The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-07-02
The Sailors Return


to turn fact into fiction but to select
one or two fictitious names. The names
are all the fiction there is in it.
One morning young man appear
I'D at the Brooklyn navy yard and ship
ped as q machiniSt. The cruiser he
| was assigned to steamed across the
Atlantic, through the Mediterranean
and the Suez canal for the China sta
ton.
Young Wheelock. as we shall call
him, was a skilled mechanic. Though
he had been all over the world, he said
very little about his Manderings or
| himself. He had left a girl at home
and possibly this is why he was SO
quiet. Men in love either like to talk
all the while about their sweethearts
or do a lot of thinking about them.
Wheelock was Of the thinking kind.
For three years the cruiser was
steaming about in Chinese and Japa.
nese waters. then was ordered home.
The term Of Wheelocks enlistment was
| nearly expired. Indeed. when the ship
left Japan just three weeks of it We're
| unexpired. He was privileged to stop
off at any port the vessel stopped at
| after the expiration OF his term or to
go on with the ship to the place OF his
enlistment. When he reached Homo
lulu Wheelock had just FIVE days to
serve. No one supposed he would
! wish to leave the ship IN those far
away islands. but II he did he couldn't
unless it remained among them for the
remainder OF his term. He showed no
anxiety to do SO. and as at his enlist
| ment he had given San Francisco as
his birthplace his shipmates supposed
he would remain aboard until that city
was reached.
-Four days were consumed in coaling
| ut Honolulu, and the cruiser was ready
to continue her voyage across the Pa
cific on the very day that VVheelock
was free to leave the navy. Still, he
said nothing about remaining in the
Sandwich Islands and outwardly at
least showed no concern whether the
vessel left two hours after or before
the expiration OF his term. Before re-
turning to America, however, the
commander decided to make a short
cruise among the islands recently ac-
CURED by the United States On the
morning the vessel weighed anchor for
this cruise Wheelock's term in the
navy expired. He remained on board,
however, and that afternoon when they
reached the port Of Labaena, on the
island of Maui. he went on deck. Aft
er looking awhile at the quiet little
port set in a very beautiful country
with pair of eyes lit with pleasure
he went to the officer of the deck and
asked to see the captain. The COM
mander came out of his cabin and ask
ed the man what he could do for him.
''My enlistment is expired. I'd like
my discharge" replied Wheelock.
ic1, 10
to Brooklyn, where you enlisted?"
mo. sir"
But surely you don't want to get
off at this out of the way place. Hadn't
you better go back with us to Homo
lulu?"
NO, sir; I'd rather go ashore here"
The captain looked puzzled. Pres
emily he asked, Would you mind tell
ing me whyT"
Certainly not. There" pointing to
the island, "is. my home. My father
and mother. my brothers and sisters,
are there. They live at Spreckelsville.
not far from that port. There. too, is
my sweetheart"
But" said the captain. were you
not born in San Francisco?"
Il was, but when I was little child
my father came here, with his family.
" u
sugar plantation"
The captain was too astonished to
reply at once. When he did he said:
do you mean to tell mel know it
you don't need to tell me-that after a
three years cruise from New York
you bring up here at your home on the
very day of the expiration of your en-.
listmert?"
"A singular coincidence, captainw
Il should think so! And you-didn't
you feel some emotion at the prospect
of going past all those you love with
out seeing them?"
81 didn't intend to do so. 1 waited"
and said nothing. It's a pity there
are not more silent people in the world
They're rare. All right: you shall have
your discharge
That evening the young sailor enter
ed the village of Spreckelsvi Vile and
made his way to his home. That he
was In the navy his relatives knew.
but If they had any idea of his where
aDouts they supposed him to be on the
sea OF Japan. Not even the girl who
had been so long waiting for him
dreamed that he was on the island,
When she saw in the distance the IA
mlliar figure coming toward her she
trembled. fearing that it was his
wrath. On he came. his features be.
coming more distinct at every stem
l NAT ne did not speak at first gave