New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-11
Bv MARGARET KELToN.


1cHTEEN thousand miles of water lie
Il between Hong Kong and Newport
News. Two million lives lie between
the peace that was and the war that
3. P;y. wears lie between my first view OF
=. F;tel Friedrich in China and my last sight
- IN Virginia. All these thoughts crowded
y, mind this morning as I climbed her steep
-.,,ysv between the admiral and the COM
1.1d,r to the shrill piping of the boatsns
thistle and passed the rigid, outstanding, I'M
smiling side boys The impudent chatter OF
=. v,rv small monkey broke the tension, we
m 70 laughing. our official dignity was gone
I, n. time between the dock and the deck
= had one Of those swift mental flare-backs
.h;,b eor,e onlv in moments of intense living.
An IN an instant I remembered my first sight
oi III, ship. 1t was in Hong Kong. looked
down upon her, lying quietly in the hsrbor'
iror nv stone balcony half way up the peak
7, few hours she was to take me home. 1t
VA, verv early, Just after sunrise, but the city
b.low me was teeming with life. Under my
vi,sovV Dassed stream of chair coolies carry
irs their empty chairs lightly in the deep
s,oov,s Of their shoulders. Four streets down
eoud see the rickshaw men flashing by on
n, I.v.l Of the waterfront Countless burden
heaters passed, outside the garden, trotting
heavy under loads two of our men could not
carry hall block.
HONG KONG ADJUSTS ITSELF TO
DAYLIGHT.
The air was keen and pungent with flower
scents. heard the harsh shrillness OF voices
and calls. the indescribable sounds OF Chinese
dty awake. and above all the steady tom-tom
Of distant drums. ceaseless and maddening, a
Chinese lover serenading his wife-to-be. The
Et.l lay black against the blue Of the harbor,
steam up Busy ants of men crawled about
her deck and loved her for she was to take
ne home.
After interrninable hours OF waiting and say
ing goodby, and being pressed upon by throngs
Of yellow stolidness. we pushed of from the
dock, and nosng our way among the massed
fctlla OF sampans came alongside the snip
which. FIVE years later was to take so grim a
part in the world war. Now that we were
really aboard l did not want to leave. The
flowers and sights and sounds called me, and
as We steamed slowly through the straits
l.aned far over the rail TO catch my last
glimpse Of the harbor and the city on the peak.
It was peaceful picture, but the pain OF leav-
ing and the thrill OF going home held me.
There was no thought Of war in all the world,
and yet the unalterable march Of human events
vas going forward, while deck stewards hur-
h,dy arranged steamer chairs, passengers eX-
changed curious chances, the dressing bugle
sounded and we went throbbing steadily on to
meet the first surge Of the sea. Far ahead
din in the mist Of coming years, stood war
waiting to claim the steel and rivets and jarr-
ns engines which we called ship Of peace
All this between the dock and the deck!
AN OLD FRIENDSHIP FRIENDLY,
BUT UNPEACEFUL.
twas with the warm feeling Of meeting an
% friend that I turned, with the admiral and
commander, on to the familiar promenade deck
nd stood, waiting for the return Of the mes
SnssF who had taken the admirars card to
Nptaln Thierchens. Presently we saw HIM
"nnns. He ran a little and said when he
'ssehsd US, Eyes, he comes soonp l looked
''0ut for changes, and though l talked and
'Usnsd with the Lieutenant Our see Scheur-
W. tall THEM, weather tanned young enthu-
A''t noticed four rapidhre guns at the star
'a'o rail, covered in tarred canvas. touched
-emuzzle Of one with the tip Of my finger and
gave with hardly an ounce Of pressure from
=, turning smoothly on its base. So 1t was
''n everything on deck. A weather worn ap-
"Hsnce, an atmosphere of almost lazy calm
!" indifference. yellow dog sprawling in
y sun, cat licking her paws on the cargo
Va the monkey chattering nonsense, sailors
wy leaving the ship on liberty, and yet that
~o0'hy moving gun, whose black canvas COW
W the perfection of efficiency and readi-
n =. ~ was the keynote of vivid life and courage
40 eharacterizes officers and men and per
~ " all material and equipment aboard.
walked forward slowly, Lieutenant
'u'ien was telling me very simply that his
IL and two brothers were in the trenches
VI" ne had not heard from them since