Life — March 23, 1916 — page 37: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

On Bits of Brown Paper (Continued from page 522: grabbed his arm and whispered to him and he shook his head, angry. I watched him out of the corner of my eye, and then floated a bit and watched the moon dodge some fleecy clouds. I like to write about the cool water when the sweat is half blinding me on this devil-made island. I was just casting off my life preserver so I could dive under the boat and up- set it when he beckoned to me. “Come aboard,” he said, as I swam up. “Miss Truesdale refuses to allow even an animal to drown before her eyes.” So I climbed aboard and, smiled my prettiest at the Princess, She only looked frightened, the little fool. We made this hell-spot of an island the next morning. I knew it was that close when I blew up the boat, of course. They had some food—how he'd managed to get it into the boat in that rush J don't know. This place is all rock except for a couple of scraggy pines up top, and the pole he's rigged. There's a spring and some beach on one side and water, Much more than you see from a safe ship. Seems like a dot, this thing with us on it, in the midst of all the waves in the world. I hate them, I've stared at them too hard and too long. Only occasional turtles and fish to cat now. We can’t last much longer. It's a month already, and my head’s got to spinning, . . . No wonder. I stay out in the sun all day away from them. He's got a gun, or I wouldn't. He's built her a sort of shelter out of the overturned boat and stones, Enough stones for anybody on this place. He serves her all the day long, fishing and building and I don't know what else. She gives him kisses for his trouble, and sews for them both, and paddles around with him wherever he goes. . They're al- ways together and they never seem to get tired of it, I'm alone . . . Every night he escorts her to the shelter and bows her in like my lord protector. Then he lies down in the moonlight in front of the door, with his revolver be- side him and his hair gets to shining the way I hate most. He wakes up mighty quick, too. I've found that out. To-night he won't wake up. My head's ‘spun worse than ever all day, and I'm through. To-night I'm going to creep up close as I can while he sleeps and heave a good big rock on his head. Even if I miss him I'll get him with my bare hands before he can reach his gun. I'll like that better, too, I'm stronger than I ever was, now, and he's weaker. He gives her all the food. I'll crush that head into the sand so it won't shine any more, and then I'll creep into the shelter as gentle as can be and wake up the Princess and tell her how I love her. How much more than ever I love her, now that she hates me so, . . It's night already. I've scribbled all afternoon. Brown, greasy sheets lic all around me on the rocks, with never a breath of air to move them. . . . Here's what I'll do. I'll kill Conrad and then I'll add all about how I did it, The Power of the Press (Velvet Joe to Journalists) A king might well envy the power that’s yours, For the thoughts that flow from yo’ pen May put a sword or an olive branch In the hands of a million men. So, let each word that yo’ good pen writes, Be worthy an’ brave an’ true, An’ full of a “let live” spirit toward them That happen to differ with you. From the kindliness Nature givesVELVET Learn the kindness that makes a man great; Let VELVET'S slow-burnin’ bring ca’mness That gives an opinion real weight. Date foe A STRONG tobacco may have lots of flavor, but you can't smoke as much of it as you want. A mild tobacco often has only its mildness to recommend it. But VELVET combines mildness and flavor in such away you can smoke all youwant, and wantall yousmoke. That is because VELVET is the choicest Ken- tucky Burley Tobacco. And Burley has, by nature, the qualities that make it the choicest of pipe tobaccos. Then, these qualities are made smoother and mel- lower by Nature’s own way, as VELVET is fully matured by two years’ natural ageing in wooden TOBACCO j | AaLTT RMYERS TOBACCO CO