Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-29

destroyed men beside him the gums
from the ships were firing up at tho
plane. but neither was that like this.
Those things were all etty-pevsona',
that was Il: everything before THU
had bean personal. and battle battle
was mot personal ct Ill. Or It had moi
been personal TIL now-this moment
when b. was alone 1t last, shut In hil
room away froa The rest with Nellie'a
picture h the drawer OF his desk.
He at up and leansd over and open
Cd the drawse and tsok out the picture
and sased 1own st II. The sight Of
her face hsr hps which he had kissed
20 many times, hsf dear, soft eyes gar.
Ing straight into his. steadied him, for
the frst seconds and then unnerved
him. Women and children, some one
had said, had been killed torn to
pieces. probably, and dismembered--
when the Carthage and the Peras had
shslled Ocean City and Virginia B4ech
10 draw the American ships OUTS
Wen, The American ships had come
out and he had fought his turret and
Sivsn them shells for the shells thay
lad sent 1t vIryinia Beach. A mast
was down oo ths Pesas; other shells
must have hit: he must have killed
some OF The murdesefs aboard. But
while hs was squarins that score the
regents submarines were striking ton.
The Balch had gone down With an
hands while the. Arizona had had to
steam By at full speed
Little "stubby~ Defr. Bob had learn.
ed, had commanded the Balch. He
was not In Bob's class, but Bob had
got to know him pretty wen when they
both were on Chinese station together.
StObby was - game little chap; Bob
remembered the Army-Navy football
game IN Stubs last year, when-weiL
Bob knew Just how stubby spoke TO
his men and smiled at them when
everything was done and there was
nothing left to do but cheer the ship
ron saved. As II went by. and then 80
down with your own.
And Stub, too. had been married; In
his little steel walled cabin, now deep
down under the water, he had his
picture Of his widow. Did she know
IT. Destroyer Balch lost with all
hands" That was sentence Of the
message which had gone to the shore.
When and how would Il rfach-herf
Was there now I babyi Bob wondered.
What had little Stubby Derr seen
when. ct the last moment, he was
alone and need no longer smile 1t hiS
menu
Bob got up and opened the door: It
was choking close In there with the
port closed ana covered. He started a.
he saw some one standing without: Il
was Garry starnes 1t the door Of his
room. Garry, too Had found II close
and sitting; his collar was loose, and
he HAD taken OF his coat. but. like Bob
he had not further undressed. Il
IT'S hot" Bob said to'hlm simply. I
awful" so
The friends faced each other an In
slant fairly. The same thought was
in the heart, Of 10Th and they both
knew II. Neither would say It to the
other. nor would either deny Il % theft
eyeS met ? What they lad seen hap
pen to stubby Derr was soon to come
to them: when tie great battle was
Joined. only the luckiest OF chances I
could save either Of them. The END
might come before the great battle. OF
course: It might come tonight ct any
moment.
Garry stepped back into his room;
Bob' returned to Ills and put ont the !
light. He lay on his bed. trying now
TO sleep. but quite unable to. There
were thousand things which he had
meant to say to Nellie. and none Of,
which he had said. He sat up once
and started to find the light to write
10 her, then he lay down again. Those
were not the sort Of things one could
write: she would not understand them
seeing them sprawled on . sheet OF
paper; he wanted her to know that 4
be did not come back she should
marry again. that he would prefer
that; he wanted her to know
His mind would not stay on that
: - "Up 200! Upv' $50 II
was ON and. you see. sir, my broth
er was boatswain Of the Balch. z
THAT was right, Louden."
'It's % use now; no use" Bob
went to sleep.
A few minutes before midnight he
was reused; he buttoned his collar,
got into his coat and shoes. The roll
Ing Of the ship. the impact Of the
water outside his port, the crashing
thunder told that the storm was Sc
we're again: he seized his raincoat and
s.n-ried to his watch above. Ross.
whom he relieved. pointed to him the
positions Of the other ships; in addition
to the great bulk OF the Pennsylvania s.
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