The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1920-12-18
By FRANK n. SHAW.

"A AID Mrs. HapshOtt: You're hard
man, Hiram Hapshott. l never
| knew it until nOw-I named you for
| a kindly husband ashore"
ashore and at are two differ
| ent Places replied the captain of
the Uriah B. Caster when I'm
ashore l take things easy when
I'm at sea l act accordingly. Sail
ormen are dogs and the more you
beat a dog the better it is. So with sailors.
Grind 'em down, rule em with an iron hand, and
they'll not only do their work at the run but
they'll come crawling along and ask you for
more That's my experience, and 30 years at sea,
man and boy hasn't inclined to dispute facts
they stand"
~ call it cruelty" said his wife without heat,
for she woman of sadness.
She knew the of that sadness, as did her
husband, but it was never mentioned between
them by Il tacit agreement. twenty-five years of
married life had resulted in fine endurance OF
marital affection-the shippers long absences
from home might have accounted for that in some
measure The two were good friends, and bick-
ering between them was thing unknown. There
had been one child-very many years ago, but it
only raised its voice in the great world
and before the mothers heart had quickened in
response The voice was stilled forever. The Lord
had given; He had also taken away, and Mrs.
Hapshott endeavored to say Blessed be the name
of the Lord with good grace, though at times
the saying hard
To hide his emotion the captain threw gruf-
ness into his voice Pm thinking l made mis-
take in bringing you to sea, lass" he said. 1t
isn't place for women, least Of all soft-hearted
women such you But you begged and
prayed and the owners seemed willing
1T got to be lonely waiting there ashore, Hi
RAM she said simply. 1T was at nights, when
when the wind hOwed and the snow fell every
where-I saw other women happy and compan-
ionabe, with their about them; and tit
was more than could stand. 1t would have been
easier Tiff there'd-if Amos had lived" He I'M
derstood, and his rough gnarled hand crept out
along the rail until it rested hers with the
pressure of sympathy
"Hiram, want to ask you favor.
ITS Christmas day in two days time. Are
you going to give the men Christmas-a proper
Chrismas?
Hapshott opened his mouth and laughed,
laugh that pregnant with cynicsm.
Give them Christmas-a proper Christmas
By which I suppose you mean holiday and
Christmas fare? Why, lass they wouldn't know
what to do with it If they had it. Besides, we
aren't fitted for Christmas meals. There's a
brace of chickens in the coop thatH make our
dinner that day-rve been saving them up on
purpose but beyond the pig forard-"
Give them proper Christmas, Hiram plead
ed Mrs Hapshott earnestly ITS wonderful
day ashore, though sad one That is, for me,
she amended. II always get thinking OF the Cmld
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 turned away, for he knew the
ache at her heart; it companioned the void at his
own.
All hands muster aft" cried Captain Hapshott.
The men souched along to the afterdeck anu
grouped themselves under the poop break. Inc
moon sprang up from the blackenng sea, ana
snone redly upon them; full round ball. II
showed sullen, respondent faces, faces without a
nope. Mrs Hapshott drew near to the pinrah
and looked down, her heart welled full OF pity
she had done something-she had given these
overworked beasts Of burden one days rest at
least
It's stand by till midnight tomorrow, saio
me skipper In voice that he fondly hoped De-
uayed no shame. There's holiday from now
On You'll take your wheels and lookouts as
usual; beyond that-nothng. Understand