{ title: 'South Side messenger. (Bellmore, L.I., N.Y.) 1908-19??, February 19, 1909, Page 3, Image 3', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/sn96083504/1909-02-19/ed-1/seq-3/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn96083504/1909-02-19/ed-1/seq-3.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn96083504/1909-02-19/ed-1/seq-3/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn96083504/1909-02-19/ed-1/seq-3/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
Image provided by: Long Island Library Resources Council
His O ther S elf A PSYCHOLOGICAL NOVEL. By SARAH GRAND. lounJHl 10 o’clock ptotfeeded without CHAPTER X. 8 \How <ld he seem ? ” Gertrude eonld not help asking before she left th e office. “He seemed a bit fresh,\ the clerk answ ered bluntly. G e rtrude winced. It was the sec ond tim e to-day th a t she had heard th is insulting insinuation made against the husband whom she not only loved, but. reverenced, and it goaded her so th a t she would have liked to have hurried from th e place, as If by flight she could escape from th e horrid thought; but she bravely checked the Impulse and waited, w ithout any external sign of suffer ing. until she had decided on what •h e had better do next. There seemed to be three comses open to her. She could aw ait her husband’s return at So itham p ton; or ehe could follow him to Jersey; or she could go straight to St. Malo, end meet him when he arrived there. Each of these plans seemed good at th e first glance, but when she came to consider she found an objection to each. If she waited at Southampton It w a s ju s t possible th a t her husband m ight become the victim of some new delusion, and never return, In which case she would probably lose all trace of him. And If she followed him to Jersey, Judging by her experience so far, she feared her chances of overtaking him was very small. And then, again, if she went to meet him at St. Malo, ehe would run the same risk as it she waited at Southampton; he might change his mind, and not go there a t all. She was very much puzzled at first by these three alternatives; but It appeared to her at last th a t by a little m anagem ent she m ight make one of them , at all events, the least of thre6 evils. She thought that if she went to St. Malo herself, and Miss Somers came to wait at Southampton, It would scarcely be possible for Leslie to escape them both; for If he did not rem a in In the Channel Islands, where he would be safe enough, he must either go on to St. Malo or return to •Southampton. Accordingly she de cided upon this last course; and find ing th a t the mall steam er did not leave for St. Mai th a t night, she ptotfeeded flurry to make the necessary arrange m ents. She drove first to a shop to buy some toilet requisites, for she had nothing with her. Then she went to th e steam er, which was alongside the •docks, and chose her berth. There w a s nothing going on In the saloon at th e time, so she sat down there and .wrote Miss Somers a rapid but clear account of all she had done so far, and all she proposed. This Miss Som ers would receive by the first post next m orning; but In case Moon had proved faithless, Gertrude thought it rig h t to send her sister-in-law a tele gram at once, to make sure th a t she would not be left a whole night in euspense. Gertrude took these mis sives to the postoffice herself, a n d dis patched them, and then she returned to the steam er. There she found the etew a rds laying the tables for the 6 o ’clock dinner, and for the first time eince breakfast she remembered that ehe ought to eat. She had little enough appetite in all conscience, but she tried to refresh herself by going Into the ladles’ cabin to take off her dress, and getting the stewardess to b r u s h it and all her things thorough ly, to get rid of the feeling of dust, fwhlch Is one\ of most fatiguing addi tio n s to the. discomfort of traveling; end after taking down and rearrang ing her hair, and having a good splash in cold water, she felt so strong and composed th a t she was surprised at herself. But she could not eat, and steam er (Viands are not tem p ting to coy ap petites, so decided to go to her berth e i d sleep. She m u st have had some hours* re freshing sleep before she awoke sud denly with a start, as unhappy people do. The awakening, however, was not accompanied by an immediate recognition of her strange surround ings. Her first conscious thought was wonder th a t her husband was not near her; her first voluntary effort was to tu r n — n o t to him, alas! but to th e full recollection of