Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-09-17
A CASE OF VERTIGO
BY J. c. pLumMER.

TT would be Just my blooming luck
to meet Mackay tonight" muttered
Capt, Duncan Strong of the steamer
Talisman as he walked unsteadily up
the street.
An evening spent with fellow cap
tains. jovial and bibulous, is not con.
ducive to sobriety and. despite resolves
to the contrary, Captain Strong left
the party drunk.
Most people would regard an &C.
c~asional lapse from sobriety as a mere
matter of a headache, brandy and soda
and a. brand new resolve, but It was
not Just 30 with Captain Strong. He
was much in love with Doris Grey. one
OF the prettiest girls in Newcastle, and
he was engaged to her Professionally.
He had promised to refrain absolutely
from ardent spirits and on this prom.
Use Miss Grey had allowed herself to be
engaged. AS a private citizens actions
are not of international Importance, 1t
would seem possible for Captain
Strong to get drunk in America and
his dereliction not be known to a girl
In England, but there was Mackay.
Captain Mackay, a stern old temper.
ance advocate, secretary Of the Sea.
mans Blue Ribbon society, was Doris
Grey's uncle and guardian. 1t was
Mackay who had consented with a bad
grace to his niece's engagement on the
promise alluded to, and it was Mackay
who would instantly have 1t broken If
the promise was not kept. His influ-
ence over her was great and she was
also an enthusiastic temperance work.
er who hated strong drink as ~fiercely
as did her %suncle.
Captain .Mackay was now in Balti.
more in command of his steamer and
hence the f%oreboding that the unfor.
tunate fate of Captain Strong would
bring him in contact with Captain Mac.
kay this very evening.
TT would be Just my luck" muttered
the captain, gloomily. I'll take a
tram and go to the steamer"
He entered the car with wavering
step, fell heavily into a seat and his
eyes roved vacuously around the car
until they fixed themselves with a
stony stare, for, directly opposite with
a queer expression on his weather.
beaten face. sat Capt. Andrew Mackay.
He had witnessed the entrance of Cap.
tain Strong into the car and was evi.
IDENTIFY fully aware Of the cause of his
stumbling into the seat.
For a moment the befogged brain OF
Captain Strong wrestled with the prob.
lens as to whether he should speak
to Mackay, keep silent or get off the
car, but Mackay settled the matter by
arising and abruptly getting Off the
car himself. Captain Strong's eyes fol.
lowed him as, under the glare of a
street lamp, he walked with a strange.
ly hating step to the pavement and
then stood with his arm around the
lamp post.
He's 30 angry he can't even walk
murmured Captain Strong to himself.
Its all over with me now" 4.
During the next day Captain Strong
expected a visit. a t%hunderous and de-
mandatory visit, from Mackay, but the
visit was not paid and in the after.
noon Captain Mackay's steamer pulled
out from the pier and started on he,
voyage to England, leaving Captain
Strong in a most perturbed state OF
mind.
Some men conceal their troubles In
their breasts as the Spartan boy did
the fox. and let it gnaw there, but
others seek confidants, and so did
Strong. He laid the matter before Mr..
Stokes, his quartermaster, and asked
his advice.
MIR. Stokes listened alphabetically,
He was not a Blue Ribboner and he
had sailed a number of years with Cap.
tain Mackay. \
The pint of the thing is that Mac
kay didn't see you drink hanything, SO
he can't swear you were drunk. Wer-
'tigo 3 the word for this mix" re.
marked the old man, coolly.
"vertigo?" exclaimed Captain Strong
yes. vertigo, men stagger lawful
when they have 1t and it's a common
complaint"
Il don't want to lie about IT," object.
ed Captain Strong.
There's times when lying must. be
DONE" said Mr.. Stokes with frmness,
and this Is one of them"
The bewildered captain considered
the situation without committing him.
self to MIR. Stokes expedient.
When the Talisman entered the
Tyne 1t was too late to dock, SO she
dropped her anchors In the stream.
Captain Strong did not go ashore
Newcastle had no charms for him. To
be coldly received by Doris was a blow
from which he recoiled and he felt
sure, strong.minded enthusiastic girl az
she was, that his weakness would be
bitterly resented. He simply turned
In and dreamed depressing dreams.
In the morning he started for the Of
fee to report his arrival and on the
way came face to face with Doris. She
acknowledged his salutation coldly
and swiftly passed on without giving
him a chance to say a word. When the
Misunderstood.
Last wear. when rats for the hair