiet.
few hours later the Pride Of Asia was
steaming at SLOW with her whistle ing
every few minutes. The Channel fog git
the ship like shroud. The captain
walked the bridge uneasiy. No tempest
or rockbound shore gives the anxiety that
fog in this waterway OF the nations Goes.
Dangre is imminent everywhere. and the
most careful stewardship is no guarantee
of safety. So ii was now. horse shout
came from the man the lookout. TIL
captain sprang TO the telegraph, and as
full speed astern" rang out a .arge sail
ship took form in tie fog, and in few se,-
onds crashed into the steamer in front OF
the bridge.
The Pride OF Asia shook from stem TO
stern, heeled over TO starboard, and then
began to forge ahead, while the other
went pounding along her side, wrenching
the port boats from her davits and stavins
them in with he bowsprit. Then she
passed away as a ghost in the fog.
The Pride of Asia had met her death
wound. At once all was noise and confu-
sion The emigrants came pouring up on
deck, screaming and shouting with terror
Some Of the sailors rushed to clear the
boats, but a sharp order from the captain
stopped them.
In few seconds the captain had decided |
IN his course. The remaining boats would
1ot carry a hundred and fifty people |
There were more than twice that number
IN board. On the other hand, the land was
about three miles off, and a sandy and pro-
ected beach meant safety. But could IL | .
]e done with that hole in her side? He
would try. He changed her course. rang
Full Speed ahead" and shouted to the |
nate, Go down and shut the for'ard bulk
leads. Mr.. Jones'
The mate ran forward, and with the hell,
II the carpenter tore off part of the hatch ]
overing and sprang to the ladder As he $
limbed down young Malcolm peered aim Z
essly over the hatch. II
Bring down lantern" cried the mate n
nd Malcolmn, galvanized into activity by t
ear. seized lantern from the alleyways t
nd clambered down into the hold. e
The mate ran toward the iron door in the a
which had been left open. and II
ushed It to- | b
THE light here-uuick," o
And the boy brought 1t. h
Blast them!-oh, blast them" roarea Il
he mate. They've put the bolts on TN. y
'rong side. In five minutes wen he IN Il
ingdom come" o
He stumbled for the ladder and Mai. d
Dim followed, wild with terror. Yes every b
ne would be drowned. and he. too. with a
ne cruel, cold water sucking him down. d
lie dropped the lantern and began to pull s.
imself up the ladder. 81
Suddenly he stopped. An idea had been a
orn in his brain; hideous, unthinkable g
door could be closed from the a.
ther side. He hung Imply on the ladde-
nd in his mind ragged a tornado OF cor "
let. Ell
oh, to be out of this awful ship. safe W
ice again at home! But the mate had | II
i'd that all were lost. That meant him
%. And II only that door were shut. ali rd
uld be saved Great beads of sweat nj
'okc out on his forehead He groaned ri
I'd writhed about like one on the rack | "a