The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-02-20
= t@5LE.ESGEVzAL JIBBON

hand of flesh against the right hand Of dream-s,u,r
in prayer. ~
When his time came to go home in the p,raoc,
ne was an altered The quiet all-observant
scrutiny had gone. and the officers who greeted
MIN DIS he came up the accommodation ladder SAW
1t at once. Arthur Price was now in comma.5 .
breezy soodlooking Captain blue serge& and
How is Minne?" asked the old man .s ns ca,
down his glass Wv
Shes all right" was the reply Il wanted 70
ten you about that We go into dry dock when
We get back from this trip, and Minnie and r,i
get married before l take her out again Quick
work, isn't it,"
The old Captain nodded the young cantain
smiled. p
You'll be bringing Minnie out for the trim. I
SUPPOSE" asked the elder.
That's my idea" agreed Arthur.
you're lucky chap said the old man SLOWLY
Arthur" - ' ~
I've got her down to a fine point" said Arthur
emphatically. You needn't bother about me faith
er j know my job and 1 don't need any more
teacn,ns l wish you'd get to understand that.
you Know Davis has bought the Stormberg?"
~ didn't know said the old man with a sigh
1T don't matter to anyhow. I'd be reaching
Tor the engine telegram with my right hand as
young officers more
The run home was easy one. but it confirmed
old Captain Price in his resolution to have done
decks: small roll, the commonplace movement
OF weudriven steamship in a seaway shook him
lrVln nis oaance and that missing arm. which al
ways seemed to be there. let him down. He
would reach for stanchion with it to steady him.
sell and none of his falls served to cure him Of
ene persistent delusion that he a cripple.
He tried to pick things up with it and let glasses
and the like fall every day. The officers and en-
gineers, men who had sailed with him at his
ablest, his weakness quickly and with the
ready tact that comes to efficient seafarers never
showed by increased difference or any sign that
Arthur who went aside to make things easv for
him. to cut his food for him table, and so forth
From Swansea he went home by train Minnie
and her kindly old father met him and made much
OF him. Old Davis was a who had built up
his own fortune. scraping tonnage together bit by
bit from the time when. as a captain he had
salved crazy derect and had her turned over
to him by the underwriters in qu3ttance Of his
claims Now he owned little fleet Of good steam
cd owner He did not press the Stormberg
other.
., ~ don't want her" Captain Price told him.
There's time for nursin' tender engines and a
time for scrappin them I'm for the scrap heap.
in myself ne more. It's Arthur's turn now"
David Davis nodded. Eyes, then Well, well,
now! It's pity, too, John. But you know what's
ship while I've got bottom anoat but l don't
want you to put the stormberg to on tho
rocks of Lundy neither. So you wouldn't put faith
in yourself more?"
mo" said Captain Price, frowning renectively
II wouldn't, and that's the truth" He was seated
he leaned forward ITS this arm, OF mine
1t isn't there but can't get rid of the feeling OF
H. I'm always reachin' for things with it. I'd
ne reachin for the telegraph in a hurry, make no
doubt" N
That's funny said Davis in sympathy "Weli
then. you stop visiting with me. I've no mind to
be alone in the house when your Arthurs gone OF
with my Minnie He'll push the Burdock back an
fore for us and Wen sit ashore like gentlemen. He
makes a good figure OF skipper. don't he John ?"
Old Captain Price sighed AYE, he looks well
on the bridge" he said. II hope he'll watch the
ship though: she's big old tub to handle"
dnony was to take place in the chapel Of which Da-
vid Davis was member: the subsequent festivities
were arranged for at hotel. 1t to be a
notable affair, epoch-maker in the local ship.
ping world. and when all there would
be time for the newly-wedded to go aboard the
tain Price. decorous in stiff black. drove to the
church with his son in twolhorse brougham.
Then r0d the till old ae MAN su. eess
denly. 01' QUIZ
For Gods sake. Arthur boy. do the right thing
by your ship"
Arthur Price was little moved II WILL father 90
he said. Here's my hand ON it." There was a
pause why don't you take my hand. father
"Eh?" The old man started ct thought I'd took
it. Arthur I'll be going soft next. Here's the 9TH
er hand tor you
there were notable affairs. Everybody who count.
ed for anything with the hosts was there and at
ter little preliminary formality and awkward
ness, the function grew TO animation The ship
ping folk of Cardiff know champagne less as q
beverage than as symbol and there plenty
OF it. Serious became frivolous: David Davis
made speech in Welsh; Minnie glowed and bios.
somed; Arthur was everybody's friend. The old
Captain. seated at the bottom of the table with
an iron-clad matron side and a bored re-
porter en- the other, watched him with groan. The
man who was to take the Burdock out OF dock was
drinking. Even glass at such time would
have broached the old mans code: it was crime
against shipmastership But Arthur. with his
bride beside him. her brown eyes a1ight, her shout
der against his shoulder. had gone much further
than the one glass The exharation Of the day
dazzled him: a waiter with bottle to refill his
glass at his shoulder His voice ratified
on untirngly; already the old man saw how the
muscles Of the jaw we're slack and the eyes moved
loosely. The young Captain had q toast to re
sTond to: he swaved he stood up to speak and
his tongue stumbled his consonants The re
porter Captain Prices left offered him cham
payne at the moment.
Take 1t away" rumbled the old man. .Swfn 4
yoursek"
The presAnsn nodded TT = pretty SHOCKING
stun" he agreed. I'm going t. nap ON the cot
tee mysen"