The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-07-14
CHAPTER XIV.

| CHAPTER XIV.
Miss Winter sometimes fell victim to
q longing for labor. She sometimes felt
useless, and looked beyond the work that
lay at hand for heavier labor. When she
heard of good works done by women, she
longed to do something also.
But it was only at times that Miss
Winter gave way to this weakness. and
she was very quiet about it. When the
paroxysm was upon her. she put on a
thick veil, her quietest dress. and took
the omnibus to Tower Hill.
She WAS too we'll acquainted with the
world to go empty-handed and to make
those trivial mistakes by which many
well-meaning women reduce charity to
the ludicrous. She had an old bag spe-
cially devoted to this secret vice, for one
cannot carry half pounds of butter, pack
cts of tea, and pounds of raw sausages in
ones best handbag.
| The recipients Of her charity were a
race of men overlooked by charity or
CARNATIONS, ignored by those bland dis
tributors of leafet literature who call
themselves the Sailors Friend. Very few
people find themselves by accident in the
London Dock or the st. Katherine's
Dock in fact, both these basins are rath-
err difficult to find.
| The shipkeeper Is a strange, amphibi-
GUS creature. His calling is afoat, his
business on the waters, and yet he is no
sailor. In buster times~he rarely spent
more than two months on board of one
ship; now there are men living week
| after week, month after month, year after
year on the same vessel. Many of them
never set foot outside the dock gates
some there are who remain af1oat always.
Miss Winter had heard of these ships,
and from different sources she gradually
learned that there were men living on
board of them; men whose lives were al
most as solitary as that of sailor cast
upon some desert island. 1t seems strange
that within the roar of city life, almost
| within stones throw Of the crowded
Streets there should be- men living day
after day without speaking a word to
their fellow creatures. For if they do
not choose to come ashore, certainly no
one will trouble to 60 on board and see
them.
| In course of time she evolved the idea
of going to the docks to see if it was
difficult to get on board these ships, and
there she discovered that there was moth
ing easier. 1t was merely a matter of
paying, as it is in every other part of the
world
At first her advances caused consterna-
ton, but, woman like, she gradually made
her way, never being guilty of one retro
grade step. A few distrusted her motives,
some thought she was merely a fool, 9th
ers concluded she had got relikion."
These latter were the first to welcome
| her. The explanation was 50 simple
and it had served to account for stranger
conduct than this.
One and all appreciated the butter and
the sausages. Some made use of the soap,
and a few read the newspapers she
brought them.
| Soon Miss Winter found that her ad-
| vent was looked for. The responsibilities
of beneicence began to make themselves
felt. She commenced to know personally
| these quaint old hermits, and found that
there were sincere and insincere shipkeep-
-shfpkeepers who were interesting and
othrs who were mere nonentities. On
the whole, she gave preference to those
| who took the butter and the sausages and
left the soap. These latter were old fell
lows who had never washed, and did not
see the good of changing their habits in
old age. This conservatism indicated a
character worthy of admiration, and supe-
rior to that of such as asked for more
! soap and limited at tracts.
She became more and more interested
| in this work, and lapsed into the habit
of going to the docks once week, at
least. As Claud Tyars frequented the
same spot with an equal regularity, their
meeting was only a question of time.
They had missed each other several
times by the merest chance, but at last
they came face to face in a most unde-
niable manner. The morning was rather
f0ggy, and in consequence the dock was
more silent and sleepier than usual. Miss
Winter having just left a boat, was
mounting the steep wet steps from the
edge Of the Shiny water, when a tall
man, emerging from the fog. came to
| the top Of the stairs and hailed the boat
wait q minute" he said; Il want
you"
He came down q step or two and stood
to one side to let Miss Winter pass.
In doing 30, he looked at her, and she.
glancing up to thank him, gave a little
start.
"Ah!' she exclaimed. "You-here-
Mr.. TyarsT'
He raised his hat without betrayins
any surprise.
YES" he answered, "of course. The
docks have natural attraction for me-
q sailor."
Il forgot" she said, looking calmly
at him, that you were sailor"
She had been betrayed into surprise,
but in moment her usual alertness re-
turned to her. She passed on, and he
followed her.
l. Are you aloner he inquired.
"Oh. yes," shs replied, lightly. II am
FQuits ct home here. come nearly every
week and interrupt the meditatioos Of
thst hip heepeEA look aftef tAeir tsua-
Eporal welfare. Il b quite NJ own H.
assure ron, that havs ~ cenneetien
with any philanthroplc socisty.
'-TracDr - Inquired shutty.