The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-05-07
The Guardian Angel
A COMPLETE NOVELETTE, By Octavus Roy Cohen

~, SIlSICuSu luAuIlOuSly S6deQ Q1nSelI
on the edge of teecy cloud and
gazed idly down upon the ship-dotted
Earbor
This particular harbor was a pet
spot TO the Guardian Angel when
business was dull elsewhere The
harbor was lined with massive piers,
alongside of which were moored pa
latial liners, rustily dilapidated
tramps, rakish schooners, and last,
but by no means least, the squat, ugly
fighting ships of the navy
1t was On one of these-the U. S. S.
Springneld-that the gaze of the
Guardian Angel was bent. The giant
cruiser lay just off the navy yard, her
gray form rising grimly from the sun
Kissed waves; her big guns glinting
yiciously in their turrets, decks
swabbed to surprising Wilderness, her
brasswork rivaling the day itself III
lIilliancy.
A figure stood alone on the Spring
field apart from it's fellows. The
Guardian Angel bent speculative
eye upon it. 1t suddenly, toppled
overheard, splashed into the river,
struggled frantically for a moment.
sank, reappeared, and-Ihe Guardian
angel got busy.
A second fguer, catapulting from
the leadman's platform, shot clear of
the ship and cleaved the water with
lnife-iike precision. A. bugle sounded
Slrilly. The Man overheard" signal
fIuttered at the halyard, and the crew
rushed to its appoined formation.
The struggle in the waiter was brief
and businesslike. The second figure
srasped the first by the back of his
jumper, clutched at the lifeline, and
in very short space of time both
figures were back on the ship, and
the Guardian Angel smiled satisfied
Emile as he settled back more comfort
ably on the edge of his cloud.
"A poor rookie" soliloquized the
Angel. "A poor, green, half-baked
milk-and-water rookie. Oh, well,
suppose / might as well help him a
bil-having nothing else to do"
The Guardian Angel vanished.
The rookie stuck dripping head
into the odoriterous galley, coughed
slightly to attract the attention of the
cook, and spoke in a voice as watery
as his clothes.
Please, SIT, may l dry my clothes
in the k1tchen?"
THE what-a-at?" roared the Gull.
rary emperor.
THE kitchen"
'Wow!" screamed the irascible
cook. Let you in my galley? Why
you dried-up, pink-cheeked, skinny
deckswab you! Whdaya think I'm
rurnin' aboard this craft a Chink
laundry?"
""N-n-n-no, sir. But you see"
much to see either. It's bloomin'
lily they didn't let you sink stead
of fshin' you outl" Cookie was grow
ing excited. why, you poor in-sig-
Et-f1-cant, cock-eyed, bow-legged SON
of-a-gun! Get t ell out O. my galley
Of I'll heaye you overheard again; you
hear me, you rubber-boot?"
The rookie only made bad matters
verse.
please, sir" he advised in mild,
shaky little tremolo, you hadn't
cugt to get mad I didn't mean any
harm, sir; only wanting to dry my
clothes"
mad" the cook laughed wildly,
waving his arms and thereby tum
bling a bucket of spuds Oh, my
Gawd I'll show you who is mad:
What dye think you are, anyhow,
YOU" And cookie poured forth a
stream of naval Billingsgate that
cracked in the fetid air of the galley
like wireless spark run amuck
The rookie remembered the better
part of valor and crawfsked hastily
out of the galley, amid the fanfare
of jeers from the seamen, who had
listened grinningly and appreciatively
to the cooks electrically personal re-
marks.
"Mama's own ickle boy!" tainted
enc. do UNI want to dry UNI
clothes?"
'Is UNI get wetted all over?"
tickle sing get treated so badly on
The naughty ship!"
The rookie stared at the group in
= terror. They were jeering, grinning,
ruthless lot. Even big bluff master
alarms whose part profanity had been
semihuman, took hand in the verbal
assault
wouldn't that make you sick?
he demanded. Just look at the boob.
He ought to be home in bed stead
OF On a battle-ship. Lordy, what are
we coming tor
Slipped overheard" chuckled the
ouartermaster. ANY just ought to
Of heard him hollerin for help"
"Oh FIR tha old navy" chjmed In