sunshine sketches of a little town-第10部分

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think　that　pretty　well　settled　that　question。　So　you　will　easily
understand　that　of　course　everybody　belongs　to　the　Knights　of　Pythias
and　the　Masons　and　Oddfellows；　just　as　they　all　belong　to　the　Snow
Shoe　Club　and　the　Girls'　Friendly　Society。

And　meanwhile　the　whistle　of　the　steamer　has　blown　again　for　a
quarter　to　seven：loud　and　long　this　time；　for　any　one　not　here　now
is　late　for　certain；　unless　he　should　happen　to　come　down　in　the　last
fifteen　minutes。

What　a　crowd　upon　the　wharf　and　how　they　pile　on　to　the　steamer！　It's
a　wonder　that　the　boat　can　hold　them　all。　But　that's　just　the
marvellous　thing　about　the　Mariposa　Belle。

I　don't　know；I　have　never　known；where　the　steamers　like　the
Mariposa　Belle　come　from。　Whether　they　are　built　by　Harland　and　Wolff
of　Belfast；　or　whether；　on　the　other　hand；　they　are　not　built　by
Harland　and　Wolff　of　Belfast；　is　more　than　one　would　like　to　say
offhand。

The　Mariposa　Belle　always　seems　to　me　to　have　some　of　those　strange
properties　that　distinguish　Mariposa　itself。　I　mean；　her　size　seems
to　vary　so。　If　you　see　her　there　in　the　winter；　frozen　in　the　ice
beside　the　wharf　with　a　snowdrift　against　the　windows　of　the　pilot
house；　she　looks　a　pathetic　little　thing　the　size　of　a　butternut。
But　in　the　summer　time；　especially　after　you've　been　in　Mariposa　for
a　month　or　two；　and　have　paddled　alongside　of　her　in　a　canoe；　she
gets　larger　and　taller；　and　with　a　great　sweep　of　black　sides；　till
you　see　no　difference　between　the　Mariposa　Belle　and　the　Lusitania。
Each　one　is　a　big　steamer　and　that's　all　you　can　say。

Nor　do　her　measurements　help　you　much。　She　draws　about　eighteen
inches　forward；　and　more　than　that；at　least　half　an　inch　more；
astern；　and　when　she's　loaded　down　with　an　excursion　crowd　she　draws
a　good　two　inches　more。　And　above　the　water；why；　look　at　all　the
decks　on　her！　There's　the　deck　you　walk　on　to；　from　the　wharf；　all
shut　in；　with　windows　along　it；　and　the　after　cabin　with　the　long
table；　and　above　that　the　deck　with　all　the　chairs　piled　upon　it；　and
the　deck　in　front　where　the　band　stand　round　in　a　circle；　and　the
pilot　house　is　higher　than　that；　and　above　the　pilot　house　is　the
board　with　the　gold　name　and　the　flag　pole　and　the　steel　ropes　and
the　flags；　and　fixed　in　somewhere　on　the　different　levels　is　the
lunch　counter　where　they　sell　the　sandwiches；　and　the　engine　room；
and　down　below　the　deck　level；　beneath　the　water　line；　is　the　place
where　the　crew　sleep。　What　with　steps　and　stairs　and　passages　and
piles　of　cordwood　for　the　engine；oh　no；　I　guess　Harland　and　Wolff
didn't　build　her。　They　couldn't　have。

Yet　even　with　a　huge　boat　like　the　Mariposa　Belle；　it　would　be
impossible　for　her　to　carry　all　of　the　crowd　that　you　see　in　the　boat
and　on　the　wharf。　In　reality；　the　crowd　is　made　up　of　two
classes；all　of　the　people　in　Mariposa　who　are　going　on　the
excursion　and　all　those　who　are　not。　Some　come　for　the　one　reason　and
some　for　the　other。

The　two　tellers　of　the　Exchange　Bank　are　both　there　standing　side　by
side。　But　one　of　them；the　one　with　the　cameo　pin　and　the　long　face
like　a　horse；is　going；　and　the　other；with　the　other　cameo　pin　and
the　face　like　another　horse；is　not。　In　the　same　way；　Hussell　of　the
Newspacket　is　going；　but　his　brother；　beside　him；　isn't。　Lilian　Drone
is　going；　but　her　sister　can't；　and　so　on　all　through　the　crowd。

