New-York tribune., 1910-01-23

aghast and took the letter gingerly as if unable
10 believe his eyes. Then few more names
were called of, and again, Hugh Mcdonald!
Why, Hughey, YOU have two Of 'erl!"
There was 4 repetition Of this several times,
and each letter tipped toward the old seaman
increased his embarrassment and the 10Y of the
spectators. " Well, Hughey, she's making up
Tor lost time, remarked the pOstman, C--uck-
ing the tenth letter toward him. Guess you
got Il bad this trip"
Mcdonald, all bushes and embarrassment,
accepted the chatting Of his comrades without
q word; but a frOwn had been gathering on
slIs brow. He took the batch Of letters from
his pocket and inspected them; but he had no
intention Of opening and reading any. He re-
placed them IN his pocket and continued to
stare. They soon began TO come thick and fast,
small letters and big letters, IN square envelOps
and OblO-g envelOps.
When ne had some twenty slowed away IN
bulging pockets the uproar Of the crew was
contagious. The old hyPocrite!" one would
remark. He's been saving all his letters
for this port lust to make US ashamed of our
one OF two. - Hey! Is this corner in letters
Hughey IS getting uP?"-" Say, give the rest
Of Us a chance ce'"s" What are the old folks at
home saying, Hughey? Give US the news"
During all this the recipient OF the numerous
letters was doing some quiet thinking. The
light OF intelligence suddenly dawned in his
eyes. They began TO twinkle and glitter, and
finally broad smile broke out on his face He
understood the game, and the rest knew he
understood.
But the Joke had not vet reached climax
not according TO the expectations of the per
T1etratOrs They wanted the unaentimental
fellow 10 read what they had written 70 him.
The real point Of the joke would then appear.
Some had expressed themselves rather more
fOrcIbly than elegantly.
Come, Hughey, read 'em." urged several
when the last letter had been distributed. " Let
Us know # its good or bad news from home.
For moment the man was quiet, and then
with wide gTln on his face he acknowledged
shaulefacedly, What's the good OF en-
They aren't anything to me. l can't write
and ! can't read"
There was dead silence.
The old seaman looked slowly around at the
subdued faces and then said, " l guess | didn /
get much schooling, boys, when was young
ster, an I'm too old 10 learn. But if any OF
you VIII read these letters TO me III be obliged.
When the Reaction Came
THE embarrassment that followed was IN
tense The Joke had suddenly Ir1iscarrled
The perpetrators Of It wished they had never
tried Il On the old fellow.
One Young fellow stepped forward and
stretched out hands to receive the batch OF
letters "Hughev, let me have them, he said
quietly Then dumping them overheard, he
added, Those letters, Hughey are not worth
reading You can't read them; l won't and
nobody else cani"
And he glared defantly at the group of men
amends, he continued:
IN read any letter TO you, Hughey, that
YOU get from home anywhere else, and l Il
take my oath nobody else will know what II
contains. Moreover, III answer for you any
letter YOU want answered Now let US 60 below
and write your first letter home. Your wife
and daughter VIII be glad 70 get II.
Something suspiciously ike tears sPrang to
the old mans ewes. He mumbled something
inarticulate, but he followed the young fellow
below There. laboriously and with much hard
breathing and heavy thinking. Hugh Mcdonald
composed his first letter, and his young scribe
transmitted it 20 paper. 1t took two hours tc
do the work; but when 1t was finished the
scribe had different estimate OF the Old sea
man.
~ He's got as much sentiment about Letters
as.anv Of US. " he explained later TO his trends
on deck and the way he talked 70 ms wIte
and daughter in that letter would make You
weep. Poor fellow How he must have suffered
thes. years wondering about them and never
getting a word from homei III bet he i watch
for the mail now as anxiously as any Of US
And 50 it proved. At the next port where
mail was received from home Hugh Mcdonald
was 50 nervous that his hands and face twitched
as though he was suffering from chllls and feVer.