The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-22
THE EVENING STOR Y
Good Ship Roosevelt.
(By Rita Kelley.)

up to his office for a few moments
chat, and, as she felt the blood pound
ing into her cheeks and up to her hair
she wish I'd poignantly that she had
stayed away. To the Roosevelt, in
deed!
lating a shiver. We'll freeze getting
out there"
"Bosh! Get on your gloves 1t isn't
every day that one has a chance to
climb over vessel that's been within
mailing distance Of the north, pole. I'll
just cut my appointments. What's the
troubIe?"
She had baked fatty at the gentle
urgency OF her brothers hand on her
arm.
Il won't gol'' she declared.
eddy.
What's up? Is some tickle adj
m1rer who forgot for the first time to
birthday due out there this afternoon?
come on. 1t isn't every day I can run
off. and it's no pleasure to go alone.'
BetsT'S head swan with a perspec-
tive of chain of horrors opening up
by her acquiescence. but, on the other
hand, her brothers curiosity was not
to be reused too much. He had
most uncomfortable habit of going to
the bottom of things.
well" she said reluctantly. "I,II
GO. She laughed a bit Historically
But I'd rather be hung
Her brother remembered with some
uneasincss that Betsy had not been
herself of late She was not So cav
and fun-lov1ng as usual. and he often
caught her incoming. That was what
she was doing back at the office lust
now, and it decided him to run away
with her for awhile
Betsy, don't you feel well?'' he
ask I'd as they scrambled off = cross
Town car at the ferry slip
question: But, though her words We're
careless: she avoided his eyes and look
get across this day. she announced
with -perceptible relief. "The ice is ali
caked up here on the New York side
through R"Ay Sc
wen hire ferry, them" said her
prother cheerfully. One thing was
certa1n-the Roosevelt had something
C EitaI 10 do with her state of sulks.
Gooa; ne would probe further.
rs there any way of getting o,,+ to
liceman. ~
Ice is pretty bad. No boats going
out of here but maybe if Won wailx mn
to Forty-fourth street you can get on
a bigger boat. They been out once TO-
DAY. Guess you'd better go across to
Jersey, though No ice over there, and
you can hire some one to take Won ont
TO m1dstream. The Peary boat is near
er the Jersey shore anyhow" he called
after the Observation-Disclosures physician
VINO had seized his sisters arm as the
ferry gong sounded and was hustIine
her on board.
Betsy looked furtively at the vessel.
lying low and gray with her snose IN
stream, as the ferry passed. There was
IN nu ee cesp interest amounting even to
felsned extreme Indifference. Several
otner people were evidently on the same
quest, and as the ferry neared the Jer-
sey snore cry of disappointment went
1t looked very much as though those
VINO were not good swimmers would
nave to cortent themselves with ferry
OF the famed ship, and cam
eras began swapping industriously.
again Betsy's manner became more
You will get out to the Roosevelt.
VIII you p, she twitted her brother joy
ously We'll, 1 don't envy you the
swim in this temperature. Fortunately,
m girl, and SO exempt"
no! L don't know. Plenty of row.
boats around here somewhere You'll
most interchangeable croaker I ever saw"
Following the directions of a long
shoreman, he guided Betsy's tagging
footsteps for five minutes across the
bridge, down fnterminable flights of
stairs, across the road to the wood
pile" and brought up before a rotten
log enmeshed in ice cakes that led out
to row of decrepit old canalboats w.
ing out OF commission along the shore. |
man appeared around the corner of
the little turret on top of one of the
boats and asked If they could row.
We'll, 1 should say the doctor
shouted.
And Betsy was forced to scramble
up the perpendicular old ladder on to |
the boat. thence across and down a |
ladder into fiat-bottomed old fishing |
boat at the other end. Her brother |
took off his overcoat and wrapped it |
about her carefully before he seized |
the oars and fell in with the stroke of |
The old river man.
The doctor was studying Betsy
closely. 1t looked to him very much
ike a case of the heart. he speculated
rs they drew near the ship. When
she weakly made excuse to remain in +
he rowboat while her brother clam
oered over the ship he was certain
So Betsy, perforce. board
I'd the Roosevelt.
The ship was in gala dress with |
many sightseers aboard As BETSY and
aer brother stood on the deck clutch
ng their hats in the stiff breeze. a
young, brown, weather-beaten man
stepped UP and rather shyly held out
lis hand to Betsy.
Instantly the doctor looked at his
sister. She was flushed. painfully en-
and was stammering like an
awkward school girl. He was seized
With remorse. and DR.. Cobb came to
Ter rescue. chastising himself men
ally.
Haven't 1 seen you before ~ he
Lsked engagfngly, extending his hand
o the now embarrassed man, who. he
urmised, belonged to the ship. from
| certain fine manliness that is only
,red of hardship and self reliance
The man smiled a little whimsicaIIy
s he gripped the hand of Betsy's
BROTHER.
you are Bets-Miss Cobb's brother.
re you not?" Then he, too, was COW
red with confusion. 81 beg your par
lon she is not Miss -
Betsy had turned sharply away, but