her #positlon, which was brought home to her by What she saw. She was in an upper berth of iixe ladies’ cabin. Several of the other berths were occupied, and two French Sisters of Charity sat together on a eofa, their hands clasped before them, Xhelr eyes fixed on the floor, their sw eet and patient faces composed, as It their minds were absorbed In medi tation or prayer. The cabin was lighted by a lamp, which hung from th e centre of the ceiling. It swayed w ith the motion of the vessel and Mlckered, casting uncertain shadows, dow on one side, now on the other, b u t giving light enough tor the stew ardess to attend to the passengers. The steam er had left the smooth Southam p ton w a ter, and was nearing th e Needles by this time. The regu- Bar thum p of the screw vibrated from stem to stern, cordage creaked, doors rattled , hoarse voices shouted, chains clanked, there gerated patter of heavy raindrops on autum n leaves in k fierce little squall. The veifltiil was m aking splendid way, with a spanking breeze in her favor, and the night was fine and clear; but as she approached the Needles, ehe got Into a chopping sea, and began to pitch in a lively way, th a t sufficed In five m inutes to make the m o st of the Britons believe th a t It was better to be beside the sea boasting than upon i t w ithout the slightest Inclina tion to rule. It was probably the motion th a t had awakened Gertrude, and as she turned and recollected where she was, she uttered a low moan. The stewardess went to her im mediately. “Are you sick, m iss?\ she said. “ Yes, stew a rdess,” G e rtrude an swered; “but It Is sick at heart I am.\ The stewardess looked at her as If she were searching Inwardly for some remedy for this copaplalnt, but she was called to one of the other ladies before anything occurred to her; and then Gertrude noticed that the two gentle Sisters of Charity, whose sofa was close to her berth, were looking pale and distressed. She raised her self on her elbow. “Pardon, mes- dames,\ she said. But they did not perceive that she was addressing them. “Excusezmoi, mes soeurs,\ she began again. Then they looked up and smiled at her. “I would sug gest,\ she said In French, “th a t it is better to He down.\ “ Madame est blen bonnle,” was the soft response; “but that, would be too much of self-indulgence; and, at any rate, it Is not for long.” “Then, It you breathe with the mo tion of the vessel,\ Gertrude swered, “you will not be sick.\ “Oh, show me how you do i t ! ” one in extrem ity demanded. Some of the other ladles a t once roused themselves to try the extrem e ly novel experiment, and, while m ak ing an effort to help themLelves, forgot how dreadfully 111 they were. The stewardess disappeared at inter vals, but always returned with com forting assurances. “We’re at the Needles now.\ “W e’ve passed the Needles.” “If the wind doesn’t drop we'll do It In eleven hours Instead of tw elve.\ “Many a tim e I’ve been sixteen hours crossing, and nometimes twenty-four. And often and often we’ve had to put back th^ee times before we could get past the Needles. Ah! we do have some seas occasional ly. I’m sick myself sometimes, and then you m ight complam. B u t this is only a fine passage. We haven’t made such a run for m o n ths.” Ju s t then there came one of the periodic outbursts^of hoarse shouting, followed by the clatter of hurrying footsteps overheard. “W hat are they doing, stew a rdess?” Gertrude asked. “ Getting up sail or changing her course,” the stewardess answered, with the Indifference fam iliar with either incident. “ I should have thought they would have got the sails up at starting with such a breeze,\ Gertrude observed, not without malice. The noise above Increased to a racket. The stewardess disappeared, w rong!” one of the ladies exclaimed nervously. “The night Is cle'1™,\ Gertrude an swered sententiously, no thought of a catastrophe entering her head. “Prions, ma soeur,\ one of the French sisters whispered. “Pour eux,\ the other softly sug gested. “Car pour nous le danger seralt peut-etre le m arlyre, et alors nous irions droltes au del. Dieu soit loue!