Marshall County Republican., 1865-03-23
THE REPUBLICAN.
CAPT. JACK BALLAsT's STORY.


In il. so tar as know, and th, ,ugh you regular
ssory- writer's mayn't call il "romantic," think the
wini sets that way yself; and there's bit love
IN it, too, though you never would think I 3
subject for Il lavestory to look at me. I'm old
enough, dye see. to ieel safe about the draft and
brown enough 10 be Hottentot; and as for flesh
vel. no mItter; some of you slim young dandies
will be rs stoG. - be il you liva as long. Be
aides, that racas at Gibraltar ddn t improve my
hooks. III tell you about that before the story is
over, reckon; =: present. however. | had better
helve ahead.
Fat a. am and oil a. am, there was time
when Twas as slender young fellow as ever ship.
ped af0re tie mast nsin his parcnts leave. They,
Lord bless 'eR. wanted to make countsr.iumper
Of me. and tried measuring rags about year
Then couldn't stand il any longer, and jumped
the eeu1ter for good. and cut and went to sea -
I'd had hanssring for it FOR go,d 'le. and the
only thing ever regretted was the way nv meth.
-r took it to heart Wait bit. Honor bright,
there ras one thing.
That was Jenny Blush. old Blush's only daugh
ter, and the Prettiest girl ever cast eyes Her
skin Was just rs soft and fair as any baby's As
for her hair I've got bit in my old desk up stairs
and though it's crossed the ocean about dozen
tim 3. its so bright now you'd take it Tor gold
calin coiled down under the bit ofbl e ribbon its
tied with.
Old Blush was my captain ashore. l mean to
say, he was the head of the big dry goods store
where they first set me TO measuring rags and
Jenny used 20 come over every day aft,r ribbons,
and calico. and the like; and Lora love ye. don't
find any fault with women folks looking after such
things, though it don't seem a mans place 10 sell
'em. She lookei mi shty pretty when she pu, 'em
on, did Jenny. FatLer ,ni old Blush were fast
frienls, and when they found on. thar was sweet
Jenny they put their heads together and resolv-
ed TO SInction .he match. | was to be taken into
partnership. d'ye see and to step into the rag
bu-irsess when the old man stepped out. "Dry
goods. wholesale and retail,' was on the sign, but
1aiways called 'em rags.
Well, Jenny AMI were fond of each other. and
both knew italready; 50. the old folks being agree
able. we good de,l of each other Sundays
and evenings, to say nothing of the errands she
made 10 the store. And | used to wish could
make up my mind to /, and stay ashore: Tut
couldn't, not if I'd died for IL. h. ard the waves
beating about my bed in dreams. | hated the
cloth yard and the scissors so that they m ,d, me
i'll. And one night told Jenny 50. She cried \
bit; but by y-and-by she owned that she ddn'. hate
me for it, and talked of the time when should
be captain. and she should make every voyage
with me, -nd have cabin ike p,rlor for herself
Then she let me kissher. P'r'aps she kissed mo
back: cut Of the yellow curl told you of
r1f~o 4. -.
er done with the confounded things in nv life.
That night ran away, and though blubbered
Ike baby when | passed mothers door, YOU
couldn't have coaxed me back. What a man
wants to be he will be; and there are men meant
from their cradles for the water as sai Tin a. the
fsh are.
got a letter from cd mammy that cut me up,
don't deny; but knew she would como around,
and didn't guess the worst--how should H.
When IL first come to me- that a maa who sold rags
was better than sailor it took nv breath AWAY
Ihat was when first went home, dye see! Man,
nv. she scolded and cried and kissed me- bu, Mar
tha and Melinda, and brother Charlie: Augustus
pitched into me ferocious. SAYS they:
you've disgriced your family--we've been
respectable, genteel folks all our lives. and now
we're to have common sailor for brother"
caught it--a reg'ar gale; and father put in his oar
regarding disobedience. When that came clear
ed out. and marched over to old B dsh's
Nobody was at home but Jenny, and she ran in
to my arms. Well, We were billing ann cooling, M
svesshrarts mostly do. reckon, when old Blush
came home to tea. ncves heard a gale o. wind
roar louder than he did when he saw me.
"What do you want here. srf" SAYS he.
Ssys1. "Don't you recollect me, Mr.. Blushf-
I'm Jack Ballast
Says he, al recollcct you well enough; and how
dare YOU show your face here?''
Saws /, ''I came TO see my Jenny"
"Your Jenny9' says he. NY good fellow,
Miss Jenny Blush is no match for a common sailor
before the mast; and Whatever tnere NAV have
been between you when you were entitled to nv
respect ia all over now. You have your choice of
walking out yourself or being kicked out''
Any one but Jenny's father would have been
foored for that. ] just looked down and saw nv
asts shut up themselves. and tried to keep 'em so
Says |, cool as | could. 81 don't mean to be
before the mast all ny life, cir. expec. TO be
captain some day"
And says old Blush, "a man With no advanta.
kSss oiNoSht Up to the sea, might BOAST O. that.
but you might have been partner In our firm, sir.
You might have been gentleman, and had az
good business in the dry-goods line es any man
alive. And you've chosen to be rowing rascal
I'D see ny daughter in her gravo before I'D give
her to you Sam, show this person out"
That vas the niger just come aboard the parlor
with the coal hod. And when he said that nv Este
we're beyond my control. and the last saw of old
Blush he was on his back. or the hearth rug -
Says to the darker, Touch rie II you want to-"
and stalked out
saw Jenny on the sly next day. aud tried 20 got
her 70 run away; but the girl had a viii of her
own. and knowed her dsty.
Says she, 81 can't disobey my father, Jack. I
love you dearly. and I'll never marry any one ese
but i. must be all over between u.s. do no. think
pa would have relented even If you hadn't been so
violent; but now he never will. You've done IL
yourself. Jack" she said turning quite white, and
looking away from me. ''You liked the sea best
and you've got 1t instead of me-"
Those we're the last words she said; and was