The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1903-09-03
FLOOD TIDE.

OF tbf botFitsl nply ies dsts, stu vpe
be psussd before 90 svil-lootibs estip
hoae 90 The vskf,ffont. be felt 10
spept and dishesrsspsd 10 enter. ESscti
ltsenty cents stood bsiseen them snd stf
vslion. He iipsled il nschspicsily, en-
vs,cbsd . dissipsied looking cs, mskiu
10 toilet 10 90 angle o: the vsll. To
tssristi ios Of The ssron buos loo ose
the bay and tell ipcesssntly 10 smsll rail-
sni nist Al lest drnoken rsn. rosrin,
on, the reirain Of . pnpolss coor-sone .
hs staggered heavily BY. roused Norsoo'
And be eptsrrd the restaurant spd asve
tsn.cent orier. 10 spite Of apprenticeship
st ,bs coun,y hospital. his veskened siou
sch revol.ed si The quality OF the food
bat the warmth revived him . little, snt
hs fingered no,il be drew the notics Of th
sariy proprietor.
Be here. yoaos feIiov. ssid that vol
thy. roughly. you'd better move on. Thi'
sint any Salvation Amy bsIrscke W.
dour give iodsin With . ten csn sboS
dovo
Norwooi wondered bitterly II tbett
vere lover depths be hsd not sounded q
hs pail bis score and struck ont simlessly y
through the fog. When the eres, ferry
buiIdins loomei up 10 front Of him be
vss shiveriDg sesip. and be entered The
Ssnsslito writing room. A sign couspicu
ous!y posted sssured him tbst losiers
would not be tolerated. 90 he invested bis
rem aiming capital in > ticket. end fortified
BY this bsdge Of responsibility, assumed .
position near the heater
On sccount OF the fag. the boats we're
90. moving on schedule time, and there
sss 3 long delsy. When At last the gates
opened. Norwood iound himself eots'ins
With the crowd. His body moved u IT,
own volition. without conscious guidance
OF bis mind, end be ksd . feeli g Of sIooi
ness. as though be passed through the
scenes OF dream.
II Was high tide. and with the sound Of
the little waves snsppiug Of the piles the
idea o. ending his misery entered bis
mind for the ti,st time. He hsd made .
brave lab, sgsiust odds; be bad worked
Of sny,hipg HE hands found TO do. but the
curriculum OF his E,s,ern college had
done little toward training bis eye for ms
terisl heights, and when Fate had slloSed
him to msks g mistep 90 some scsfIold
lug his ribs bad mended sooner thsn his
spirit
Tho fos-horn still clsmored, although
the mist bad lifted . little. Norwood re
q ctei that about the middle Of The bay,
when the vet docks we're empty. be could
sip over the side and ont Of existence Is
easily as though be had never felt thst life
hsd a great deal 10 ofisr him. 10 the
meantime be still crsved warmth. and be
the crowd into the cabin and
ionud corner near the door.
A moment later two women, one elderly,
the other young, good looking and With
90 si, OF quiet distinction, seated them
sslves opposite. From time to time snatch
co OF their conversation reached the young
msn. The elder womsn wN nervous ss
he prospect Of crossing 10 the fog the
Younger tried TO resssure her.
When the boat stlrted, the girl moved
to look ont Of the window, end her purse.
that after the careless fashion Of women
she held in her lap. slid to the floor. As
restored II che looked st him
keenly. evidently struck by the contrast
between bis manner and his uukempt snd
bssssrd sppesrapcs. He wondered duly
~hst sbe would do II she oould resliz'
that her we'll filled purse held the price q
. bumsn life. A momentsry impalse to
tell her 90 and throw himself on her gepef
osity struggled through bis mind. Some
thiog 10 the level glance Of the brown eyes
told bin II vonld not be in vain. Bot
shen pride pushes itself into the place Of
The intellect, il is apt to degenerate into
,bstinscy, 90 Norwood held bis peace
Having % sde . mess Of bis life. be would
,bide BY the consequences.
Daring bis lest night on earth con
ismnsi nsn msy lose consciousness. Nor
voo % ast have dcz d for moment. he
Y 40 awaken ID by shoct thst threw him |
;iolsnsly iorvard 90 his knees, sad seem
ID TO liz the boat on, OF the water. Fling
% ont bis hands TO save himself, be
u ltched 9 soft lesthefn object. end still
II. lurched 10 bis feet - . white
sced deck hand ran through the cabin cry
us. There's been . ooIlisionl The boats
ipkiuel
Instantly the widest panic prevailed.
The veneer OF civiliz ,tiop. more OF less
bin. cracked; cowsrdice. brutality and
seskness sppesred. Struggling men
blocked the entrances; they gasbed their
isnds on the windows, they even piled up
.s.inss the partitions like trapped and ssv
l,e soimsls. shrieking women and cbil
iren ran ffom eide 10 ride Of the csbin.
An immente negro j.mmed half 10. half
,us. = shshe'ed window, oortribuied the
u, msp, OF gro,e.quepess. % be ges,iculst
. irsntcslly. 6lliog the sir With slternsts
,rsysrs and crrses.
With death Of hand, Norwooi ceased to
issire IL. Spriuains toward 80 exit be 10
% nembered the two women aud retained.
rhe girl. sho VS. trying TO raise the elder
somsn 10 hsr fett, locked 81 bin sppesl
psiy. Ny mothers heart 10 weak, che
aid hurriedly. The shook hss brought
70 90 stack II can't move hsr.
jas. moment, cried Norwood. Doo's
,tir from here. and Ill zee what can be
lone
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