The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-11-26

VdpssaA sooA 0S0 SSoJ,
Nv story9 Well l don't see why | shouldn't
scratch It down. There's nothing to he
|aShamed of IN It, 80 far - know, and tho
Won regular story writer's mAynt call 1t "1o-
mantle" think the wind sets that way my,
aelf: and there's bit of love in 1t, too, ana
| though you d never think was subject 1or
a love story to look ct me. I'm old enough,
dive see, to feel safe about the draft and brown
enough to be Hottentot, and as for hesh-
we'll, no matter, some OF you slim young dan-
| snouSh. Besides thst ftacas at Giheraltar
didnT improve my looks. Thtell yod about
that before the story is over, l reckon at
present I'd better heave ahead.
Fat as l am and old as / am, there vas
time when was - slenaer . ysung man as
ever shipped afbre the mast agin his parents
leave. They, Lord bless EN- wanted to
make counter jumper of me, and tried
measuring rags for about year. Then l
couldn't stand il. any. longer, and jumped the
old counter for good, and cut and went 70 sea.
l had hankering for it a good while, and the
only thing | ever regretted about 1t was the
vsv my poor mother took it to heart.
Wait o Bit Honor bright, there Nas one
thing.
That was Jenny Blush, old Blush's daugh-
ter, and the prettiest girl ever cast eyes on.
Her skin was just as soft and fair As any
lbaby's. As for hair, I've got bit in my old
desk up stairs; aud though it crossed the ocean
about dozen times, it is so bright now you'd
take it for a gold chain coiled down under q
bit Of blue ribbon it's tied with.
Old Blush was my captain ashore. mean
to say he was the head of the big dry goods
store where they FIRST sent me to measuring
rags, and Jenny used to come over every day
after ribbons, and calico, and the like and
Lord love We | don't find any fault with
women folks looking after such things, but it
ldon't seem q mans place to sell them. She
; looked mighty pretty when she put 'em on,
did Jenny Father and old Blush were fast
friends, and when they found out was sweet
on Jenny, they put their heads together and
resolved 10 sanction the match. | was TO be
taken into partnership, dye see, and was to
step into the rag business when the old gen
teman stepped out. DRY Goods, Wholesale
and Retail, was on the sign, but l always
called EN- rags.
Well, Jenny and were fond of each other,
and knew it already; SO the old folks being
agreeable, We saw a good deal of each other
. Sundays and evenings, to say nothing Of the
errands she made to the store. And l used
to wish could make up my mind to il and
stay ashore but l could mt, not if had died
tks
/ Il bed in my dreams. hated the cloth yard SO
it made me ILL., And one night told Jenny
So She cried bit but by and by she owned
) that she didd't hate me for it, and We talked
of tine time when | should be captain, and
she should make every voyage with me, and
. have cabin like parlor for herself.
Then she let me kiss her. Praps she
kissed me back; and cut of the yellow curl
| told you of with pair of scissosr--the only
pleasant job ever did with the COMPOUNDED
things in all my life.
l That night | ran away, and though blub-
bered like u baby when passed my mother {
door, you couldn't have coaxed me back
again. What . man wants to be he will be.
got letter from old nanny that cut me
, up, don't deny but knew she would come
around, and | didn't guess the worst-how
could /? When it first came to me that q
man that sold rags WAS better than q sailor, i,
took my breath away. That was when frs,
went home, 'ye see? Nanny, she scolded
and cried and killed me but Martha and Ne
linda and brother Charles Augustus pitched
5 into me ferocious. Says they: You We dis.
4 graced your family-we'ye been respectable
genteel folks all our lives, and now We We to
have common sailor for brother
caught regular gale, and father put in bis
oar regarding disobedience. When that came
7 .
Blush S. Nobody was at home but denny,
and she ran into my arms. Well, we were
billing and cooling as lovers generally do,
reckon. when old Mr.. Blush came home to
tea, and | never heard gale o. wind roar
louder than he did when he came home and
saw me.
What do you want here, sir p said be-
, Says |, .Don't you recolect me, Mr.
Blush? I'm Jack Ballast
Says he, 81 recollect you we'll enough, and
8 how dare you show your face here p
t Says l, II came to see my Jenny"
'.Your JENNY says he. "My good fell
common sailor before the mast and what.
ever there may have been between you when
you were entitled to my respect, it is all owe
now. You have your choice of walking qui.
city out yoasself or of being kicked out.
Any one but Jenny father would have been
hoored for that.
| Just looked down and saw my two fists
. shut up of themselves, and / tried to keeg
EN- so. q
Says l, as cool as could, II don't mean te
. be before the mast all my life, sir. expec
!, to be captain some day"
And says old Blush, "a man with no ad
vantages brought up to the sea might boast O
z that but you might have been a partner il
Iout eu- ou uitS III nave uccu X6utie
4 man, and had as good business in the dr.,
y goods line as any alive. And you have cho
sen to be rowing rascal, and I'd see my Jen
= ny in her grave before Id give her to you
ie Sam, show this person out. 4
That was the niger just come aboard tn
parlor with the coal hod. And when be sait
= that my fists were beyond my control, and thu
a last saw of old Blush he was on his back oil
the hearth rug.
ri Then says to the darkey. "Touch me
% you want to, you rascal, and started out
| saw Jenny on the sly the next day, an,
: tried to get her to run away but the girl ha,
a way of her own and knowed her duty.
}. Says she, 81 can't disobey my father, lack
love you dearly, and Iii never marry an
one else, but it must be all over between us
! don't think pa would have relented even
y you hadn't been SO violent but now he neve
will. You've done it yourself, jack sh
said, turning quite white and looking ava
: from me. -...------.-s.---- :.
] couldn't say a word.
"You liked the sea best, and yoa' We got
instead of me.
4 Those were the last words she spoke, and
= was going away when / heard her give littl
lcry. and turning back saw her sfms stretche,
ont towards me; then went back and folde
her to my bosom and kissed her hundre
times. And I'm afraid cursed er hard oil
father, from the bottom of my soul, thoup
V't~asu alond Enr mind ~