The Irish standard., 1902-08-30
The crushed one sat up AXE spst

time for year back"
Consumption" queried Griswold.
II reckon So"
"Then you've no business in deck
crew."
The mans smile was CHASTITY.
"Reckon 1 hain't got any business
anywheres out'n hospital or hole
in the ground. But kind O. thought
I'd like to be planted 1ongside o.
the woman and childer, if could
make out to get there"
"Where?"
The consumptive named small
river town in Iowa.
"And you were going to work your
passagew
81 was allowin' to try it. But I'm
done up, now"
Griswold's impulsiveness was east
ly dominant in any appeal to his
sympathy; and his compassion went
straight to the mark, as it always
did when his pockets were not
empty.
what is the fare by rail to your
town." he inquired
II don't know; 1 never asked. But
it's between $40 and $50, 1 reckon;
and that's more money than I've,
seen sence the woman died."
Griswold hastily counted out $too
from his contingent fund, and thrust
the money into the mans hand.
"Take that and change places with
me-" he said, slipping on the mask
of gruffness again. "Pay your fare
on the train and I'll take your job
on the boat. Don't be fool" he
added, when the man put his face
in his hands and began to choke.
'It's fair enough exchange, and
I'll get as much out of it one way
as you will the other. What is your
name? l may have to borrow it,
"John Gavitt."
GAIL right; off with you," said the
liberator; and with that he shout
dered the sick mans load and fell
into line in the ant-procession.
Once on board the steamer he fol-
lowed his file-leader aft and made it
his first care to find safe hiding
place for the knotted bandanna.
That done, he dropped into line
again, and when he went ashore the
sick man was gone.
Injured to hard living as he was,
Griswold had made no more than a
half-dozen rounds between the levee
and the after-deck of the Belle
Julie in the ant-procession before he
was glad to remember that the
steamers lading was all but COM
pleted. 1t was toll of the sharpest,
and he drew breath of blessed re,
lief when the last man staggered
mp the plank with his burden, while
the bell changed it's final summons
and the slowly-revolving paddle,
wheels took the strain from the
mooring lines. Being nearest the
bow line, Griswold was one of the
two who sprang ashore at the mates
bidding to cast off; and they were
in the act when carriage drove
rapidly down to the stage and two
tardy passengers hurried aboard
The mate bawled from his station
on the hurricane deck:
"Now, then! Take turn on thai
spring line out there and get then
trunks aboard! Lively!"
The larger of the two trunks fel
to the late recruit; and when he hat
set it down at the door of the desig
mated stateroom he so far forgo
himself as to read the card tacket
upon it: Charlotte Farnham, Wa
hocl-o MinneSOta'
"Thanls you," said a musical voic
at his elbow. MAY trouble you t,
put it inside?"
Griswold turned as one smitten
and was not without embarrassment
at having been caught reading tn
tag. But when he saw the owner o
the voice, CONSERVATION slew shame
and he was prompted to make will
dash for liberty. For Miss Farnhar
. was no other than the young won
: an to whom he had given place a
the teller's window in the Bayo
bank.
She saw his confusion, OWNED tn
first cause of it and smiled. The
he met her gaze fairly and becam
u |
!, she did not recognize him-becam
, sane, and snatched off his cap an
). dragged the trunk into the state
O room; after which he went to hi
a place with a great thankfulnes
\ throbbing in his heart and an il
r choate resolve shaping itself in hi
brain.
a Late that night, when the Bel
f Julie was well on her way to tn
II northward, he flung himself dow
!. upon the freight on the engine-roo1
guard to snatch little rest betwee
a landings, and the resolve BEGAN
~ sufficiently cosmic to formulate itse
e in words.
# 9TH call it an oracle" he sal
e "One place is as good as another, S
!. it be small enough: and am SUI
q have never heard of Wahaska."
II Now Griswold the proletary wa
e before all things else, Griswold Il
n Imaginative craftsman; and no 500
# er was the question of his destin
n ton settled than he began to pr
,e figure the place and it's probab
u lacks and havings. This proce
II brought him by easy gradations
,e pleasant idealizings of Miss Far
Of ham. who was, thus far, the on
,e ching tangible connected with Il
n destination dream. Whereupon h
ed personality laid hold upon him al
the idealizings became purely l
Id erary.
"a. ITO Be Continued