The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
Copyright.

0op4fikaI
 "HE sound of many feet hurrying
 through cabins and across decks
 \ came with ponderous dizziness to Mir. Jiggs Hedderley as he lay in his berth and groaned. and thought of home, and begged forgiveness for ever going to sea, and wished for death
 Hedderley was seasick. Some 12 hours before the steamship Isingiass. bound rom Galveston to New York, had run plump into a West Indies hurricane, had tossed about like a crazy thing until she had lost several of her vitals, and had then taken to tumbling and wallowing about sportlvely with the busy waves one result among many being that He'd derley had been reduced to this.
 T wish the fool tub would sinkf'' he de- clared feryently.
 And just then there came a terrific pounding at his door.
 "Get out in a hurry" an excited voice shouted, "the ship is on fre!"
 That's just as good" whimpered He'd asrIey If 1t wasn't so slow!"
 '.Iurry-hurryg cried the voice; and E0e raCkGE HI Iue uOot BlCN 4NAtN AN'AA4N-N
 "Get away from that door!" shouted Hedderley
 "Tor the last tine-' pleaded the voice
 ..For the last time. get away from that door and let me die in peace." Hedder- ley shouted weakly.
 You go to" ..r,,,
 If I de," interrupted Hedderley, I'll go by landi'
 Hedderley gave little heed to the man retreating footsteps What did 1t mat ter9-what did anything matter?-so long as his entire interior works were deter- mined to get away from him? He was not even appalled, by the silence that camo as the trampng ceased ana tns shouts died away and the radtle or oar locks dimmed into nothingness. iheie wasn't anything this side or the peace Of eternity that he cared for. IheIe Was something, too. He recalled that !. was something which he had thought or con ,sirerahi,, and had been greatly interested fn. But-now-he couldn't just thlnK- on what was the difference! It would all be over in little while.
 And inst as he reached this decision ms stateroom stood on its side and ne scrapeu knuckles and shns trying to eaten holu of something. u .,...oa 'For the love of mercy he pleaaeo, with tears coming into his eyes, slnh II you want to, blow up, or burn up, or Just vanish; but don't-Oh, please uoA u0 any more tumbling! ssBoom!" came a thunderous report ana the vessel shook and leaped slightly ana then took her nose out of the ar WlIn an impetuosity that recalled to him all his troubles ..Was I born for this?' he groared. ate sat up suddenly why don't you sink! he shouted viciously. How many con vulsions are you going to have. you vou- Oh. I wish you were horse so would know how to euss your And weep Ing and whimperng in his weakness ana misery he dropped back, turned ms lace to the wall and went to sleep.
 When Hedderley awoke he did not know whether 1t was the next day or the next week or the same afternoon. He was cer- tain only that his head ached as if thousand devils were using it as a com rnunity anvil, and that his room was stuffy and hot. Presently he became con- scious that the air had tang that was What was it? Ah he remembered charred wood i" Of course, he hao been warned. The vessel was on fire! He felt very weak, and stretched out his hand toward a pillar But he straightened himself and laughed. For there had to be smoke if there was a fire and there wasn't any smoke! So the fire must be out. And the Isinglass was still afoat and he was safe!
 Safe? Awhile ago he had no reason Tor wanting to be safe-except one; and he couldn't think what that was But It makes lot of difference the way ones stomach is behaving. The ship was floating quietly; she had altogether quit