And　to　think　that　things　should　look　like　that　on　the　morning　of　a
steamboat　accident。

How　strange　life　is！

To　think　of　all　these　people　so　eager　and　anxious　to　catch　the
steamer；　and　some　of　them　running　to　catch　it；　and　so　fearful　that
they　might　miss　it；the　morning　of　a　steamboat　accident。　And　the
captain　blowing　his　whistle；　and　warning　them　so　severely　that　he
would　leave　them　behind；leave　them　out　of　the　accident！　And
everybody　crowding　so　eagerly　to　be　in　the　accident。

Perhaps　life　is　like　that　all　through。

Strangest　of　all　to　think；　in　a　case　like　this；　of　the　people　who
were　left　behind；　or　in　some　way　or　other　prevented　from　going；　and
always　afterwards　told　of　how　they　had　escaped　being　on　board　the
Mariposa　Belle　that　day！

Some　of　the　instances　were　certainly　extraordinary。　Nivens；　the
lawyer；　escaped　from　being　there　merely　by　the　fact　that　he　was　away
in　the　city。

Towers；　the　tailor；　only　escaped　owing　to　the　fact　that；　not
intending　to　go　on　the　excursion　he　had　stayed　in　bed　till　eight
o'clock　and　so　had　not　gone。　He　narrated　afterwards　that　waking　up
that　morning　at　half…past　five；　he　had　thought　of　the　excursion　and
for　some　unaccountable　reason　had　felt　glad　that　he　was　not　going。

The　case　of　Yodel；　the　auctioneer；　was　even　more　inscrutable。　He　had
been　to　the　Oddfellows'　excursion　on　the　train　the　week　before　and　to
the　Conservative　picnic　the　week　before　that；　and　had　decided　not　to
go　on　this　trip。　In　fact；　he　had　not　the　least　intention　of　going。
He　narrated　afterwards　how　the　night　before　someone　had　stopped　him
on　the　corner　of　Nippewa　and　Tecumseh　Streets　（he　indicated　the　very
spot）　and　asked：　〃Are　you　going　to　take　in　the　excursion　to…morrow？〃
and　he　had　said；　just　as　simply　as　he　was　talking　when　narrating　it：
〃No。〃　And　ten　minutes　after　that；　at　the　corner　of　Dalhousie　and
Brock　Streets　（he　offered　to　lead　a　party　of　verification　to　the
precise　place）　somebody　else　had　stopped　him　and　asked：　〃Well；　are
you　going　on　the　steamer　trip　to…morrow？〃　Again　he　had　answered：
〃No；〃　apparently　almost　in　the　same　tone　as　before。

He　said　afterwards　that　when　he　heard　the　rumour　of　the　accident　it
seemed　like　the　finger　of　Providence；　and　fell　on　his　knees　in
thankfulness。

There　was　the　similar　case　of　Morison　（I　mean　the　one　in　Glover's
hardware　store　that　married　one　of　the　Thompsons）。　He　said　afterwards
that　he　had　read　so　much　in　the　papers　about　accidents
lately；mining　accidents；　and　aeroplanes　and　gasoline；that　he　had
grown　nervous。　The　night　before　his　wife　had　asked　him　at　supper：
〃Are　you　going　on　the　excursion？〃　He　had　answered：　〃No；　I　don't　think
I　feel　like　it；〃　and　had　added：　〃Perhaps　your　mother　might　like　to
go。〃　And　the　next　evening　just　at　dusk；　when　the　news　ran　through　the
town；　he　said　the　first　thought　that　flashed　through　his　head　was：
〃Mrs。　Thompson's　on　that　boat。〃

He　told　this　right　as　I　say　itwithout　the　least　doubt　or　confusion。
He　never　for　a　moment　imagined　she　was　on　the　Lusitania　or　the
Olympic　or　any　other　boat。　He　knew　she　was　on　this　one。　He　said　you
could　have　knocked　him　down　where　he　stood。　But　no　one　had。　Not　even
when　he　got　halfway　down；on　his　knees；　and　it　would　have　been
easier　still　to　knock　him　down　or　kick　him。　People　do　miss　a　lot　of
chances。

Still；　as　I　say；　neither　Yodel　nor　Morison　nor　anyone　thought　about
there　being　an　accident　until　just　after　sundown　when　they

