Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-04-09
Gales aud Sketthes.
CAPTAIN BEN'S CHOICE.

An old red house on a rocky shore with
q fisherman's blue boat rocking on the bay,
and two white sails glistening far away
over the water Above, the blue, shining
sky; and below, the blue, shining sea.
ut seems clever to have a pleasant,
day" said Mrs. Davds, signing.
Mrs. Davids said everything with sigh,
and now she wiped her eyes also with her
calico apron. She was woman with
complexion like faded seaweed, who
seemed always plying herself.
II tell them," said she, Il have had real
hard luck. My husband is buried away in
California, and my son died in the army,
and he is buried away down South.
Neither one of them is buried together"
Then she sighed again. Twice, this
time.
And So" she continued, taking out a
pinch of baybeTy snuff, II am left alone
in the world. Alone. say why, I've got
a daughter, but she is away out West.
She is married to an engineerman. And
I've got two grandchildren"
Mrs. Davids took the pinch Of bayberry
and shook her head looking as if that was
the "hardest luck" of all.
well, everybody has to have their pes
ters, and you'll have yours" rejoined Miss
Persis Tame, taking pinch of snuff-the
real Maccaboy,-twice as large, with twice
as fierce an action. 81 don't know what is
to bury children, nor to lose husband;
spose don't; but know what it is to be
jammed round the world and not have a
ruff to stick my head under. l wish had
all the money ever spent travelling and
that's twelve dollars she continued, re-
gretfully.
why in the world don't you marry and
have home of your own ps sighed Mrs.
Davids.
well, l don't expect to marry l
don't know as do at my time of life, :" re-
sponded the spinster. Il rather guess my
day for chances is gone by"
"You ain. such a dreadful sight older
than | am, though" replied Mrs. Davids,
refectively.
mot so old by two full years." returned
Miss Tame, taking another smart pinch of
snuff, as though it touched the empty spot
in her heart and did it good, .But you
amt looking at our opportunities yet, l
suppose"
can't tell what is before us. There is more
than one man in want of wife"
AS though to point her words, Captain
Ben Ludley came in sight on the beach,
head long way forward and his sham
bling feet trying in vain to keep up.
Thirteen months and half since Liddy
was buried" continued Mrs. Davids, ac
cepting this application to her words, land
there is Captain Ben taking up with just
what housekeeper he can get, and no
housekeeper at all. 1t would be an ex-
cellent home for you, Persis. Captain
Ben always had the name OF being good
husband"
She sighed again. whether from regret
for the bereaved man, or for the multitude
of women berctt of such a husband.
BY this time Captain Ben's head was at
the door.
Morning" said he, while his feet were
coming up. "Quite an accident down
here below the lighthouse last night.
Schooner ran ashore in the blow and broke
up into kindling wood in less than no time.
Captain Tisdale's been looking for dead
bodies ever since daylight.
Il knowed it, sighed Mrs. Davids ~
heard a rushing sound sometime about the
break of day that walked me out of a
sound sleep, and | knowed then there was
spirit leaving its body. heard it the
III OuN ltls WCtl1, vi CABCtt L uIt. II
must have been very nearly at that time"
night" said Captain Ben; "for as | was
going to say, after searching back and
FORTH Captain Tisdale came upon the
folks. man and boy. rolled up in their
wet blankets asleep behind the life-boat
them for staying out in the wet. Wrecks
Ea Gov ho Errht hnn=a so ha
s'posed those ones were drowned to death,
sure enough"
80, then it couldn't have been them
looking as though she regretted it. 1T
was right over my head, and l walked up
Just as the thing was rushing past. You
havnt heard, have you," she continued,
whether or no there was any other dam
age done by the galee'
81 don't know whether you would call it
damage exactly returned Captain Ben.
"but Loziah Mullers got SO scared she left
me and went home She said she couldn't
stay and run the chance of another of our
coast blows, and off she trapsed"
Mrs. Davis sighed like November. 80
you have some hard luck as well as myself.
don't suppose you can get housekeeper
~ ASS L iiSi iouSs SeiiNt shS
"Abel Grimes tells me it is enough sight
easier getting wives than housekeepers.
and I'm some of mind to try that tack, p"
replied Captain Ben, smiling grimly.
Mrs. Davids put up her hand to feel of
her back hair, and smoothed down her
apron while Miss Persis Tame blushed
like withered rose, and turned her eyes
modestly out of the window.
II am so. But the difficulty is, who
it will be- There are 50 many to select
from it is fairly bothersome," continued
Captain Ben, winking fast and looking as
though he was made of dry corn cobs and
hay.
Miss Persis Tame turned round abrupt
ly. 1.-The land alive !" she calculated with
such sudden emphasis that the dishes
shook on their shelves and Captain Ben in
his chair. ut makes me mad as March
hare to hear men 10 on as though all they'd
got to do was to throw down their hand
kerchief to woman, and, no matter who,
she'll spring and run and pick it up. 1t is
always Who win marryp' and Who
xx,sn >aC