Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-06-19
Maybe she does wear a

her headgear. Maybe she does wear a
hat"
How does Sc do -.er hair LYLE
went on with some diIndence.
Forbes looked at him blankly. To
the young mans senses there was an
implied rebuke, hint that he was pry-
ing into the secrets modest girl.
But this notion fled wnen the answer
came with e poverty of suggestion:
why, l suppose like all women do.
They all do it the same way"
And so their conversation ran, the
elder narping on his proud memories
of fatherhood, the impatient lover try.
ing to build up for himself shrine Ia.
which to worship his first love. Ma
turally, It was only here and there tina,
their thoughts net; and just when the
lover caught a fair glimpse of her. the
clumsy words of an Misunderstanding.
generamzed paternity blotted out the
image
Little prone as Lyle was to mental
or emotional activity, he steadily pro-
crossed to a state where certainty was
the one cry of his heart. TO look at
the picture on the buIKhead was good.
To have that picture above his own
bunk was infinitely preferable. To
hear about ner was a delight. But to
speak wl,44 knowledge and the full
sense OF possession was heavenly.
So, one night. after a long, uneasily
meditative communion with the moon
and the darA sea, Edward Lyle sought
the chief fireman. Mr. Forbes, ne
commenced, awkwardly, we know
what-what-an interest | take In
her"
The father nodded kindly, and he
went on: We'll, sir, I'm getting pref
V well fixed-you've said yourself
was a good fireman-and | want TO
marry.
Forbes looked at him with a CLINT of
understanding in his eyes, but made
no response. me young man took off
his greasy cap and crushed it in his
hands. What | want, sir" he said
quietly, lis to marry her"
There was no answer, and he add
ed, as though it, might be taken for
granlv~. Il love her."
He waited long time. but Forbes
made no reply, even by a gesture.
Around them were all the rough
sounds of the main deck, the stamping
of cattle forward, the rattle of the
cooks pots and pans, the pervasive
tones of careless men. From the next
cabin came harsh laugh and an oath.
Lyle dared not look at the photograph
for fear he should make her conscious
of the unworthy surroundings So he
went out, unanswered.
The next few days the two men did
not talk beyond what was ordinary and
necessary. ct Lyle frequently felt
the elder mans gaze measuring him,
and he squared himself to his work
for her sake. Whether he was wretch
ed or not, it did not occur to him to
ask. All he was distinctly conscious of
was a vast, unsatisfied love, a love so
sure of itself and so limitless that II
included in itself a return.
They neared San Francisco and
Forbes insistence upon economy In
coal became almost unbearable 1t was
always so when they drew near to their
home port, but this time he seemed
to be unjust-a sin never before i'm
puted to this chief fireman. However,
amid all his cross words and angry
scholdings, he said nothing to Lyle,
xx.I 500 LII
done before.
One evening (they expected to reach
San Francisco the next day. Edward
Lyle went YEARLY to his bunk in the
starboard alleyway. Usually he drop
ped around to see Forbes. but he did
not feel equal to it now, though he was
hungry to talk TO her.
His bunk was dark, and he fumbled
under the mattress for matches. When
he found the box struck a light AID
lit the little bracket lamp on the bulk
head. AS it burned up his eye caught
new thing. He looked again, long
and earnestly. Then he blew out the
lamp and pressed his face bindly
against the bulkhead. On his search
ing lips he felt two flaming, loving,
quivering woman's lips, and the young
fireman gave and took his first kiss.
But it was simply photograph awk-
wardlypinned there by John Forbes
John Fleming Wilson in the San Fran