The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1918-12-26

A Giant Transport Loaded With Returning
American Soldiers Speeds for New
York and Good Cheer
By Mr.. G.. g. Il.

By Mr. c. g. b.
~ ''Say, Captain, can't you get us into y
L,rA New York Christmas morning instead of L,cA
- the morning of the twenty-sixths" asked
young American Army officer on board the home
d.bound transport Marania, of Captain Picket
the latter passed q group OF officers on the lee
side of the promenade deck.
''Now, gentlemen, replied the Captain, Il
would like to accommodate you IT l could, but my
schedule calls for arrival the twenty sixth. be-
sides am in doubt to whether the Marania could
keep up the speed necessary to get to New York on
Christmas"
but, Captain. you are supreme at sea, aren't
you and you could increase the speed of the ship if
you felt SO inclineds" asked the young officer.
Eyes, while could do that, / also would come
in for call down from the Admiralty for arriving
ahead of my schedule. And then there is the chief
engineer who would probably tell me that the en-
gines would not stand the strain of maintained
high-speed for such long distance. am very
sorry to refuse you, gentlemen, but it will be the
morning of the twenty sixth, and the Captain
passed on to the bridge.
The young officer, Lieut.. Hadley by name,
turned to his companions on whose faces he saw re-
fected the disappointment ne keenly felt himself
'Hef going to stick right to his schedule Christ
mas no Christmas"
ST don't think the old boat could make it
anyway." spoke up another officer Seems to me
What, this ship!'' exclaimed Hadley. ''Why.
this ship the fastest liner in the world before the
war!"
''Ah 60 wan, she amt maxim over twenty miles
an hour right nOw"
The first officer of the ship, who had come up
within hearing moment before, spoke up:
Yes, gentlemen, it's true, the Marania is the
fastest liner that has crossed the Atlantic and
seeing his audience was attentive, he continued:
The Marania broke all records in September,
1910, when she crossed from Queenstown to New
York in four days, ten hours and forty minutes;
an average speed of about % land miles an hour.
And in January, 1911, in one days she made
676 knots about q knots or 81 land miles an
an hour. And as this is Friday morning. the Goth,
I believe if the Marania was put to it and the
schedule of arrival wasn't in the way, could easily
arrive in New York some time Christmas Eve Gen.
tlemen the wireless is in good working condition,
and if you get the Captains consent. something
which timely advice he departed.
Lieut. Hadley proposed they follow the first
officers advice and see the Captain. committee
of three. including Hadey to act as spokesman. was
chosen and they proceeded to the Captains cabin.
After listening their request to wireless to the
Admiralty. Captain Picket replied:
'All right, gentlemen, write out your message
and give it to and will have it sent, but before
sending it must see the chief engineer as to the
condition of his engines and fuel supply"
Lieut. Hadley wrote the message and he and
his companions waited anxiously Captain Picket's
consultation with the chief engineer. In short
time the Captain sent tor them and SAID that the en-
gines were in good condition and could stand the
strain easily and that everything depended the
Admiralty's answer.
The wireless was sent, and the news Of what
was going on having spread among the $500 officers
and men of the returning United States troops
everyone was on the QwS vive, for there not
but who would give most anything to arrive in New
York to spend Christmas, and the answer to the
wireless awaited with impatience and consider
able anxiety as to the outcome.
One, who was as keenly anxious as any for a
favorable answer from the Admiralty, and who had
felt surge of JOY we'll up in his heart when he heard
that it might be possible to reach New York for
Christmas, was Second Lieutenant Andrews. The
thought of again holding his dear wife and children
in his after two long years of separation was
pleasure the contemplation of which caused prayer
of thankfulness to rise to his lips, that he had been
able to surmount the degradation of his past and
had regained not only his sef-respect but that
of his fellowmen as we'll. And he believed that he
could stand again before his beloved wife and see
the love-ight and trusting belief in him spring to
her eyes he remembered it did in the days of their
early married life before he fell from grace What
Christmas gift then, could he ask that would COM
pare with thisg
Prior to the time he left his wife and children,
two years before, the whiskey fend had slowly but
surely wound its tentacles about him until his powers
of resistance all but gone Into the face OF
his wife had appeared at first reproach which de-
veloped into disgust that bordered on loathng as
the habit become more firmly fixed and his periods
of sobriety became less frequent and of shorter
duration, until awakening one morning partially
sober he came to the conclusion that he not only
down in the mre himself, but was dragging his