Well；　have　you　ever　heard　the　long　booming　whistle　of　a　steamboat　two
miles　out　on　the　lake　in　the　dusk；　and　while　you　listen　and　count　and
wonder；　seen　the　crimson　rockets　going　up　against　the　sky　and　then
heard　the　fire　bell　ringing　right　there　beside　you　in　the　town；　and
seen　the　people　running　to　the　town　wharf？

That's　what　the　people　of　Mariposa　saw　and　felt　that　summer　evening
as　they　watched　the　Mackinaw　life…boat　go　plunging　out　into　the　lake
with　seven　sweeps　to　a　side　and　the　foam　clear　to　the　gunwale　with
the　lifting　stroke　of　fourteen　men！

But；　dear　me；　I　am　afraid　that　this　is　no　way　to　tell　a　story。　I
suppose　the　true　art　would　have　been　to　have　said　nothing　about　the
accident　till　it　happened。　But　when　you　write　about　Mariposa；　or　hear
of　it；　if　you　know　the　place；　it's　all　so　vivid　and　real　that　a　thing
like　the　contrast　between　the　excursion　crowd　in　the　morning　and　the
scene　at　night　leaps　into　your　mind　and　you　must　think　of　it。

But　never　mind　about　the　accident；let　us　turn　back　again　to　the
morning。

The　boat　was　due　to　leave　at　seven。　There　was　no　doubt　about　the
hour；not　only　seven；　but　seven　sharp。　The　notice　in　the　Newspacket
said：　〃The　boat　will　leave　sharp　at　seven；〃　and　the　advertising
posters　on　the　telegraph　poles　on　Missinaba　Street　that　began　〃Ho；
for　Indian's　Island！〃　ended　up　with　the　words：　〃Boat　leaves　at　seven
sharp。〃　There　was　a　big　notice　on　the　wharf　that　said：　〃Boat　leaves
sharp　on　time。〃

So　at　seven；　right　on　the　hour；　the　whistle　blew　loud　and　long；　and
then　at　seven　fifteen　three　short　peremptory　blasts；　and　at　seven
thirty　one　quick　angry　call；just　one；and　very　soon　after　that
they　cast　off　the　last　of　the　ropes　and　the　Mariposa　Belle　sailed　off
in　her　cloud　of　flags；　and　the　band　of　the　Knights　of　Pythias；　timing
it　to　a　nicety；　broke　into　the　〃Maple　Leaf　for　Ever！〃

I　suppose　that　all　excursions　when　they　start　are　much　the　same。
Anyway；　on　the　Mariposa　Belle　everybody　went　running　up　and　down　all
over　the　boat　with　deck　chairs　and　camp　stools　and　baskets；　and　found
places；　splendid　places　to　sit；　and　then　got　scared　that　there　might
be　better　ones　and　chased　off　again。　People　hunted　for　places　out　of
the　sun　and　when　they　got　them　swore　that　they　weren't　going　to
freeze　to　please　anybody；　and　the　people　in　the　sun　said　that　they
hadn't　paid　fifty　cents　to　be　roasted。　Others　said　that　they　hadn't
paid　fifty　cents　to　get　covered　with　cinders；　and　there　were　still
others　who　hadn't　paid　fifty　cents　to　get　shaken　to　death　with　the
propeller。

Still；　it　was　all　right　presently。　The　people　seemed　to　get　sorted
out　into　the　places　on　the　boat　where　they　belonged。　The　women；　the
older　ones；　all　gravitated　into　the　cabin　on　the　lower　deck　and　by
getting　round　the　table　with　needlework；　and　with　all　the　windows
shut；　they　soon　had　it；　as　they　said　themselves；　just　like　being　at
home。

All　the　young　boys　and　the　toughs　and　the　men　in　the　band　got　down
on　the　lower　deck　forward；　where　the　boat　was　dirtiest　and　where　the
anchor　was　and　the　coils　of　rope。

And　upstairs　on　the　after　deck　there　were　Lilian　Drone　and　Miss
Lawson；　the　high　school　teacher；　with　a　book　of　German
poetry；Gothey　I　think　it　was；and　the　bank　teller　and　the　younger
men。

In　the　centre；　standing　beside　the　rail；　were　Dean　Drone　and　Dr。
Gallagher；　looking　through　binocular　glasses　at　the　shore。

Up　in　front　on　the　little