The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1920-12-17


beat dog the better it is So with sailors
Grind 'em down. rule 'em with an iron hand, and
they'll only do their work at the run but
they'll come crawling along and ask you for
more. That's my experience. and 80 years at sea,
man and hoy. hasn't inclined me to dispute facts
they stand"
81 call it cruelty" said his wife without heat,
for-she was woman Of sadness
She knew the of that sadness as did her
husband but 1t was mentioned between
them by tacit agreement. Twenty-Five years of
married life had resulted in fine endurance of
martial affection-the slipper's long absences
from home might have accounted for that in some
measure. The two good friends, and bick-
ering between them thing unknown. There
had been one child-very many years ago, but 1t
only raised its voice once 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 De the name
of the Lord" with good grace, though at times
the saying was hard.
To hide his emotion the captain threw crufr-
ness into his voice. I'm thinking made mis-
take In bringing you to sea, lass" he said. ut
isn't IA place for women. least of all soft-hearted
women such as you But you begged and
prayed, and the owners seemed willing"
at got to be lonely waiting there ashore HI
RAM" she said simply. "It at nights when
when the wind howled and the snow fell every
where-I saw other women happy and coinpan-
fohaDle with their men about them; and lit
was more than could stand. 1t would have been
easier if-if there'd-if Amos had lived~ He un-
derstood and his rough gnarled hand crept out
along the rail until 1t 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 proper
Christmas?"
Hapshott opened his mouth and laughed,
laugh that was pregnant with cyniclsm.
Give them Chrstmas-a proper Christmasl
BY which l suppose you mean holiday and
Christmas fare? Why, lass, they wouldn't know
what to do with it if they had 1t. Besides we
aren't fitted for Christmas meals. There's a
brace of chickens in the coop that'l 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. "It's a wonderful
day ashore, though sad one. That is, for me-"
she amended. Il always get thinking of the Child
and of how happy His mother must have been
though she lost Him, too; she lost Him.
She thought the wound 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 slouched along to the afterdeck and
grouped themselves under the poop break. The
moon sprang up from the blackening sea- and
shone redly upon them full round ball. 1t
showed sulen, despondent faces. faces without a
hope Mrs Hapshott drew to the pinrail
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
dIt's stand by till midnight tomorrow" said
the skipper In voice that he fondly hoped be-
frayed shame There's holiday from now
on You'll take your wheels and lookouts
~. haun fhat-nOthInp I1ndarStand2n