St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-07-20
Captain Ben's Choice.

Captain Ben's Choice.
An old red house on a rocky shore,
with tisherman'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.
at seems clever to have pleasant
day." said Mrs. Davids, signing.
Mrs. Davids said everything with a
sigh, and now she wiped her eyes also
on her calico apron. She was woman
with a complexion like faded sea weed,
who seemed always pitying herself.
81 tell them," said she, 81 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 together"
Then she sighed again. Twice, this
time.
"And so," she continued, taking out
a pinch of bayberry snuff, 81 am left
alone in the world. Alone, sayl why,
I've got daughter, but she is away
out West. She is married to an en-
gineerman. And I've got two grand
children"
Mrs. Davids took the pinch of bay
berry and shook her head, looking as
though that was the ''hardest luckn of
all.
"Well, erybody has to have their
pesteIs, and you'll have to have yours -
rejoined Miss Persis Tame, taking a
pinch of snuff-the real Maccaboy-
twice as large, with twice as fierce an
action. II don't know what it is to
bury children, nor to lose husband;
s'pose don't; but know what it is to
be jammed round the world and not
have a ruff to stick my head under. |
wish had all the money l ever spent
travelling,-an that's twelve dollars, y
she continued, regretfully.
"Why in the world don't you marry
and have home of your own ?r sighed
Mrs. Davids.
"Well, 1 don't expect to marry. |
don't know as l do at my time of life, u
my day for chances is gone by.n
"YOu amt such a dreadful sight older
than am, though" replied Mrs. Davids,
refiectively.
'Not so old by two full years." re-
tnrned Miss Tame, taking another
smart pinch of snuff, as though il
touched the empty spot in her heart
and did it good. 'But you amt look
ing out for opportunities yet, 1 sup
pOse."
Mrs. Davids sighed evasively. "We
can't tell what is before us. There is
more than one man in want of wife,
AS though to point her words, Cap
tain Ben Lundy came in sight on the
beach, his head long way forward
and his shambling feet trying in vain tC
keep up.
's'Thirteen months and half since
Lyddy was buried" continued Mrs
Davids, accepting this application tt
her words, "and there is Captain Ber
taking up with just what housekeepel
he can get, and no hOusekeeper at all
1t would be an excellent home for YOU
Persis. Captain Ben always had til,
name of making a kind husband"
She sighed again, whether from re
gret for the bereaved man, or for tn,
multitude of women bereft of such ;
husband.
By this time Captain Ben's head wa
at the door.
"Morning !" said he, while his fee
were coming up. "Quite an acciden
down here below the lighthouse las
night. Schooner ran ashore in the blow
and broke all up into kindling- wood il
less than no time. Captain Tisdale'
been out looking for dead bodies eve
since daylight"
~ knowed it! sighed Mrs. Davids
81 heard a rushing sound some tim
about the break of day that walked m
J out of sound sleep, and l knowe,
then there was spirit leaving its body
| heard it the night Davids went, or
expect did. 1t must have been yer,
nearly at that time"
"Well, L guess it wasn't spirit, las
night" said Captain Ben; ''for as wa
going on to say, after searching bacl
and forth, Captain Tisdale came upo
the folks, man and a boy, rolled u
in their wet blankets asleep behind tn
life-boat house. He said he felt lik
he could shake them for staying out i
f the wet. Wrecks always make for tn
lighthouse, so he s'pOsed those one
were drowned to death, sure enough"
go, then it couldn't have been theI
was warned of !" returned Mrs. Davids
looking as though she regretted i
at was right over my head, and
walked up just as the thing was rushin
past. You haven't heard, have you,
4 she continued, ''whether or no theI
f was any other damage done by th
r gale ?"
''I don't know whether you woul
call it damage exactly" returned CaI
tain Ben "but Loizah Mullers got s
, scared she left me and went hOm
She said she couldn't stay and run til
chance of another of our coast blow
: and off she trapsed."
S Mrs. Davids sighed like Nevembe
$50 you have some hard luck as we
as myself. 1 don't suppose you can g
a housekeeper to keep her long," sal
8 she dismally.
d "Abel Grimes tells me it is enous
sight easier getting wives than hOus
3 keepers, and Pm some of a mind to t.
. that tack" replied Captain Ben, smilil
u grimly.
l. Mrs. Davids put up her hand to fe
e of her back hair, and smOothed dOy
IT her apron; while Miss Persis Tan
> blushed like withered rose, and tur
ed her eyes mOdestly out of the wi
oi dow.
= 'sI am, so. But the difficulty is, W
% will it beq There are so many to S
lect from it is fairly bothersome," co
" tinued Captain Ben, winking fast a
he looking as though he was made of
tn cornoohs and hav