Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-08-31
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SHIJNAAl
The United States gunboat Atlanta
pulled lazily into San Juan bay. III
thermometer was up in the COS, but a.
trade WING was freshening a bit and the
officer on duty mopped his face and
kept his watch upon the canopied
deck, walking back and forth. footsore
and weary. Damn Dewey and his ma
manOeuvres and the choppy Caribbean
sea. DID rather be tripping on the
heels of the Detroit and Nashville In
San Juan harb0r han to wallow around
with sealed orders and blistered feet
in a sea that's boiling. HUH
Whist! Up there. Grey; it's the old
man that's coming" came a, whispered
warning from below.
n next instant a command was on
the wind. Orderly. tell Mr.. Grey that
I want less noise above"
h orderly touched his eyebrow and
delivered his message.
Lieutenant Grey leaned over the rail
and said: ~"Cavenaugh, ask for shore
liberty ..onight."
"Weli, IL that isn't the limit" Cave
naugh exclaimed under his breath to d
fellow officer. Grey will be dismissed
from the service yet. He is one of
those fellows who is always dead right.
Never is. In fact, but is unreasonably
obstinate about it-and will I'VE ad-
init a mistake. Just the kind that
bore holes I'm YOU and run up against
a c~ourtnlartial sooner or later"
The captain appeared on the bridge
now and the conversation ended.
At six bells in the afternoon the At
lanta anchored within hailing distance
OF the Detroit and Nashville and half
q mile of port.
One of the Detroit's launches was
now under way for San Juan and cir
cled around h gunboat by way of
welcome.
Hello, there, Morgan! What's doing
in San Juan?" came a voice from the
Atlanta.
Hello, Briggs; you here? jolly crowd
out at Santurce. The Deans from Key
West, h Smiths and a whole bevy Of
American beauties. Cotillion On tonight
at the Country club. Band concert. too;
better all turn out"
The last sentence was fairly shrieked
at h officers bending over the At
ianta's rail. for h launch was already
putting towards San Juan, leaving long
rolling waves Of the green sea be-
tween them. 1t was sweltering hot on
the water and unusually hot ashore.
for the trades" seldom fail to stir the
palms in morning and swell the harbor
waters.
But today the elite of San Juan bask-
ed in the radiance Of naval pomp even
while it found life at Santurce almost
insufferable.
Lieutenant Grey moodily paced the
deck and waited impatiently for the
mail. He was sullen and called Brown
ABOVE just to say. THE old man has
had that mai bag in his quarters fully
an hour"
What Of it, answered Brown, you
don't expect any mail from the states
at this mort. do YOU 9'
That's just it," Grey broke in. You
remember those Smith girls we met at
Key West last year, don't you? Well
(reddening) I've particular reason for
here now, and when l left Key West
I was-well. Miss Smith and l CORE
~sponded-and later I"-
SO that's 1t, is It? Let me see. it
was the elder Miss Smith. wasn't itY'
Grey NODDED in the Affirmative.
Wish you luck. old man.
The half hour had been called before
the Atlanta's launch appeared along
side. ready for shore. Lieutenant Grey
was the first one over the gangplank
and hurried along the pier.
Hold on. Grey: it's too Internally hot
for all this speed"-
Take your time. Boys. I may meet
you at the Deans later" he called
back; then, in a louder tone, "Coch-
ero!' as a sleepy coachnlan drove slow
" up he jumped in and rode to the
Smith residence, opposite the plaza.
just as the asst notes of La Paloma"
died cut in a wall.
Mrs. Smith was in the door to meet
him and greeted him with enthusiasm.
Just come here" she said. i've
something to tell you" Grey hesitated,
Their meekly followed.
You are engaged to the wrong girl"
she aid with directness. You were
engaged to my daughter Alice. but 1t
ia Mary you are in love with and whom
you courted last summer"
'Madnme-I think ! know my own
business best he replied. and l want
to see your daughter Alice"
h last hour before taps had been
called when the launch had come along
side the Atlanta. Lieutenant Grey
climbed three Steps at a time to the
deck. He was excited and flushed and
stopped before Browns stateroom. He
took off his cap. wiped the persppiration
from his forehead and said: 'Gad!"
Brown vas already In his bunk. but