The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1879-12-18

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up and down and saw my fists shut up
OF themselves, and tried to keep 'em so.
Says I, as COO: as could, L don't
mean to be before the mast all my life.
sir. l expect TO be Captain some day"
"And," says old Blush, q man with
no advantage, brought up to the sea,
might boast O that; but you might
have been partner in our firm, sir.
You might be a gentleman, and have as
good business in the dry goods line as
any man alive. And you have chosen
to be q rowing rascal. And I'd see my
daughter in her grave before I would
give her to you. Seth, show this person
out"
This was the servant just come aboard
the parlor with the coal hod. And when
he said that my fists were beyond my
control, and the last saw of old Blush
he was on his back on the hearth rug.
Then says to the darkey, Touch me
if you want to, you rascal" and then
stalked out.
saw Jenny on the sly the next day
and tried to get her to run away; but
the girl had will of her own and knew
her duty.
Says she, IL can't disobey my father,
Jack. I love you dearly, and III never
marry any one else; but it must be all
over between us. doa't think that he
would have relented even if you hadn't
been SO violent: but now he never will.
You've done it yourself, jack" turning
quite white and looking away from me.
I" You liked the sea best, and you have
got it instead Of me-"
Those were the last words she said.
1 was going away when l heard her
give little cry, and, turning, saw her
arms stretched towards me; then
went back and folded her to my bosom,
and kissed her hundred times. And
I'm afraid cursed the hard old father
from the bottom of my soul, though it
wasn't aloud, for, mind ye, a woman is
a woman, and words good enough for
others mems ears amt to be spoken be-
fore her. The sight of Jennie as I left
her, with her yellow hair blown back,
under the bare tree branches all bright
with icicles, haunted me for many a
long day; and, though loved the seas,
there were times, when looking over the
side, I used to fancy voice deep down
in the waves whispering her words over
again:
you've done it yourself, Jack; you
liked tie sea better than me, and you've
got it,
Itdoesn't take long for the years to
60 by, either on land or on the ocean.
They went with me as with other folks.
I got on we'll enough. Before 1 knew
it 1 was second mate, then first mate,
then captain. I suppose should have
sailed the sea until they buried me in it,
if it hadn't been for the first mate, Tom
Hamlin. loved that fellow as I loved
a brother, if I'd better one than
Charles Augustus. At Gibraltar Ham
lin got into row with some English
soldiers. They'd all been drinking to-
gether; of course took his part. They
had firearms about them, and used
them on each other. I didn't save
Hamlin, for they shot him dead; but I
got a couple Of bullets in me, and was
picked up just as near Davy Jones'
locker as ever a man was who didn't
go into it. I got we'll again, and Was on
the invalid list; and Just as I had laid
up handful Of money and was past 40,
[ made up my mind to stay at home
and take care of Tom Hamlin's orphan
children. He had two of them, both
girls. settled down in New York and
fetched them home, poor, half.starved
creatures; for the woman they
boarded with was given to drink.
and kept them on bread and
treacle, and as they told me must, I
put them in black they would
have felt just as bad in red-and settled
down to make myself comfortable.
Soon I looked out for a chaplain, to pass
Sunday as it ought to be, and the Rev.
Eben fuckers church being handy, I
shipped him along with the girls, and,
as always did my duty, never pre-
tended not to see the plate when the
steward showed it up our. pew. The Rev.
Eben Tucker was sociable man. He
used to drop in evenings and talk to me
about my soul; and though I can't say
but what I dropped asleep sometimes,
he knew his duty when he did it. A
Captains duty is one thing, and q chap
lain's is another.
One day he spoke about poor Ham
Inns gals. Says he: You send them
to school, I hope" Says I: II haven't
done it-gals are better without learn
ing, if they can read their Bibles and
cipher out the butchers bill"
But he kept on, and pretty soon let
him examine them. Lord love ye, they
hardly knew their letters. The school
ing, as well as the board, had gone for
gin.
"The- poor heather are scarcely more
benighted," said our chaplain. He in
sists on my saying pastor, but t'other
sounds the best.
"We must find an instructress for
them, Captain"