\ The face of the other beamed at the hope of martyrdom , and both re lapsed into prayer for their sinful fellow-passengers. A fter an unusually long absence the stewardess returned. In a casual way G ertrude looked at her, but som ething in the woman’s face riv eted her attention. It was neither fear nor flurry, but the look of one with a hard task before her, anxious to act, but hardly knowing how to begin. The noise on deck redoubled. She glanced around desperately at the different ladies, then meeting Ger tru d e ’s inquiring giance, she recog nized what she required— coolness and courage to m atch her own. W ith one step she was beside the berth. “We m u st get them up an deck at once,\ she whispered, and the next moment G ertrude was standing be side her. She made no noise, she asked no question, and only the French sisters noticed the sudden moyement, and rising also, stood un steadily, as if awaiting orders. Once on her feet Gertrude felt giddy her self with the motion of the vessel, but the physical discomfort in no way hindered her. Repeating w h a t the stewardess had said in French, she went herself to the nearest berth, and taking its occupant by the hand, she said authoritatively: “You m u st go up a t once. W e have all to go on deck. Let me help you.\ It was a girl of sixteen or seventeen to whom she spoke, and the young creature, although dreadfully sick, bravely re sponded. Like Gertrude, she had Hot hardly stand when she got out of her undressed, and althobgh she could bunk, she asked u t once, “Can I do ••ought,\ the stew ardess said rough- „ iy, “when there’s nothing else in the wind, but when you stand a good chance to get your request, or at all events to be roasted like a ra t in a trap— “ W ith a piercing shriek another lady sprung from her berth. “W h at do they say?-\ she cried frantically. \Stewardess! stewardess! come to me directly! Are we in danger? You m u st help me.\ “ 'Deed, then, yon seem well able to help yourself, judging by the noise,” wks the cool rejoinder. The grim Insolence of this courageous woman a t the m oment was undoubt edly a happy Inspiration, which did much to prevent a helpless\ s tate of panic In the ladles’ cabin. She was ably assisted by Gertrude, the two Sisters of Charity and Mary B u rt, the young English girl. But still, with all th e authority of self-possession and courage to help them , they found it hard enough to get the other ladles up, owing to the abject terror which paralyzed some, and the aimless rush ing hlthelr and thither of others, whom fear had made too frantic eith er to order or obey.' “Have we got in, my dear? or Is som ething the m a tter?\ an elderly lady, with a sweet, anxious face asked Gertrude, speaking quietly, however, when the latter came to her berth to beg her to get up. “Something is the m a tter,\ Ger trude answered, w ithout haste or flurry. ' “ L et me help you to get som# things on. The ship is on fire.\ CHAPTER XI. The old lady sat up immediately. She was in an upper berth and had gone regularly to bed. “I am rather stiff,\ she said to Gertrude. “Could you kindly help me to get down?\ Then Mary B u rt came, and the two together dressed her completely in a few seconds. Ju s t as they had fin ished the cabin door was burst open Impetuously and a sandy-haired young man, much freckled, w ith a wide mouth, flat nose and laughing blue eyes, dressed in shirt and trou sers only, barefooted, and with his braces hanging down behind, rushed an- in. He had a life-belt on his shoul der. “Oh, mamma, there you are!\ he said, cheerfully, to the sweet little elderly lady. “ You really do look nice, but you just want this to com plete your ‘costoom,’ \ and he care fully put the life-belt round her. “Now, old lady, ju s t take my arm and let me escort you.” \D u ty first,” he said, puffing him self out with a fine affectation of im portance, and hurrying her out as he spoke. “I’ll ju s t see you safe on deck, and then I’ll look after the girls.\ , Now that the door was open those below could hear what was said by the hoarse voices shouting incessantly to each other above, and just at this moment they heard the order bawled, “Bring up the women! There’s not a moment to be l o s t ! \ and as if to em phasize it, the atmosphere of the ladies’ cabin began to grow thick with smoke. Several of the ladles shrieked hysterically, which made the stewardess more irascible than ever. She said it was ju s t the kind of thing she could not stand, and, beginning with the nearest, she was apparently going all round to shake them one by one into their senses methodically. I C q * But several gentlemen now came to the rescue, and in a few seconds, by dint of pulling, hauling, driving and coaxing, the more helpless were safe ly huddled up on deck, the others fol lowing as they were able. Gertrude was the last to leave the cabin, hav ing been obliged to return for a love ly little child who was lame. Hia m o ther had gone herself—and forgot ten him! The scene on deck for those who had courage and leisure to observe it, was at once grand and ap