Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1907-12-20

decRhouse roof. Again the i've short
blasts as the starboard light turned
north beyond the Pier. then was gone,
Here's hopin'," growled Billy as ne
whirlcd the wheel over He was hans
ing on grlmy, for at times the tug
stood about on end. A sea smashed
one of the pilot,hOuse windows ana
he fixed it as best he could by the aim
pinnacle light He dashed the wheei
to course two points east or north
In the blackness he could see only the
white crosts of waves. The painting or
the tugs exhaust told him Kelly was
stocking like fiend and that O'Nell was
squeezing the last ounce out or his Dig
engine, 16 square. Ahead was black
ness, the maddcned waters and the In
frequent flash of rockets.
1t was still dark when Billy saw, as
the tug topped great wave, snip
light ahead twinkle moment where
the whitecaps marked White Shoals
At dawn he had line to the derelics
and the great seventeen hauser was
going to her oversize; an hour later
they were fast by the forward towing
post 1t would be easy in such a sea
to trip on the hauser and turn turtle,
Or to be snatched by great wave and
AVE the hauser break. The barge on
he shoal was an ore freighter loaded
-.
With his hand on the bell cord to
ignal to O'Neil, Billy muttered:
Here's for Mary and better
He rang, the engines started, then,
rash. Billy's Christmas wishes were
tut short; the tow post was gone ana
water poured into the hole in torrents.
It was hours later when they got that
hauser again, when the tugs hOaFSe
whistle roared, "All right" and the
below of the stranded barge replied.
1t was dreary work and Billy and tn"
rev We're gaunt with hunger and
WEAKNESS.
Again slowly in the teeth OF the
wind they went ahead, jcrked tremcn-
dously at intervals when the waves
snatched the tow When they were
getting into deeper water O'NrilS en-
gines suddenly stopped, and ten min
utes later the barge had driftcd back
to the shoal. The eccentric had slip
ped; the tug was but driftwOOd; bad
business in such a sea.
Billy NOOnan and O'Neil kept her
ahOat someway, and all the time Billy,
still clutching the wheel, was mutter-
ing OF Mary and Christmas; he had
strange vagaries, but was still sane as
a skipper When at last the frantic
hammering in the engine room ceased,
near evening of the next day, they
were still near to the barge that was
pounding on the shoals. The sun
broke through the clouds, a red sun
near to setting beyond the tossing wa
tiers, the sunset of Christmas eve.
1t was never clear how they got the
slow steel barge to move so fast once
they got her off again. But in the
midnight hours when St Nick, Kris
Kringel and all the Christmas fairies
were abroad on land, when the last
embcrs of the yule logs smouldered
cOzily under lines of stockings in
many, many homes, the Alice Riley's
deep whistle sounded off the Charlie.
voiX pier. Capt. Riley still sat before
his fireplace. waiting hOpefnly-as
was his nature. But for the hundredth
time he looked about the room at
Mary's pitiful efforts at Christmas
decorations. Suddenly he heard, faint
but ulmistakabr the bass call Of the
Alice Riley.
Instantly he picked up his crutch
and raped on the door Of Mary's
room. So quickly did she appear, sns-
piciously red-cyed but smiling, she
must have been awake. too.
I.istnn," he cried, holding up his
hand
Euo-ou- oum boooo DOM, boo oo-oom'
All right"
Again, deep. full and growing less
faint, the whistle sounded. "All right
"That means Christmas fer all of
N Mary, in spite of the fish,"
Then there came Il succession or
short. sharp toOts and the captain
stared pcrplcNcI. With d twinkle he
turned to Mary.
"Do YOU know what that means,
Nary" he asked.
She flushed crimson. but before she
put her arms about her father with
a hug that he understood she flashed
her answer from the bow window with
lamp. The captain, smiling. for a
long time sat looking at pictTrc over
the mantr!, tn" picture of her mother.
"Mcrry Christmas" he said to the pic
ture, very softly. Il knew 1t would
come
Billy brought it-and Billy had it,
an unfOrEctahle Christmas-With the
Rilcy'S. When at last he 'rOllrd in
with Kelly, the fireman would have his
'Oke--he called it MARY Christmas.
Copyright. 1901 by Wright a. Patterson.
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