Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-02-06

mere the captain rose and comm nced
boxing the elder lads ears for entering
the cabin without his hat, and
had just wrenched the Objectionable
headpiece from the boys head, when a
mass Of tangled yellow hair fell down
and the younger whined out:
please don't hurt her, sir; she's my
sister,"
Captain Sproul staggered back aghast;
"Mercy on us p he exclaimed; shave
you no shame or reputation left, to come
masquerading among my crew in mems
clothes ? Who are you, and what's your
name"
The girl colored crimson as she re-
piled. ''Helen Muir" and then related
that having no home, relatives or
! friends in England, she had run away
from boarding-school near Liverpool,
because through no letters or remit
tances having been received from her
father for two years, her life had been
made Wretched FROM hearing reproach-
es constantly heaped upon their name.
For the same cause her brother had
been compelled to go to sea, and not
wishing to be separated, they had de-
termined to work their passage out to
India and rejoin their father, leaving
their clothes behind, and giving their
last money to the wife of ship-keeper,
who induced her husband to place them
in the hold of the La Belle Helene.
"But," said the girl, CIVIL be no cost
to you; for | am clever with my needle,
can make pastry, and do, [ think, all
that steward cam"
Captain Sproul gave her a searching
look, and said
Il shall try YOU" and calling for Mr..
Cobb, desired him to enter in the log
that John Tattamy was disrated for
drunkenness, and Helen Muir appointed
in his place. "Aud the boy" continued
the captain, evil clean out the cabins
and assist her"
The mate burst out laughing, and evil
IDENTIFY imagined that his commander
was testing; but the captain looked
sternly at him, and remarked:
"Mr. Cobb, it's an i'll time for testing
when [ give orders, as those who know
me find"
cay, Ay, sir" returned the other, who
quick ly retired to his cabin to make the
entry.
'NOw, Helen" commenced Captain
| Sproul, "every soul on board here has
to work, and so must you; and your
duty is simple. Take charge of the cups
and saucers, glass and linen, and keep
them clean. Pass my orders to the
cook, who will come for them every
morning at six o'clock sharp. Lay the
table and wait on me. The boy Will at
tend to Mr.. Cobb and the second officer.
Now remember"-and the captain
looked terribly in earnest-'outside the
cabin doors you must not stir without
permission, nor speak to one Of the
crew for any reason, or you will be
sorry for it. But if you come to me
when in any difficulty, and do your duty
without fear or favor from any one, you
will be as safe as in your fathers draw
in5-room."
Having admOnished the girl with this
laconic speech, the captain found her a
cabin, and turned his attention to get
ting her some clothes; and fetching her
piece dark-blue serge intended for his
own use, and an old cloth Jacket, he laid
them on the cabin table and commence
ed to fashion a garment which, when
completed, resembled the dress Of a
sister of charity.
In the course of q day or two, what
with the captains cloth and her own
clever fingers. Helen was transformed
into a blue-eyed, sunny girl of seven
teen, with a wonderfully pretty face and
a waving mass of light hair. BUTT was
her innocent and engaging manner that
constituted her brightest charm; and
the cabin, Mr.. Cobb declared, had never
appeared to such advantage as when
this little blonde fairy took charge of
! it.
Sailors never bear malice long, and
there was much amusement in the fore
castle when it was known that one of
the strangers was a girl: but the disrat-
ed steward attributed sinister motives
to the captain, whom he swore he would
expose when he got on shore; but Black,
who had been released from his hand
cuffs, said something in italian which
made the Maltese laugh and shout "Bo-
no, bOn0m
Captain Sproul, however, had no
companion but his own dignity, and
when month had passed, Helen, I'M
der his tuition, had much improved.
He never allowed her to be idle or have
unnecessary leisure, and IN addition 10
her ordinary duties, which we're not
heavy, she wrote up the captains log
and commenced to study Norie's Navi-
cation. On starry evenings he would
show her the different consultations
and from being silent and morose, must
have been surprised at his Ownfuency
in describing Perseus with the Go1gon's
head, and Andromeda chained to the
rock, and CassiopOeia In her chair of
state, which he said we're placed there
for mariners like himself to navigate
by.
One evening, at dusk, all hands were
called to shorten sail. Helen stood near
the cabin door, trimming a hand lamp,
and Watching us run aloft, when the
door quietly opened, and Black, bare
footed, stole in noiseless as tiger. Sud
denly she saw the man with his eyes
fixed upon her, and before she could
scream or speak, he caught her in his
arms and kissed her roughly; and while
she struggled with him, her hair broke
loose and fell in waves over her face and
breast. 81 love yOu," hesaid, "and you
shall be mine; and l will kill him, and
him, and all of them pointing to the
officers cabins-"if you will say the
word. But if you tell them about me, l
shall kill you, too. But [ will come
again, and [ take this for love-gift,"
and this black-bearded miscreant
snatched from her neck one of Captain
Sprouts white silk handkerchief, and
disappeared in the dark as he had en-
tered
The girl was too terrified to tell any
one what had happened; besides she did