The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-07-19
blttlng a
bouse Boat
By CLAUDE RAAARES
Copytsht, 1904 by II. NJ Cunningham

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Harold Strong was New York artist
and had painted the portrait of Ruth
Bascomb and fallen in love with her.
Whether she returned hts love or not
was the thing be was worrying over.
Harry Stevens was New York sculp-
tor. and he had desired to bring out a
marble bust Of Miss Bascomb and also
had fallen in love with her. As to
whether she would consent to be
"scuiped" and marry him was mat
" that gave him head daches- Both the
artist and the sculptor had sisters that
we're friendly with Ruth Bascomb, and
this was the general situation for the
playwright to build ON.
The present situation was that Ruth
Bascomb's mother, who was fairly
wealthy widow, had become possessed
Of O house boat and had determined to
float around Princess bay and up the
Shrewsbury river for month or 30.
Her guests were to be the artist and
hts sister and the sculptor and his SIS
ter and two or three other persons.
A day was appointed, tug engaged
to tow the house boat down New York
bay and leave her at her first anchor
age, and all was going merrily when
the villain hidden In the thicket show
ed bis hand.
It always has been suspected that he
was villain belonging to the same
club as the artist and sculptor. he
became aware Of the house boat party,
and out Of pure deviltry and from no
desire to see the sculptor get ahead Of
the game he worked hts little trick.
The day before the boat was to sail
he fixed up telegram calling Harold
Strong to Philadelphia to see about
painting the portrait Of millionaire.
The artist's return was indefinite.
BE knew that he was leaving a rival
behind him, and he knew that the Co
lonial Dame, az the craft was called,
would scarcely have come to anchor In
the bay and the moon risen above the
waters when that cheeky sculptor
would be talking soft nonsense to Ruth
Bascomb, but the artistic spirit was
strong within him. .....' -.
He arranged with bis sister to inter-
rupt If the sculptor tried to take advan-
tage Of the occasion. Feeling himself
as secure as any man ever can feel
where woman Is concerned, he de-
parted on his mission, and the stately
Colonial Dame also departed On hers.
Sometimes millionaire can be found
sitting On hts front steps and smoking
a fairly good cigar and waiting to be
Interviewed. Again he Is as elusive as
the midnight mosquito. The one the
artist sought was elusive. It took a
whole day to run him down, and when
he was finally brought to bay his reply
vas:
young man, don't try any, Of your
confidence games on me If you want
to keep out Of Jail. didn't telegraph
you. I want DO painting Of any sort. I
don't like the look Of you. II you are
honest, then some one has made fool
Of you; If you are a confidence man,
then try the first corner grocery"
Harold Strong had been bunkoed. It
was only natural that he should believe
the game had been played by his rival.
he didn't wait to devour even sand
wich before catching a train for New
York. For three hours he sat in
chair car and murdered the sculptor.
he killed him In seven different ways
and was planning the eighth when he
arrived at good sized town in Penn
sylvania and was asked by the porter
If he wished to stop there. He had got
into car that had been switched of
at q junction on to another road while
be was doing the numbering act
It was noon when the artist reached
New York. It was 2 O'clock before
he began hts hunt for some craft to
take him down to Princess bay and lay
him alongside the house boat. The
sculptor had had one moonlight night
In which to weave his net Of romance
around the victim, but he should not
have another. The artist tried to char
ter all sorts Of crafts from an Albany
day boat to a sand barge, but the after
noon wore away and night was coming
on before he landed at the foot Of
Thirty-nlnth street. Brooklyn, and in
terviewed Captain Jinks Of the Merry
Sal.
Can you charter me to find house
boat in Princess bay tonightT repeat
ed Captain JinB as he bent his head
to scratch the back Of his neck. Eyes,
sir, I reckon you can If you've got a
twenty dollar bill about you. You've
got a schooner right here which Is not
much to look at compared with some
schooners, but If there is anything on
Land or water that she can't pick up
I'd like to see it. That's her great holt
young man-picking up things. There's
goin' to be fog tonight as sure's you
live, but if I don't hit that house boat
plumb center before midnight then I'll
never sing gospel hymns of Cape Hat
teras ag'in."
Harold Strong closed With the offer.
The crew of the Merry Sal consisted
Of the captain and lunkhead Of a