The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-23
by LAWRENCE ALFRED CLAY.
Copyright. lsil. by Associated
Literary Press

Literary Press
The fshing schooner Laura Is. had
come into port with her catch. and
she had hardly been made fast to
the wharf before the cottages Il mile
away were talking in whispers about
an incident that mad happened while
she Was stili FAR at sea. The feel
ing OF laytl among the men that
face the tempests and hardship OF
the fishing grounds is very strong.
They have their differences and guar
ryis yvfsile ut sea, bat ail Is forgiven
when land is sighed again. y"
landsuan knows that all was not har~
mony,
A fisherman VIII forgive taunt
curse a bIow--moTe than thai
but there is ono thing ne cannot for
give, and that is cowardica In the
face OF danger No schooner captain
asks "a man II he LIZ brave when So
lectiug crew. The inference Is that
every man who would go down to
the tempest-tossed sea Ia ready TO
ifnperil his life at demand and think
little of IL. Cowardice can be over
looked in a Iandsman. but not In "a
fisherman. The landsman cowardice
may have no resultA That OF a
fisherman may make a dozen widows
and three score orphans.
The Laura b. came home In a
fierce gale and q terrible sea. The
fishermen do not select their own
weather. While taking his trick at
the - heel young George Shaw looked
behind him and saw y mountainous
wave racing down ON the vessel,
That sight has frightened many n
helnlsnan. There Is peril. but the
howiing gale and ravening sea mag
niles il ten times over. The man
had seen the same thing often
enough and held fast, but this time
he fiinched. Fishermen do not want
explanations the eye cannot see.
With a shout of terror Shaw left the
wheel. In sixty seconds the schooner
would have been a wreck had not
the mate been at hand to jump to
the abandoned wheel and hold on for
the life of all. even when the waters
closed over his head with his SOU .
westsr hoated away amid the foam.
IT WAS touch and so. but the stauncf
craft won tho fight
Was there storm Of curses for
Shaw? Not curse. Reproofs from
captain and shipmates7 Not "a word.
Did the man seek To explain what
he realized would be looked upon
as a cowaraiy act2 He did not utter
q syllable He knew that any word
he could utter they would be thrown
away. He had been marked down
for Il coward That settled II. In
ten minutes he felt an outlaw. His
sh pmates spoke to him, but there
was a drawing away. They did not
look into his face when tho spoke
Among themselves they said the,
would keep the secret, and-was II
the gulls that carried II from house
n
High up on the hill was the cot.
tage of the Widow Larkins He,
husband and his chooner had beer
lost IN just such Il gale when home,
coming. perhaps from some act Of
cowardioe. Jennie Larkins. her hand
some daughter, could row or sail {
boat, and as a ftsherman's daughte
she had a contempt for Ii man VIII
finehed when gale and sea demand
cd wrecks and lives. 1t was know
that George Shaw was her accepted
lover. Would she excuse and for
give, ask ed those who whispered
Would the lover call at the hous
and explain? Not
She didn't look for him. and hat
' he come she would have been great,
surprised. He didn't think OF call
ing. on landing he took the trolle.
car for his home, six miles away
The incident was related to his pa
rents in a plain. straight way. The.
had the sympathy of the bond, bu
they shook their heads and sighed
A month passed, and then Their
came the great gale that will b.
rwrrseEn osrea by children when the
have grown to be men and women
1t came out of the east like howiini
hends. IT. uprooted great trees ant
unroofed buildings. 1t caught al
great patches OF foam from the rag
ing sea and carried them inland 70
mile. 2 o. the greed Of that gale
Thirty-fve schooners and their crew
Were a part Of the sacrifice.
After the gale had ragged for forty