The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-05-04
7 HE SAILOR

numbered by one child. an adora ble
little girl OF ten. named Edith.
1T was always difficult for mo to
think OF this same cynical. shut-shell
tcrrapin Of Smith as having an ar
fcCriOn for anything except his dinner
and his private intellect; but he idol
izCd little Edith. and. OF course. ne
took her with him on this summer-isle
cruise that would probably be ever
after the travel memory NJ her life.
for I doubt IL Smith Will ever be able
20 AFFORD Continental tours for Miss
smith. however much he might like
10.
The trip out and down was as
ideal as one could have hoped for.
on the way home. however. two days
out from Suva, the Fijian capital.
we ran into a storm. They call them
typhoOns ont there. II was not the
record. as are most typhOOns encoun-
tered by oneself: but IL was sufficient
~ naughty TO make all hands uncOm-
Portable. II not actually miserable for
several days.
1T was the second morning Of the
| blow that Smith saw the Sailor.
had myself seen him about the decks
on several occasions dU ing the Voy-
age-Tm an obserVirS chap. you
know rOsy-cheeked Shrill-Voiced
sometimes prOfane. boy 81 the seaman
rate, noticeable for his restless activ-
ity. But doubt If. up 10 that time
Smith had been aware that there was
anybody on the cruiser except him
self. the captain. little Edith. and. on
/ occasion. his 'cOnfrere, George Wand
| less. YOU know But Fate had an or
der in hand that the reserved Mr.
Smith should see one other person on
that vessel.
while the ship was rolling and pitch
Ing horribly. a messenger boy knock
ed at my stateroom door, bringing
the compliments Of the captain. and
! IL Mr.. Wandless would like to see a
: hard bit Of seamanship. he should
come TO the flying bridge at once
Having some theoretical knowl-
! edge OF seamanship and navigation, |
take considerable delight IN watching
| seamen at difficult work In their ele-
ment, Just as any amateur sportsman
| JOYS at behOldinE the feats Of the pro-
| feSsionals. But wasn't seaman
enough TO relish the Job of getting 10
the pilot house. on the flying bridge.
! With the maindeck almost ceaseless-
( ~ awash with huge waves broken
and hating, any one OF which would
WhiSk man into billowy oblivion as
II would match stick. and with every
/ inch and shred OF the ship. which was
lcaping before the gale like a whip-
ped dog, dashed by a spraying spume
/ mat hammered ones body sore and
l
been we'll content TO forego the ma
( rine sport in prospect. whatever IL
was 10 be. But pride overcame re-
pugnance, and / sacrificed my state
room ease, such as il was. Smith
came along. not knowing any better.
Il met Smith in the wardroom
country, he having received the same
dubiously complimentary invitation as
myself. As you don't know, 1 will ex-
plain that in naval parlance the
'wardroom country is the open spaces
adjoining the staterooms of the Of
Ulcers. In ships OF the Yawlban TYNE.
these Staterooms are arranged along
both sides and across aft under n pooD
deck. Emerginy through n door at
the forward end from the wardroom
country on TO thu maindeck one Is
still partially protected by the over
hanE OF the poop deck. and by rows
OF offices and pantries on each side.
smith and had reached this