The Harrison times., 1917-08-04

| OF security III only lntN WOulu not get
seasick and drop their cartridges right
over the hear OF our bunk, and We in
the upper berth. To one unaccustOmed
to the ways OF the army there is a
| sort OF fascination in watching a sol
( dier load his musket. He deity in
serts a sort of metallic hand in the
/ breech of his gun This hand has
five very long cold looking fingers eX-
tremely sharp and business-like. each
one capable Of carrying 5000 yards,
and penetrating Lord knows how
many thicknesses OF plank-a ships
deck for instance and possibly a pas
senger or so. And as We ruminate on
this possibility we again agree with
the wisdom OF the officer There is no
| pleasure in sea travel these days.
Someone is always taking the joy
out of life anyhow. As a rule a ships
officer is a good fellow and full OF in
formation. He will patiently enlisht
en- each flock Of passengers on the
mystery of eight bells, starboard and
port, etc. He will even fail to show
annoyance when you mention down
! cellar" instead of going below, and
back and front instead of fore and aft,
and calling the dining room dignitaTy
head waiter instead of first, second
or third chief stewart and all such,
but a ships officer with a big navy
! automatic strapped on his waist line
looks entirely different. That big
automatic gives him a standofish ap-
pearance which is hard to overcome,
and if you do overcome it and begin
one of those bland, innocent, fool ques
tions which he should be prepared for
in twenty years of sea life, he is apt
to close up like a COney Island clam
and you see at once you have made
another mistake.
No Pleasure on Deck at Night.
There is a dignity about a sea liner
racing home in her war colOrs to get
her baptismal of four inch guns which
no passenger can mistake. He may
slide into some obscure corner on deck
to watch the tropic sun dip into the
sea, and in the gathering gloom for
getfully light cigar, but he will re
member long before the curt com
mand of lights out" greets his ears
for the final glare of the match has
already lighted on the uniform of a
deck officer and the very central TO-
cusing point is sure to be the navy
revolver You will then sneak up to
the smoking room and stifle there in
the heat of closed windows and burn
ing nicotine, which will soon drive
you on the darkened deck again Al
ter running the maze of the hlankete
passage you may run directly into the
arms of an officer who is clearing the
deck for the Porto Rican guard to
bring aft the German prisoners from
the dining room. Ugh! Supposing
they mistook you for German and
ran you aft with the bunch. Some
how you seem nearer those Porto Ri
can guardsmen with their fixed bayo-
nets than ever before, and you agree
with the officer, there is no pleasure
in travelling"
Before going to sea you We're aware
that war had been declared ard You
on the wrong side Of the map Travel.
ing home ceases to be a pleasure. On
the other hand it is very much OF a
business and a serious business at
that. But you never realized that war
would some so frightfully near home.
Even though you never sight a pert
scope, or dodge mine you are acute
ly aware Of the possibility, and you
have all the sensations, right ur TO
the point of contact that can come to
any man. Travelling for pleasure
seems a thing Of the past. It seems
ages and ages since you stretched out
comfortably on a deck chair and re.
laXed. That was before the war. Now.
adays deck chairs are not so comfort
able, Ships are not comfortable Off.
GERS are not companionable. The cap.
tain instead Of sort Of social leader
has become thing apart, a presence,
being, an object Of hope and fear
both in one.
Therefore take the advice Of the
officer with the automatic. If in search
Of pleasure don't go to sea, for there
is but one pleasure in the whole trip
and that is to watch them open the
formidable mined gate at the entrance
of New York harbor and permit you
to sail in under the extremely grim
and business like guns of the silent
monitor which guards the entrance
LOU D, MacWETHY.
For plants and cut flowers tele.
phone Mrs. Arch Harris, No. 227