The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-06-14
THE ADVERTISERS
 DAILY SHORT STORY

/ -t I dered whether or not any of the captain s l friends were among the crowd Apparent | ly they were not! every lace was smiiins and happy. A little later l heard the the l fioor,, and knew the little man was com | ing to ask for ''Wilim." He looked so | haggard and worn, hastened to tell him | the message. -*s--s~-
 1 said. We have q message from an, | other steamer which passed the Helene. and. it seems they did have 'perrii'us | yoyage."s s
 and shook his head.
 "The passengers and everybody are all right, except the captain, they say he Is l seriously ill.,
 The walking stick dropped to the floor | with bang. and his face whitened. | Whats that he cried, the captain, | why that's wilrm. the captain is He stared at ms wildly. l was too aston | ished to speak.
 | they think" l said trying to comfort him | as well as I could. ''he will have the pest attention, and they will send us word Oh! if it had only been someone else. some of those others who were better able to stand it-but this poor old man. | tottering on the brink of the grave! He l turn d and walked away without word offered to help him across the street, | but he would not accept my aid, l sup pose he wanted to be alone. ] was almost | sure from the first that the captain woull l would not have mentioned it. And sure | enough late that afternoon we had a | dispatch saying that another man would bring home the ship. and announcing the | death of Capt. William Ray. nave | never had anything quite so hard to do as | to tell that old man of his sons death. He looked at me for minute m De- wildered way. and seemed hardly to com I -I.ak
 Come in here for a minute. salo' "and rest" be wantin' to know; Wilrm was sucn 'perrillus' wage" His voice brok, and he turned abruptly away. AS
 watched him. the tears filled my eyes was so feeble he could hardly walk.
 Perkins" said quickly. I'll be bact In a few minutes. if anyone calls put on my hat and overlook him pefors ha reached the end of the walk.
 MT. Ray. 1 am going home with you will you tell me your address" l said The tears were streaming down ms race he thanked me. and we walked slientiy he cid not speak again until we came IT T sight of the house. when he said ",Thankee young man for comin this far, but mebby mother better not set you come home with me-"
 | I shook his hand silently. IT can DC of any service to you whatever. MT Ray here is my card. Only let me know--l shall be glad to do it.
 He thanked me again and went on. and watched him until he reached his steps then went back to my work.
 Two days later I received a note re uuesting me to call. which l did. Mrs Ray met me at the door, and silently leading the way down the passage. mo I toned me to follow. We entered II small darkened room. where lay MT. Ray I should have thought: asleep; out fol the motion of his lips. The doctor, pend ing over him. was listening to something he was saying, and as we entered: mo toned us to be quiet; pausing. we heart him say faintlv. '1t-must-have been[s perril-" there was a long-drawn sigh and all was over. I had come too late;
 There was a momentary stiffness in th' room. the sun shining through craci in the blind. fell upon an old sampler
 which hung upon the wall. upon whicl was embroidered the quaint old motto
 "A passage perrillus makyth port pleas ant and as 1 looked from It to the fac before me, calm and peaceful now, re alized that his voyage was over. Fer
 haps it, too. had been ''perrillus. nov
 he had entered the port, and rest wa
 pleasant.