Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-03-17
MISCELLANEOUS.
CAPTAIN BEN'S CHOICE.

va
the bay, and two white sails glistenine
far away over the water. Above, the
blue shining sky, and below, the blue, shin
ing sea.
said Mrs. Davids. signing.
Mrs Davids said everything with sigh
and now she wiped her eyes also on her
calico apron. She was woman with Q
complexion like faded seaweed, who
seemed always plying herself.
AZ tell them" said she, IL have had
real hard luck. My husband is buried
away off in California, and my son died
in the army, and he is buried away down
South. Neither one of them is buried TO.
gether."
Then she sighed again. Twice, this
time.
and So" she continued, taking out
a pinch Of yberry snuff, i" 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 eDgineerman. And
I've got two grandchildren"
Mrs. Dayids took the pinch Of bayberry
and shook her head, looking as though
that was the hardest luck" Of all.
well everybody has TO have their
posters and you'll have TO have yours"
rejoined Miss Persis Tame, taking pinch
Of snuff the real Maccaboy-twice as
large, with twice as nerce an action ~
don't know what it Is to bury children,
nor 10 lose husband; s'pose don't !;
but know what it lie to be jammcd round
the world and not have ruff ~ stick my
head under. l wish had all the money
ever spent traveling-and Utnts twelve
dollars" she continued, regretfully.
"Why in the world don't you marry
and have home Of your own" sighed
Mrs. Davids.
well, l don't ezpect to marry. Idon't
know as l do at my time Of life" re-
spOnded the spinstcr. " rather guess my
day for chances is gone by"
"YOu amt such dreadful sight older
than | am, though" replied Mrs Davids,
Yefcctively.
"Not 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 out for opportunities yet,
! suppose"
Mrs. Davids sighed evasivcly. ave
can't tell what is before us. There is
more than one man in want Of wife"
tain Ben 'a1"ffh andy came came in sight on the
beach, his head long way forward and
his stumbling feet trying in vain to keep
up.
"Thirteen months and half since
Lyddy was buried" continued Mrs
Davds, accepting this application to her
words, "and there is Captain Ben taking
up with just what housekecpcr he can
get, and no hon ,ekeeper at all 1t would
be an excellent home for you, Persis
Captain Ben always had the name of max
ing a kind husband"
She sighed again, whether from regret
for the bercayed man, or for the multi
iu OF women bcTeft of such husband.
BY this time Captain Bcn'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 all up In kindlingwood In less than
no time. Captain Tisdale's been out
looking for dead bodies ever since day
light"
81 knowed it, sighed Mrs. Davids.
I heard rushing sound some time about
the break Of day that walked me out of a
sound sleep, and / knowed then there was
a spirit leaving Its body. l heard 1t the
night Davids went or expect l did. 1t
must have boon very nearly at that time. "
"Well, | guess 1t wasn't a spirit, last
night" said Captain Ben; for as was
going on to say, after searching back and
forth, Captain Tisdale came upon the
folks, a man and boy, rolled up in
their wet blankets asleep behind the life.
boat house. He said he felt like he could
shake them for staying out in tho wet.
Wrecks always make for the lighthouse,
10 he spOsed those ones were drowned to
death, sure enough"
80, then 1t couldn't have been them ]
was warned Off returned Mrs. Davids,
looking as though she regretted it. ut
was right over my head, and / walked up
just as the thing was rushing past. You
haven't heard, have you," she continued,
whether or not there was any other dam.
age done by the galei"
IL don't know whether you would call
il damage exactly" returned Captain Ben;
"but Loizah Mullcrs got 80 scared she letl
me and went home. She said she couldn't
stay and run the chance Of another OF our
coast blows, and of she trapsed."
Mrs. Davids sighed like November
$50 you have some hard luck, as well as
myself. / don't suppose you can get q
housekecper to keep her long, "tsaid she
dismally.
label Grimes tells me 1t is enough sight
easier getting wives than housekeepers
and I'm some Of mind to try that tack,
replied Captain Ben, smiling grimly.
Mrs. Davids put up her hand to feel Of
her back hair, and smoothed down hel
apron; while Miss Persis Tame blushed
like withered rose, and turned her eyes
modestly out of the window.
II am 90. But the difficulty is, who
will II be? There are 30 many to select
from IT il fairly bothersome," continued
Captain Ben, winking East and looking 81
though he was made Of dry corn.cobs and
Miss Persis Tame turned about alb
ruptly. "The land alive" she ejacu'
lated with such sudden emphasis that thu
dishes shook on their shelves and
Captain Ben in his chair: at makes mt
mad as March hare to hear men go on
as though all they'd got to do was tc
IL ko abb o~nbopa q