The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-07

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board to-day who are such brutes as all
that Why, the law would"--
"The law repeated Jim. "Law's
for cap'n an owners, not for us sailors,
though they did manage to.shove the
petty officers of the Jack Frost, Jr., into
prison, few years ago, arter they'd
killed two or three men aboard on the
passage-though / mind it was said that
the cap'n and mate 'scaped punishment
by happenin' to both die-sipg'lar,
wasn't it?-just afore the ship was
hauled into dock"
"But such men are the exception.
There are plenty of kind-hearted men
who go as captains nowadays" I
urged after short pause
| "Indeed there are p suddenly broke
in Miss Nellie, with energy. "Char-
that is, captain whom 1 know" she
said, interrupting herself suddenly,
Essays that the trouble is with the men
that they are drunken, reckless lot
"Nellie," said Mrs. Y, reprov.
ingly.
"Well, don't care |" said the willful
girl. "Only 1 beg Jim's pardon; 1
| uluu Iutdu SuCu lucu no hO los
"It's all right, mum, returned Jim,
quietly. "'Taint to be expected that
the likes O. one O. you young women,
wi heart like one O. them ere big
J'pan lilies, knows of mems badness
aboard ship-why should you !"
"But are there no captains who are
kind to their men ?" asked Mrs. x,
in some perplexity; and Miss Nellie was
heard by me to say, under her breath,
that she knew one, at least.
BLESS you, yes'm," said Jim,
"there's lots of 'em; on'y it hasn't been
my luck to sail with 'em. There's
cap'ns sails out O. New York to dav, as
hear don't allow swearin' from men
nor officers; gives 'em good grub, watch
an watch, an has 'em in the cabin of a
Sunday for prayers. Though" he
added, "where there's one O. them,
there's a dozen that's either fends
themselves, else they're that careless
az they let the officers do Jest as they
happen to feel. I don't mind tellin'
you" he continued, seemingly betrayed
into an unwonted confidence, "that my
business ashore is mostly to run foul of
a cert'n man as I'm sure to meet sooner
or later. know he's roun' these parts.
An when he an does meet" said Jim,
rising and striking a brawny, clinched
fist into the hollow of the other hand,
apparently forgetful of everything but
some remembered wrongs, "there'll be
a hard reckonin!
81 Think" said Mrs. X, rising,
with as much dignity as is consistent
with height of five feet four, "that
we have heard quite enough. Come,
Nellie -
Whereupon the twain (the latter lit.
tie unwillingly, as I fancied) entered
the house, manifestly to the discomfi-
ture of the sailor.
"There they CO." he said, dropping
his head and speaking in rather sad
voice, "a thinkin' how I'm only low.
r'vengeful critter, with no feelin' NOR n
the ships dog But, sir, s'posin' man
she uld call the mother that bore you by
The wust name as is in this here lang
widRe of ourn, not o'ny once, but doz-
en times day, accordin' as he's mad or
not, wot wud you do, sir How far
wud you forgive a man as had you
strung up to the main-riggin' for full
hour by the two thumbs, an all for that
begged of him to send me up to stow
ar'yal in gale, stead of a little chap
as was stowaway, an no more fit to go
than q girl baby ?" again asked Jim.
Before 1 could frame a suitable an
swer, which should combine prudence
with the usual forms of good advice,
always proffered and seldom needed in
such cases, Jim had taken himself off.
saw no more of him until the follow
ing morning, when he abruptly in.
formed me that it was to be his last day;
no persuasion or inducement of mine
being sufficient to turn him from his
purpose.
Glad in pair of volumincus overalls
and dilapidated felt hat, I was assist.
ing at the turfng of a fower-bed in
front of the house aud while awaiting
the return of Jim with the wheelbarrow.
1 was accosted by an elegantly-dressed
and gentlemanly-looking young man,
who, accosting me by the rather familiar
title of cold chap" demanded in
somewhat peremptory tone, to know
" where Mrs. x hung out"
With an inward chuckle, I mildly
designated the house behind me as the
residence in question, and asked if he
wished to see Mrs. Y.
"What's that to you ?" was the rather
unexpected answer, in tone and with q
that savored rather of coarse.
ness, but which contrasted strongly with
the suavity of manner with which he
greeted Miss Nellie, who just then APP
peared on the scene with both hands |
full of flowers.
AS the young lady blushed charming
ly, and murmured her surprise at meet |
ing Captain Hanson, that gentleman,
not at all disconnected by his introduce
tion to myself, which Immediately fol.
lowed, expressed, with great ease and |
duency, his unadulterated satisfaction
and surprise at the meeting, as though
It had been on the banks of the Nile.
Completely ignoring my own presence,
rs the two stood by the gate, the creak-
ng OF the wheelbarrow was heard, and
IN another moment Master Jim came
bearing down upon us, the wheel just
grazing the doeskin-clad leg of the gal
ant captain, who, turning, remarked,
with languid reproach in his tone:
my good fellow, pray be little
Captain Hanson, to the best of my
has never finished his ex-
With an oath, the sailor dropped the
barrow and sprang forward, exclaiming:
&C. knew I'd run foul of you |" but
90 late to lay violent hands upon Cap
ain Hanson xpho oofoh;no - 1In ri