The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-13

forget the miseries they've suffered at
/ sea IN gross debauches ashore"
| Hapshott tried to pass Ut off with
| laugh, changed the subject and drew his
wifes attention to the majestic beauty
of the ship as she plunged through the
sparkling water. a feck,ess sky over
head was mirrored In the deeper blue
of the sea- the ship had shaken off the
sloth that had held her for many a day
and had become a sentient thing
bounding with life, pulsating with
energy
The snow white canvas aloft was shot
across with delicate shadow all clear
startling, distinct against the turquoise
background. man perched on the top
sail yardarm busted himself with spike
and tar pot jockeyng the he'lving spar
with the grim agility of q mountehank.
| The voice of the mate came a,ong the
deck from forward. II carried menace
| in It's tone, and three men broke aft at
| sharp run.
They tailed on to n rope and pulled;
nothing happened. They pulled again
casting fearsome glances over their
shoulders: the rope came in an inch
at time.
Get moving-youre not here for the
fun of the thing" The mate was
among them. striking out hard blows.
the sailors made no attempt to parry
the punishment. they submitted t. it
all and seemed To hurl themselves with
redoubled energy on their labor. Pres
ENTITY the work was done. and the mate
came aft slowly, wping his damaged
| knuCkles on the bosom Of his shirt.
They aren't quite used to us yet" he
said to Hapshott. pausing at the break
| ..ft h., a
though. and by the time we fetch the
southeas, trades they'll be a workable
crowd. Been brought up n lime ULCERS.
they have; spoilt, just spoilt." He went
below for a piece of rag wherewith 10
bind up the broken knuckles. and Hap
shott turned to his wife with a satisfied
SIN le.
"There's corroborative evidence for
YOU" he sad Jones knows the sailor
from tip to toe-there isn't a trick he
isn't wise on. You can't bluff him
forty years at seas his record; and he's
never been mixed up in a mutiny."
Il wouldn't like to stand in his place
before the judgment seat. though" was
Mrs. Hapshotts reply. Hiram. l want
10 ask you a favor"
ASK away. lass. I'm in a good
mood we've got fair breeze. though I
don't expect it Will last long. BY this
time tomorrow Wen probably be reach
ing away along the track we've come.
Take time by the forelock. old woman,
and speak out"
It's Christmas Day in two days
time. Hiram. Are you going to give the
men n Christmas proper Christ
mas?"
Hapshott opened his mouth and
laughed, laugh that WINS pregnant
with cyn.csm.
GIVE them a Chrstmas-a proper
Christmas, by which | suppose you
mean . holiday and Christmas fare?
Why. lass, they wouldn't know what
to do with it if they had It, They'd he
coming along in an hour asking for a
job. Besides. We aren't fitted for Christ
mas meals. There's brace of chickens
in the coop that'll make our dinner that
day-Tve been saving them up on pur-
: pose; but beyond the pig for'ard-"
Civ" them proper Christmas
Hiram pleaded Mrs. Hapshott ear
nestly. ITS wonderful day ashore
though "a sad one. That is, for me,
she amended. Il always get thinkinG
Of the Child and Of how happy His
, mother must have been. though she
lost Him too; she lost Him.
She thought the wound was fairly
= healed, but the hot tears gushed to her
faded, pathetic eyes. Hapshott himself
i turned away for he knew the ache at
i her heart: 1t companoned the void at
l his own
To hide his emotion he threw gruf-
Il ness into his voice. I'm thinking
made a mistake in bringing you Ia sea
p lass" he said. 1T isn't place fol
women. least of all soft hearted women
e such as you are. But you begged and
prayed. and the owners seemed will
ing"
1T got to be lonely waiting there
= ashore. Hiram" she said simply. al
IL was at nights. when@when the wine
g howled and the snow fell everywhere
e saw other women happy and com
g panionable with their men about them
and tit was more than | could stand
" 1t would have been easier Tiff there''
: If Amos had lived He understood
d and his rough gnarled hand crept GU
n along the rail until ii rested on her
n with the pressure of sympathy,
I'm glad to be here, Hiram" sh
r said. Don't go for to think otherwise
IS But seeing that I'm happy, I'd like I
t. have those around me happy too
isn't much to ask-just give the sailor
| a. hlt OF rest on - IlStllldS lay ltl lHtl
a have that pig for a Christmas dinner
1t they'll work all the better for it after
- ward"
80 Wen get no more fresh meat fo
e months" said Hiram Hapshott. "An
p, YOU don't take to salt stuff very kindl,
@ Maria"
d You needn't think of me-" she tol
him. IT'S little thing for me to do
y sacrifice one single luxury for the SAX
= IF making twenty men happy"
lie "Ill think i over" said her husban
y noncommlttally. IT'S such an idea a
+, I've never heard of, mind you. Christ
n mas might be kept at sea on liners an
steamers and that sort of thing, wher
they don't care a toss about the wcathe
10 and whore they've got nothing much
" do at the best Of times. But in a wind
ir TANNER, it's different, somehow. There
I always something to be done"
=" For one day things can be left ur
done" she said. 1T isn't often ! as
st you for favor Hiram: but-somehov
" with Christmas drawing near, I feel a
I'd If ] want To see it kept as II should h
M kept. There's a sonnet hing within m