Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-05-29
MORGAN ROBERTSON.

be more easily steered out Of danger,
and fourth that in case Of an end.
on collision with an iceberg-the only
thing afloat that she could not con-
Quer-her bows would be crushed in
but few feet farther at full than at
half speed. and at the most three CON-
partments would be flooded, which
would not matter with six more to
spare.
So 1t was confidently expected that
when her engines had limbered them
selves the steamship Titan would land
her passengers 5000 miles away with
the promptitude and regularity of q
railway train. She had beaten all rec
ords on her maiden voyage. but up to
the third return trip had not lowered
the time between Sandy Hook and
Daunt's rock to the five day limit. and
it was unofficially rumored among the
1000 passengers who had embarked at
New York that an effort would now be
made to do so.
Eight tugs dragged the great mass
to midstream and pointed her nose
down the river: then the pilot on the
bridge spoke word or two, the first
officer blew short blast on the whis-
tie and turned lever. the tugs gath
in the bowels of the ship three small
engines were started. opening the
throttles Of three large ones: three pro-
pellers began to revolve, and the nam
moth. with vibratory tremble run.
ming through her great frame, moved
slowly to sea.
East of Sandy Hook the pilot was
! dropped and the real voyage begun
Fifty feet below her deck, in an in
ferno of noise and heat and light and
shadow, coal passers wheeled the pick
ed fuel from the bunkers to the fire
i! hold. where half naked stokers. with
faces like those of tortured tends, toss
ed it into the eighty white hot mouths
of the furnaces In the engine room
oilers passed to and fro. in and out Of
the plunging, twisting. glistening steel
with oil cans and waste. Overseen by
the watchful staff on duty. who listen
ed with strained hearing for false
note in the confused tumble of sOun(
or a clicking of steel out of tune
| which would Indicate Il looseled key
| or nut. On deck sailors set the trian
gular sails on the two maStS to ado
their propulsion to the momentum Of
the record breaker. and the passenger:
| dispersed themselves as suited theil
tastes. Some were seated in steamer
chairs. we'll wrapped, for. though il
was April the salt air was chilly
some paced the deck. acquiring thei
sea legs: others listened to the orches
in the library. and few took to thei
berths, seasick from the slight heav'
of the ship on the ground swell.
The decks were cleared, watches Sc
at noon. and then began the neve
ending cleaning up at which steamship
sailors put in so much of their time
Headed by six foot boatswain, ,
gang came aft on the starboard sid
with paint buckets and brushes an
distributed themselves along the rail.
"Davits an stanchions, men-neve
mind the rail-" said the bOatswain
Ladies. better move your chairs bac
q little Rowland. climb down out {
that; you'll be overheard. Take yer
tilator. No; you'll spill paint. Pu
your bucket away an get some sand
paper from the yeoman. Work inboar
till you get it out O. you"
The sailor addressed, slight bull
man Of about thirty, black bearded an
bronzed to the semblance of health
vigor, but watery eyed and unstead
of movement. came down from tn
rail and shambled forward with hi
bucket. As he reached the group Q
ladies to whom the boatswain ha
spoken his gaze rested on one, a sunni
haired young woman with the blue Q
the sea in her eyes, who had arisen 9
his approach He started, turne
aside as If to avoid her and, raising hi
hand in an embarrassed half, salute
passed on. Out Of the boatswafn'
sight he leaned against the deck hous
and painted, while be held his hand t
his breast.
"What is it." he muttered YEARLY
whisky nerves or the dying dutter 9
starved love? Five years now and
look from her eyes can stop the bloc
in my veins-can bring back all th