The Washington herald., 1906-11-25


yarn" but its going down on paper. If It
doesn't go down with the possible readers
Of these memoirs.
Just of the heights Of Cape Mele-the
signal station to Genoa-the person an
swering to the only American name. be-
sides our own. on the passenger list, made
his appearance. We had come to regard
this New York gentleman as a myth or a
booked passenger left behind, but here IN
the middle of the Mediterranean he made
a dashing appearance on deck, in the
company Of q splendid big ST. Bernard
that had been the terror Of my dachshund
upon several occasions.
The New Yorker was the real article in
the way Of sport One had only 20 look
at him to make sure Of the fact. I mag
Inc he had put to sea 10 recuperate from
an extra session of dissipation, but how
over that may be, he was handsome. At,
and debonaiT when he came among US.
and 1t wasn't strange that he and Jack
took 10 each other Immediately.
The first afternoon Of his appearance
the two men got into discussion about
what sort OF Drovoc3tion would stop
mail steamer going at full speed. The
New Yorker said, a man overheard, of
course
Jack agreed, but insisted there would ba
no chance Of recovering the man alive
The New Yorker thought otherwise. that
any one who could swim might be res
cued, Notwithstanding the time It would
require TO stop the ship, lower a boat, and
row back TO the scene Of the accident.
Jack stuck 70 his point and. merely to
prove his sporting blood. the New
Yorker said: Now, here's my dog'-and
the dog looked his master full in the eye.
with the devotion that only a dog can
iook-"I love him Setter than anything
on earth, but I would take the chance OF
throwing him overheard in the firm belief
that the captain would stop the ship and
get him back for me.
IN wager the captain would not stop
the ship for a dog; but If he did. I'll
double the wager that you wouldn't get
the dog back alive" answered Jack.
The thought drifted lazily through my
mind that the conversation was getting
foolish, and just then the New Yorker
shouted out:
Done, One thousand dollars on the
ships stopping; two thousand that 1 re-
cover the dog alive-'
There was 4 moments struggle at the
Fail, then over went the great animal.
The sight made my brain reel. It was so
worse than brutal a groan Of horror
went IN from every one who had wit
messed the inRuman action. Somebody
shouted Man overboa rdr'-T believe it
was the stern watch-and then a greater
tragedy occurred, and Wilh such inCTed-
ible speed that On-IoOkers were pOwerless
10 intervene. The New Workers. face
blanched as the ST. Bernard went over
the side. In a twinkling he had slipped
on his coat and shoes, mounted the rail
and with an agonizad cry Of 20 God, my
dog"' he, too. plunged into the sea
CONSERVATION prevailed: bells rang: the
awful stiffness Of a life-and-death strug-
gle against the forces Of nature enveloped
the ships company and crew The latter,
under the command Of the calm and force
ful captain, worked with incalculable
speed, but 10 me il seemed hours before
the lowered boat made hesdway toward
the distant spot on the blue ocean, where
! had ceased 10 observe any unusual
commotiOn Of the waves.
II is not q pretty story, and no one but
an actual daredevil and 3 gambler with
fate would have survived the mad action.
~ ~ was N-4Ce BAVt-EA III AA4c 4A41A anu lal6
dog safely on board Neither was much
the worse for the experience. except that
q stronger bond than ever seemed to
unite the two. The captain said that in
nine cases out Of ten it would have been
a case Of death instead Of rescue; that
seamen frequently fell overheard and
were sucked down by the force Of ths
stern screws; that steamers going at fun
speed seldom effect a rescue.
II required a madly impulsive action,
Ike the foregoing. TO prove 10 the New
Yorker how much he loved his dog. The
episode cheated ne out OF sundry lovely
purchases I intended making in Italy. 1t
cured Jack of the betting habit.
That bone Of fesh-laden contention, the
dachshund, robbed me Of the full enjoy
nent Of the captains dinner the night be-
fore we reached Genoa, Jack said: Now
please settle the question once for ali.
are we going on to China. or have you
made UP your mind to stop here in Italy
and take the first steamer bound for
home. in order that your children may
have that ridiculous One-st0ry dog in an
other two weeks2"
1 agreed that the Orient would not be
worth while with Kaiser on the i.ash,
yet 1 hated TO give up joss-houses and
Geisha girls and silk kimonos. It is queer
how providence intervenes 90 solve diff
cult problems. We were just through
with the toasts. and the speeches, and the
illuminated ice crean-which distinguish
the captains dinner-when the pilot came
on board, and there was a general
scramble for letters. The first one 7
opened was grandmOtherly vail that
the children all had measles-unless it
was smallpox. the rash wasn't fully out
that 4 fore-gone trip to China
would be appreciated from Us more than
Of Oriental gifts
Here was China. presented for my de-
cision, as 'fore-gone trip" by unhappy
at home, and by the lord Of my
bosom as q dog gone trip"
Without apprissag Jack OF the contents
OF my letter, / approached him with dig
nifty and remarked. Jack. the ties OF
motherhood are drawing me home If it's
all the same 10 you, Wen take the
dachshund back to the children and re-
serve China for next year"