The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-03

bells rang out on the night air, and the in the
crows-nest sang his melancholy, "Alrs we'll"
There in the bar. Gardner capped his
hands, so the keeper of his presence 1t
seemed though snore replied from the little side
room. Exasperated, he shouted: What pretty lot
of rasca1s you stewards arei Can't you give man
something drink? Wake up. therel A whiskey and
soda--and quickl DIN quickI' Nobody appeared,
he dashed into the little determined to have
it out somebody But the room was enptyl He
hastily left the bar, and made for the grand stair
case of finding Medley in his Office on the first
landing.
But the purser was in his usual place After q
of hesitation Gardner ground his teeth and
beat the door, hoping to rouse the purser,
who slept back of his Office No answered, and he
turned the knob and etnered. The Office unoccu-
pied but the curtain drawn across the inner cabin
door announced that Medley must be in the land of
dreams
~Medieyi oh, Mr. Medley" called Gardner, slightly
raising the curtain that his voice might penetrate
81 say, Mr.; Medley, wake up Bit appeal to your
authority. The service this boat is unspeakable
Something must be done and at oneep
'7es probably just dropped off, muttered Gardner.
That's why he's so hard to wake |"
Medley he continued. TITS Jack Gardner that's
calling YOU l. Jack Gardneri I'm thirsty, and there
is serve meP
Medley apparently didn't care
81 say Mr.. Medley, you must for bother
ing you you'll admit that it is strange not to be
able to find steward to bring you whiskeyp
Medley didn't to mind in the slightest
Gardner angrily jerked aside the curtain. Medley
was nowhere to be
THAT'S the last straw" he exclaimed There are
his clothes on the chair Here his shoes He can't
be off. I've only got wait But is provoking y
trife disconnected he let himself fall into chair.
Presently he got and began pacing the CABIN haly
going out fhe landing and mounting guard near
the door. An about him reigned the deep silence of
night The labyrinth of corridors and conpanionways
was strangely rnysteriously dismal In time Card
anger died away, and he almost decided to to
bed, abandoning his whiskey and soda and his COM
plants until the morrow. But his obstinacy was un-
compromising.
MY whiskey-by Gadt I'll have it, even 1f-1f
have to wake up the captain"
AS these reflections went through his mind, happy
thought presented itself. The chief stewards cabin
was opposite the pursersI Why hadn't he thought OF
that before7 The door closed, and Gardeners
pies made him hesitate before knocking
"Poor fellow-hes probably just turned IN. he said
Then he added: This will teach him that discipline
a mighty good thingf And he thumped the door.
He fancied he heard sleepy reply at which he ex
claimed: cts Ia passenger who wants to be servedP
He waited to see the door-lnob turn and the aston
ished inmate appear. No moved within.
"Oh-I say-chief stewardf he bawled.
No response.
"Chief steward Chief steward. summon you &c
appeari The bar and the smoking abandoned
All your stewards drunk dead. Now demand
wtiskey and soda your servants not being on hand
I'm obliged ito have recourse to you. Answer me
answer, / sayI Come out here-or-or-the purser VIII
come and drag you outP'
Then Jack Gardner began kicking at the door with
All the force that when wearing dancing
pumps But his noise didn't disturb the chief
steward And Purser Medley still continued to remain
invisible.
Half blind with rage Jack rushed up the stairs and
into the bar.
Still no one to be seen.
Then he went into the smoking room,
Nobody about
He rang the ben.
No response.
There was not sound to be heard anywhere He
re-entered the bar determined to find some
smash something. for the silence palled him But
he contented himself with leaning over seixing whis
key bottle and pouring himself generous glass. Once
he had drunk his troubled brain regained its calm and
his fury gave way immense desire to laugh and
take the whole thing joke.
What fool / to be angryp he soiiloquzed
"No one will ever believe it, but I'm alive
there's not single steward hand. Neither here
in the smoking in the Ebrary-and those
are the only three places that anything about
When go below I'll take the remainder of this bottle
with and I'll give 1t back to the chief steward to
with my compliments. What a face he'll make
But, by Jovel it's his fault for Christian ha
right to sleep sound1y he does p
His sides shook with mirth but suddenly his nois,
laughter sounded strangely hollow in the dead silenc
of the night and his merriment abruptly ceased.
whats the matter with me- wonder? Do Ii
it-can be afraid7 Afraid of what? Of whou7"
No, certainly Jack Gardner coward; for a
he poured out his second glass of wliskey his hanC
was steady could be desired, and he had mad
up his mind to discover just how far the joke had BEEF
carried But the seats in the bar Portable
and so he decided to go into the smoking room A
opened the door, he started instinctivey for
thing plunged in absolute darkness Holding opel
the door, his eyes gradually became accustomed t.
the obscuriy, he presently distinguished the chairs
tables. All disorder had disappeared, and each obiec
had been put in its place.