The Washington herald., 1909-08-01
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10


such ana such conditions ana you Mr..
Barnes, were TO say, Il should az this
time decline under any circumstances 10
become President you would be In
position, by standing together, to compel
those two armies of opposing men to
listen TO what you propose Mutual re-.
linqushment OF certain policies, mutual
insistence that others should be carried
out and mutual efforts as peaCemakers.
without thought OF personal ambitions
or adVancements, would make you two
supreme. II not you would go down I'm
a noble night, knowing that you had
made great sacrifices, ana that history
or God-woud hold you blameess, ana
give you the higher honor OF having
been far greater than your time"
Barnes and Lester, carried away by the
speakers words and magnetism, looked
into each others eyes without anger,
studied each others face with an express
sion grown more gentle, and thoughtfully
turned back TO The Pawn, who was
watching them.
patriotism" The Pawn said quietly.
consists I'm giving the hest-al one has
TO give. II Is the highest motive for sac
rlfCe. / am reminded OF case OF hero
Ism which, after all, I'm some ways eN-
cepds that which / trust you men are 20
perform; yet IL Is similar, for the man OF
whom ] speak may have realized dlml}'
when ne fought against time and agoniz-
ing death. that for him could come no
honor or lasting fame-nothing but the
knowledge, when his soul tore loose from
it's tortured shell, that ne had mfalter-
ingly undergone the miseries OF "A length
ened hell 10 save the lives OF his fellows.
and TO do his duty 20 the country and the
flag OF which he was an humble part and
follower"
The Pawn looking at them, knew that
ne had caught their Interest, and so told
his story In all It's dread simplicity.
mo matter his name lie was, as we
are. an American, for which, I'm the view
ing OF his heroic fate, ] thank God! I'll
call him Smith. He was not even non
commissioned officer on the bpttleship
Montana, where he played his desperate
part. lie was not even an artsan-mere-
ly one OF the little city OF men which,
housed in floating steel, stood ready 10
answer the nations beck and call lt
was I'm those years when war threat
cncd on the Pacific side, even as II
threatens now. and our great fleet wall
lowed It's slow way around the southern
continent and up our far-rcachng western
shores TO be on the scene Of action. 1
suppose that on shore leave en- route,
Smith Carelessy drank, fought and sWore,
as many gallant men OF the sea have
done before and had no conception OF the
greater drama In which he was such an
Insignificant part Men who knew spoke
well OF him then. They speak with rever-
enCe now OF a hero who, by force OF cir
Cumstances, Will remain unknown, viii In
time be forgotten 10y all save those who
were there"
HE spoke sadly. and his voice had the
II far-away sound OF one whose mind is
on other scenes. His hearers waited for
his next words. which came crisply:
Before the fleet sailed, a ripple Of OK
ctcment was caused by statements that
II was faulty I'm it's integral copstrucuon.
Notably, one Of the criticisms made was
that by lack OF forethought our most mod
em battleships were a constant menace
when heavy guns were being fired be-
cause their powder magazines would b2
exposed to accidental Ignition and eNplos-
lon. IL was such a vital weakness that
the government hastened 70 nullify these
reports, knowing that the keen foreign
enemy would at once gain confidence in
his ability to best the warships Of the
eagle I'm case II came 70 combat And IL
was part OF the administrative policy So
10 awe the enemy that he would not dare
attack
The feet made a round Of pleasurable
entries In Pacific harbors. and Its squad
rons were assigned TO target practice for
a test Of the guns, to increase efficiency,
and In all ways to be prepared FOR actual
war. The battleship Montana was among
those which went gaily out 20 sea, aud
Smiths day had come. The Montana was
hanging away with methodical precision,
each guns crew striving to break a rec
ord for speed and hits. The big ship was
throbbing sptefully under the heavy con
cussions, and proudly believing her
strength like some monster leViathan ar
play She was for the time a living
thing. engrossed In her work The dis
tant seas where nOatcd the targets spout
ed evidences Of her destructive power, ne
targets themselves declared how deadly
she would he I'm case OF war.
zone Of the big guns In the torWar!
turret thundcred. Its crew were working
for record. There was a shout of warn
ing and quick action. a bareback ana
ignited the bags of powder for the next
charge. This powder, as you may know,
comes up a hoist quite Ike the hoist I'M
grain elevators, or sacking plants. III
xtifh fafr mid M