The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-09-17
Daily Short Story
The SPELL of the Sea.

I sat on the roof OF a nineteen
story building not far from the Bat
terry with a man who had realized the
ambition OF his life. His name was
and is-Hodman. As boys. We had
been friends In Ohio: and now. while
In New York getting ideas TO improve
my nve-and-tencent store in Sandusky
] called on him to admire and envy
his exalted prosperity.
Holman had been a hero. so far as
our little home town in Ohio was
concerned Or all the town boys he
was the only one who had the cour.
Page To run away to sea. The rest OF
home. and later gained out most init.
mate knowledge OF life on the wave
from twodollar excursions on the
Cleveland Buffalo steamers. Out
there c. Ii. means as much 70 Us
as y. a. q. means TO the real wan.
derers OF the wide world.
Holman: 10 tell the bare truth. had
never reefed jib-topsail while the
ship, tortured by the storm. writhed
in the Straits OF Magellan. Never
had he struck lest, desperate. and
victorious blow as Chinese pirates
reeIed back 90 their junks from an
at,ack ca merchantmen full of
spices and treasure. He did not even
pTe@nd that the Spanish main was
mazes OF the SarRasso sea as we'll
as ! know Sandusky.
All ne had ever achieved was a
pursership on a coastwise steamer.
and he seemed proud to have gone so
far as that. II 'twere not the highest
OF the high sense. twas high enough
for Holman. He had saved money.
! had made friends with rich passen-
gers, and now az I have said. he
held his life's ambition on his knee
and patted IT, He was the janitor OF
the great building on which we sat
Janus presided over the beginning
OF human life, but the janitor IS the
overload OF its bottled water. its towel
service. its steam heat. and its COM
ing and going: and takes 1.-THE OF g..
going and coming
Holman. as an old friend. explained
the business methods pursued by him
and all other human janitors. After
he told me how he had become a 81
lent and uninvesting partner OF the
Sicilian boy who peddled oranges in
the lobby. there came lull
| Why ! asked. did YOU not start
this sort OF work earlier in life? Why
did YOU never scuttle your ship. or
rob the mail sacks, or cut the pas
I sengers' throats?"
Holman waved his perfecto in the
general direction OF the ocean. The
gesture seemed to pass over the is
| lands % the bay. even over the head
OF the tirelcss woman with the lamp.
ana 10 20 away ont beyound vision.
IT'S the sea he said. You feel its
influence. Environment is everything.
as you have undoubtedly heard your
minister say. The good become wick.
7
sea-rover reserves his pIracias FOR the
shore. Tragedy stands beside Won on
! deck. and mystery turks under every
! hatch"
Holman made me- a little tired
! I guess" | said. that your mos
thrilling tragedy woud nave been get
ting short change. and your deepest
mystery squeezing cigars through the
customs lines I've heard Of those
things
Holman looked a. me sadly.
Did you ever hear he asked. "o'
The time when tragedy came aboard
the San Rentino?'
admitted that I never had. and
expressed a hope that the san Rem.
tlno vas ship. and not a sleapine.
car or an apartment hous. IIodman
Was bad enough a. selfconfassad
/ rObber OF small industrial princes
out now ! dread the steraotvp.d
I story which always end. With The
I doomed vessel disappearing IN a vor
TEX o. foam Just rs the last Ufe.bos-
! WINS away from her cruelty crushed
sides. Lucky are the captains who
4" Gown W. tgeir ships. they do
H"' nav" 'o read the survivors.
stories, "
Vas pHrs"r o. lie san Reniino
netdn hodman. IN tone. which Tod
I ne 'Nai DO Vas determined 10 INFORM
- ID, ~ "'i ~ % were ON fhc reguitl
nv n-' "'"n N"w York md Havana
hrI"T" We sailed from Naw Yort
3 new that ] would have old friend
4 10 ialk with. for J saw on The n,sser
her Isl the names of Nr and Mr. 10
] |pll fbUdr ami Ai~ aid -fTz Tarhfr,
lHl'n Ebnar and 'liiilen both cam.
I rom me middI" West and I lueu. Eh
var beiore J know you. ! had played
POKER with them both fu Cincinnati
during our vacations
inquired - ! came upon the name,
IN 20" iisi that was forty nor cent
4 better card player than { had been
ana ] looked forward "a spending m,
/ ,rlSuI" hoGr- ~ a secluded table with
H-tu'ri aud loo huew they por,
INnnnN
/ thought fhov had been married 80 lor
..at they would bo certain to Ieav-
/ iheir wives 20 tho business o. goseip
/ ING ana walking tho deck
mere" chair % pstchoIoa,
| awning Tor Won spmcwu here eug
I trti"d hui Wodman dismissed tn,
. pie1'antrv with e. wave ~ his hand
Nou NAV think differently late-
3 on. ne said "tU tell Won nov nov
I man points M fIc comra-s Wa
I NJ The end OF the SECOND dsv.fhs
I @an Nfu'.n was r SLOW boat and
. look i've DAYS for tho trim fs ia van
when bad tino 90 start faIkiu.
POKER. discovered chat while Uarber,
/ was not .0ffh fo leave Nrr Hulen
/ nor vte Joe Tbnsr unwilling fn wal.
. 'hHf irniu ius wiz" . could nor find
.tlH"n except 100 fHs COMPANY o. Wrs
fhftr or Ioe FhrIr sVrfrf In trf
COMPANY ~ Mr. HiUer Ofher ras
80 htert ua. Hat" fioucht fhet v.r,
'"n Cnurl'e ou e bridal ffip for fIr,
nrI' '' 'hrW-f .fs. on de.k or o. Ira..
. each ooupi" DIS ~ hadn't know