The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-10-15
CHAPTER |.
4 Plan a Voyaue.

] Plan voyage.
f~1Y the bequest of an elder broth
Xxi er | was left enough money to
Ib see me through a small col
- lege i'm Ohio and to secure me
four years in medical school in the
east. Why chose medicine | hardly
know. Possibly the career of n sur
geon attracted the adventurous element
in me. Perhaps coming of Il family of
doctors. merely followed the line of
least resistance. 1t may he. indirectly
but inevitably, that might be on the
yacht Ella on that terrible night OF
Aug. l.. more than Il Year ago
commencement lpf, ~" with a dipIo
ma Il new dress suit an out of date
medical library. II box of surgical in
strumentS Of the same date us the
books and AN nripieut case of typhoid
fever.
| was twentyfour. six feet tall and
forty inches around tie chest. Also
] had lived clean and worked and
played hard. got over the fever dual-
ly pretty much all bone and appetite
but-alive. Thanks to the college. my
hospital care had cost nothing. 1T was
a good thing. had just 81 in the
world.
The yacht Ella lay in the river not
far from my hospital windows. She
was not yacht when first saw her,
nor at any time. technically. unless I
use the word in the broad sense Of a
pleasure boat. She was a two master
and. when saw her first. as dirty and
disreputable aS are most c0aSting YES
sells. Her rejuVenation was the history
OF my convalescence. On the day she
stood forth in her first coat of white
paint | exchanged my dressing gown
for clothing that. however loosely it
hung, was still clothing. Her new
sails marked my promotion to beef
steak, her brass rails and awnings my
first independent excursion up and
| down the corridor outside my door.
and, incidentally, my return to collar
and tie
The next day. | think it was. the
deck furniture was put out on the Ella
numbers of white wicker chairs and
tables. with bright cushions to match
the awnings. had pair of ancient
opera glasses. as obsolete as my am
putating knives and. like them. a part
of my heritage. BY that time felt
proprietary interest in the Ella and
through my glasses. carefully focused
with a pair OF scissors. watched the
arrangement of the deck furnishings
A girl was directing the men, |
judged from the poise with which she
carried herself that she was attractive
and knew it. How beautiful she was
and how well she knew it was to find
out before long McWhirter to the
contrary. she had nothing to do with
my decision to sign as sailor on the
Ella.
One of the bright spots of that long
hot summer was McWhirter We had
graduated together In June, and in
October he was to enter a hospital in
Buffalo as q resident. But he was as
INDECENT as l, and from June to Octo
ber is four months.
| -Four months" he said to me. Even
at two meals day. boy. that's some
thing over 240. And | can eat -four
times day without a struggle
Wouldn't you think one of these over
workedf for thegood, of humanity dubs
would take vacation and give me a
chance to hold down his practice?"
/ Nothing of the sort developing. Me
/ Whirter went into drug store and
managed TO pull through the summer
with unimpaired cheerfuness. con6d
ing to me that he secured his lunch
cons free at the soda counter.
McWhirter it was who got me my
berth on the Ella. 1t must have beer
about the Goth of July, for the Ella
sailed on the 2Sth. | was strong enough
to leave the hospital. but not yet physi
cally able for any prolonged exertion
McWhirter. who was short and stout
had been alternately flirting with the
nurse as she moved in and out prepar
ing my room for the night and sizins
me up through narrowed eyes.
No" he said. evidently following {
private line Of thought, you don't be