The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-26

., sic room. t,p, reissf or wrote III this
I library. and few took to their berth'
J --7sea-sick from the slight heave OF
the chip on the ground-swell.
The decks were cleared, watchers set
at noon. and then began the never
F. ending cleaning-up at which steam
ship sailors put in SO much Of their
time Headed by a six-foot boatswain
a gang came aft on the starboard side
/ distributed themselves along the rail
''Davit an stanchiens. men--never
mind the rail-" sail tn boatswain.
: "L.adie, !, letter m6ve your en.irs
/ b.ttk a s...le. Rowland, climb down
I OFT a. that--you be overheard.
! rake v.ntilator--no. you'll spill
paint--put your bucket away and get
/ scnie ssndpaper from the yeoma |.
! work !nroard till VOC get 1t OF, C
| iva .
Tho 81 hcr Addressed slight-bailt
| man cf i bout thir.y. black beardsf
| Ird o,-cn4od TO the sembIanee Of
! healthy SigoT, but watery-eyed rIt
unsteady OF movement, came down
: rem The rail and shapibled forward
! with his bucket. As he reached lie
! group G. ladies to whom the boat
| swain mad spoken. his gaze rested or
! one--a sunny-haired young woman
! with the title of the sta in her eyes
who had arisen at his approach. he
| started. turned aside as Ii to nv nd
! scr. and raising his hand In an en-
| i,arras aed haif-salute. passed on Oct
! OF the boatswains sight he leaned
/ against the deck-house and painted,
while he held his hand to his breast.
What is II he muttered. YEARLY:
| whisky nerves. or the dying fiutter
| of a starved love. Five years, now
| and look from her eyes can stop
| the blood in my veins-can bring
! back all the heart-hunger and help
lessness. that leads a man to IN
| .anity--or this He looked at his
trembling hand. all scanned and tar
| stained, passed son forward and re-
| turned wifi, the sandpaper.
The young woman had been equally
affected by the meeting. An express
| sion of mingled surprise and terror
! had come 10 her pretty. but rather
weak face. and with acknowledging
/ his half salute, she had caught up a
| little child from the deck behind her.
/ and turning into the saloon DOR, hur-
I! rled to the library. where she sank
| into a chair. besides a mflitary-look-
| inr gentleman who glanced up from
| a hook and remarked: Seen the sea-
serpent, Myra, or the Flying Dutch
man? What's up?"
| "Oh, George-no" she answered in
/ agitated tones. John Rowland Is
here--Lieutenant Rowland. I've just
seen him--he II no changed--he tried
to speak TO me-"
| 'Who--that troublesome flame OF
/, yours / never met him. you know.
and you haven't told me much about
! him. What is he-~first cabin?"
| No. he seems to be common
sailor. he In working. and Is dressed
| In old clothes-all dirty. And such a
dissipated face, too He seems to have
! fallen-so low. And 1t all since"
| Since you soured ON him? Well. II
| Is no fault OF yours. dear. II man
has 1t In him he'll go to the dogs any
| how. Flow IL his sense, Of in1uFaf !;
| Has he grievance or grudge
You're badly upset. What did he
say7"
II don't know--he said nothing
I've always been afraid OF him. I've
met him three times since then. and
| he puts such frightful look in his
eyes--and he was SO violent. and
I headstrong. and so terribly angry
| that time. He accused me OF leading
! him on and playing with him. and
! he said something ABOUT an INT
/ mutahle Law Of change and u GOVERN
! ing balance OF events--that i couldn't
understand. only where he said that
| for all the suffering we infiict on
/ others we receive an equal amount
] ourselves. Then he went away--in
| such a passion. I've imagined ever
- L.
venge-he might Eteal our Myrn--our
baby" She strained the smiling child
to her breast and went on. II liked
| him at first until l found out that
! he was an atheist-why. George. he
| actually denied the existence OF God
4 and to me. \ processing Christian
He had a wonderful nerve" said
4 the husband with q smile: ''didn',
| know you very well. \ shou1i say
He never seemed the same to me
/ after that" she resumed: II felt AZ
though in the presence Of something
unclean. Yet / thought how glorious
/ 1t would be II / could save him t1
God. and tried to convince him OF the
loving care OF Jesus; but he only
ridiculed all hold sacred. and said
that much az he valued my good
opinion. he would not be a hypOcrite
4 to gain II. and that he would be hon.
i est with himself and others. and
i express his honest unbeltef-the idea
1 ~ though one could be honest with
Il out Gods help-and then, one day.
smelied liquor on his brsath--hs al
ways smelled Of tobacco--and gave
him up. 1t was then that he--that
: he broke out"
i Come out and show me this repro
bate said the husband. rising. They
went to the door and the young WON.
an peered out. ''Iie 10 the last man
down thare-cioss to tho cabin; shs
said ~ she drew In. The husband
j stepped out.