palling. The fire was in the fore part of the ship. The engines had stopped, and the vessel had headed up to the wind, which now blew the smoke and flame aft in scorching, suf focating volumes. The pumps ^ e r e stiR going frantically, and a chain of men, mostly passengers, in motley garb, night shirts, day shirts, many- hued flannel and cotton shirts, no shirts at all, but drawers or trousers, often evidently not belonging to the wearer, judging by the fit— and all more or less scorched and begrimed, passed buckets full of water to the fire and back again empty to the side of the vessel, where two men with ropes and hooks at the end of them, with almost rhythmical regularity, continually filled them afresh in the sea. There was silence save for the shouting of directions, which were repeated from one to the other, and such perfect order prevailed th a t had it not been for the sight of fire, which is always terrific, no cause for alarm wbuld have been aparent. The cap tain was as cool as when he left port that night, and his officers supported him manfully, while the conduct of the crew and most of the passengers left nothing to be desired. Some, in fact, of the latter behaved heroically. But all their efforts only sufficed to check the fire for a time, never for a moment, were they able to control it. There were one hundred and fifty passengers on board, over sixty of whom were women; and there were about fifteen children, nearly all babies in arms. The greater num b er of women and children were second- class passengers, but all were h u d d led together now In the after part of the ship, the working women generally setting an example of patient forti tude which m ight have made m any of their so-called betters blush. As usual, however, in times of great ex citem ent, the best, as well as the worst IF YOU HAVE PROPERTY TO SELL OR WlSh TO BUY i . 1 • You will find my office facilities specially efficient for filling your wants I have properties of all descriptions listed on my books, WITH PHOTOGRAPHS, 'ranging from the modest cottage to the highest priced home. In this list are Farms Lots Plots Acreage and real estate investments of all kinds, sit uated along the South Side or near the R. R. tSI The Spring will bring the buyers and sell ers out in force This promises to be a big year in Long Isl and realty Address either office 171 Broadway NEW YORK 2 4 Brooklyn Avenue FREEPORT Chas. Sigmond i PALERMO properties in Bellmore, W antagh, Smithville South and throughout the county. My list includes Farms, Acreage, Lots, Plots and Residences in all sections ' List Your Property at fly Office Address, BEDFORD AVENUE, BELLMORE At the Station Member Suburban Exchange Agent Hanover Fire Insurance Co, Phone 257-R Freeport GUSTAVE BOPR ©il anb Tallow 1Refiner\> Tel. 255-L-l Freeport BELLM ORE, L. I. Branch at Hicksville, L. I. See Red Ball on Window Clarenbon Hotel BROOKLYN, N. Y. 308-310 West 58th SL^eT N E W Y O R K New, Modern, Fireproof Centrally located right at 59th St. entrance of subway, near all surface cars and elevated stations A few minutes from shopping district Room with private bath $1.50 per day upward. Suite of two rooms with priv ate bath $2.50 per day upward. Suite of two rooms with priv ate bath $15.00 per week and upward. Bedroom with bath and large samlple room $3.00 per day. Excellent Restaurant and Cafe European Plan • Moderate Rates L. G. MURIUM, Manager M. HUNT REAL ESTATE Specialist in Selling Long Island Realty Lots, Plots, Farms, Acreage, / Dwellings and Business Sites Telephone 4005 Bedford _, 529 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y, 3 Minutes from Subway station. AH other care lines pass. European Plan Booms $1.50 Upwards You oalt stay a t the Clarendon, be nearer the center of aflaira, dine bet ter, sleep more luxuriously, all a t less ATponan than at any other hotel in greater New York. W rite for information and special rates. John Hill GEORGE HARSE Carpet Laying and Upholstering Remaking of Hair fiattresses a Specialty V/ork Culled for and Delivered A postal is all that is necessary Address Washington St., BELLMORE, L. I. ATLAS POSTER PRINT Fulton and Pineapple Streets ^ B o r o u g h of Brooklyn, New York Our print works are run principally to a rdst the bill-poster to work np his local trade by being able to print a poster for the small merchant as well as tor the larger dealer—we print engraved posters in any quantity—large w from your own design—at a cost which cannot beeqttalled— oar price is net, 6 per cent added If hUl is not paid in 10 d ayv-oor prioee are small and our profits are
