The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-07

uR8Au 4 fine old lady, Mrs. Mangan and the u prettiest girl, they say, when she married
 Mangan- A notably quiet man, Mangan,
 except for the twice year when
 he exploded in the grand spree which iept his vessel in port for extra week two But ,e was lost at sea, leaving son, Bat who grew up nto of the daredevil shippers of the West coast
 Not port from Magellan to Boring Sea that didn't have story of Bat A wild one, but greathearted, too, who made and spent half dozen fortunes in his time, and home day with beautiful Chilean wife, not very long before he lost foolish thing, but he said he going to make port that night. Gale gale he would-he'd some to moorngs. And he did; and took all hands with him.
 He left little baby girl, which old Mrs. Mangan took of, for the Chilean wife did not live long after Bat lost; and Chiquita grew up, and was 70 pretty that the boarders daft about her and spoiled her, such men will. Great men of their kind, who gave, and took, easily.
 Jack Gately came to know her while she was still little. because the house they lived in owned by his father
 It when he came back from his first apprentice cruise that the beauty of Chick Mangan burst him like a night shell the target range A flame of color and warmth it was and not to Jack alone. On the street hardly passed, and women, too, but turned to look again. It used to make Jack quiver just to sit her; and when she kissed him. that trembed even at the thought of it, and of her own accord-the two alone in her grandmother's parlor the day he was 70 sail again-it was like torch to bis soul
 And straight from that to the China station he went and put in three there regularly getting letters from her, scrawly letters for she could not spell overwell, but more to make his heart jump in a dozen lines than in all the books of poetry in the ships library. And he used to write her long let ters too. And not thing he saw in the East but he would wonder what she would think or say of it. If~~ H, hr.% I,1 like it. and for weeks before he got his discharge be thought of little else but how she would look and act Would she kiss him again? He all of trembe coming up the street from the dock and arr irving at the door of the old boarding house. he gasping like who had just run a long race.
 "She's upstairs somewhere" said Grannie Mangan, when she had done crying him. And he went up to find her.
 He imagined her knowing that his ship was in and waiting for him in the old parlor alone, and so he did not knock. But she was not alone did not hear the door turn It a steamer cap- tain with her, Prady, who said to make out of smuSgling-silks, osium Chinamen thing and another-many times what his captains pay amounted to. Prady, sdewise to the doors, bending over her. And she let him take the kiss!
 Jacks heart gripped small within him and he backed out and drew the door to, but not without being heard. Prady's challenging voice called out sWhos there?" and Jack, having it in his mind to beat up Prady, reentered But seeing her he forgot his resolution
 ~Jack! Jack. Jackie, but the man you've grown to be-"
 'Yes, and the woman you've grown to bew
 She misunderstood, and gave him such a smile that, had it lasted Jack could not have held out; but greeting his eyes fairly she could not fail to understand. Such bewilderment such shame to her o Jackier'
 70 Jackie" he mimicked her, cruelty. "And so you've struck your eoors Chick-my colors, too? And your letters, they nothing but to blind me? How long has it been going on?"
 It had all happened quickly. She ran for the door cs 1t closed behind him. 70 Jackie! Jackie! But wasn't bad! No, not bad, Jackie! Don't think thatI" But he already gone, running up the street hke afevered.
 Whc,cTer Prady may have done before he did the right thing now- Look here, Chick I see where that lad didn't get things right. Whatll do? Say 1t; anything to make it right. Anything, I say-and that means GnythirC.'
 ~oh. go away, go away, Captain Prady," she sobbed.
 That night, for the first time in his life, Jack Gately got drunk; and everybody knew it next day. Chick sent for Prady and he went out to find Jack; and locating him, reported to Chick "Go back there" ordered Chick "I1l follow you"
 Prady entered the drinking place and pleaded with him, ns we'll as he could with so many within hear ing. But use; the lad was just that age All the stories that he heard from fo'c's'le royers rere sounding in his ears and their one moral borne put. Women, women. Huh!
 A powerful man Prady and willy as serpent, but this boy could have battled to toe with the great John L. himself and made him break ground that night. He smothered Prady, hit him so fast and ften that before the other we'll knew he fighting lt all he was beaten From the corner Jack zragEed him across the roor hove him through the gvfcS1ng doors and out into the street.
 Prady came as near to achieving heroism then as