The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-06-12

yourself, or of being kicked out"
Any one but Jenny's father would
have been foored for that. just looked
up and down, and saw my fists shut up
of themselves, and tried to keep 'em SO.
Says l, as cool as 1 could, 81 don't
mean to be before the mast all my life,
sir. Iexpect to be a captain some day"
"And," says old Blush, "a man with
no advantage, brought up to the sea,
might boast O. that; but you might
have been a partner in our firm, sir.
You might have been a gentleman. and
had as good business in the dry goods
line as any man alive. And you have
chosen TO be a rowing rascal. And I'd
see my daughter in her grave, before
would give her to you. Sam, show this
person out"
This was the nigger Just come aboard
the parlor with the coal.hod. And when
he said this, 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 stalked
out.
/ saw Jenny on the sly next day, and
tried to get her to run away; but the
girl had a will of her own, and knowed
her duty.
Says she, I" / can't disobey my father,
Jack. / love you dearly, and I'll never
marry any one else; but il must be all
over between us. | don't think pa
would have relented, even if you hadn't
been so violent; but now he never will.
You've done it yourself, Jack" she said,
turning quite white and looking away
from me. You liked the sea best, and
you have got it instead of me-
Those were the last words she said.
was going away, when 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 O hundred times. And Pm afraid
cursed the hard old father from the
bottom of my soul, though 'twasn't
aloud, for, mind ye, a woman is a
woman, and words good enough for
other mems ears amt to be spoken be-
fore her. The sight of Jenny as i left
her, with her yellow hair blown back
under the bare tree branches, all bright
with icilces, haunted me for many long
day; and though loved the sea, there
were times when, looking over the side,
used to fancy voice deep down in the
waves whispering her words over again !:
You've done il yourself, Jack you
liked the sea better than me, and you We
got it." 80.
1t doesn't take long for the years to
go by, either on the land or on the
ocean. They went with me as with
other folks. ! got on well enough.
Before knew it, | was second mate,
then first mate, then captain. ] should
) have sailed the sea until they buried me
In 1t, if it hadn't been for the first mate,
Tom Hamlin ] loved that fellow as
) might a brother, il I'd had better one
J than Charles Augustus. At Gibraltar,
: Hamlin got into row with some English
| soldiers. They'd all been drinking
; together; of course / took his part.
, They had firearms about them, and
t used them on each other. didn't save
| Hamlin, for they shot him dead; but
3 got couple of bullets in ME, and was
: picking up just as near Dave Jones's
(; locker as man ever was who didn't go
. into it. l got we'll again, and was on
, the invalid list; and as had laid up a
. handful of money, and was past forty, l
=. made up my mind to stay at homo and
{ take care of Tom Hamlin's orphan
children. He had two of them, both
3 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, 1 put them in black frocks-
| they would have felt just as bad in red
3 and settled down to be comfortable.
{ Soon / looked out for a chaplain to pass
4 Sunday as it ought to be, and the Rev.
r Eben lockers church being handy, ]
r shipped him along with the girls, aud as
r l always did my duty, never pretended
not to see the plate when the steward
s showed it up our pew. Rev. Eben
| Tooker was a social man. He used to
s drop in evenings and talk to me about
r my soul; and though can't say but
p what~I dropped asleep sometimes, he
. knowed his duty when he did 1t. A
v captains duty is one thing, and chap
/ lain's is another.
S One day he spoke about poor Hamlin'i
gals. Says he, You send them to
I school. I hope.n Says /, "I haven
9 done it--gals are better without learn
e ing, if they can read their Bibles and
o cipher out the butchers bill"
1 But he kept on, and pretty soon lei
f! him examine them. Lord love ye, they
s. hardly knew their letters. The school
t inl, as well as the board, had gone fol
e gin.
n "The poor heather are scarcely more
B benighted," said our chaplain He in
! sists on my saying pastor, but t'othel
t sounds the best.
D ave must find an instructress fol
n them, captain"
0 "Sure.y," said IL wanted to do the
4 best by Toms children that could
!. surely; just mention a schoolmarm
! chaplain"
Said he, "My own are under the care
! of the person who plays the organ-s
highly estimable lady in reduced cir
cumstances. Her school is close by
i No. - Broome-street"
g So he wrote the name and address or
b a card, and promised to take the girl
y there. nm iI Hft
]. Monday morning we took sail.
d bought 'em spelling books and satchel
and by nine O'clock we were at the door
d Then looked for the card, and, behold
a ye, I'd lost it! However, was in port
e and could hail the lady as "school
# marm."
J, Betsey was wiping her eye, and Pc,
h was bawling out that she wanted to q
o home. But says /, "No, no, gals;
don't want you to grow up benighted a
e the heather, and that's what the chap
" lain calls ye now"
= So 1 lugged 'em in, and made m,
b reverence.
"Duty, ma'am," says I; heres tw'
l gals as needs instruction. Rev. EbeI
d Tooker recommended ye to give it t.
d 'em, and whatever extra it is for playin
o the, organ let 'em larn it; for it's yol
It that works it in the top loft O Sunday
Is you know how to do it. Cappen Jacl
Ballast at your service. Send your bill
1t to him, and he'll foot 'emw