The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1879-12-18
was in port and could hail the lady as

was in port and could hail the lady as
t'schoolmarm. ..,
Betsey was wiping her eye, and Peg
was hawling out that she wanted to 60
home. But says /, ''No, no, gals, 1
don't want you to grow no benighted as
the heather, and that's what the chap
lain calls ye now" :.
So I logged 'em in and made my rev.
erence. "
"Duty, ma'am," says I, "here's. two
girls as needs instruction. The Rev.
Eben Tucker recommended We to give
it 'em, and whatever extra it is for
playin' the organ let 'em larn 1t; for it
is you that works in the top loft o. Sun
days-you know how to do it. Captain
Jack B tllast, at your service. Send
your bills to him and he'll foot 'emY
amt bold with women. I'm a bit
bashful before strange uns even yet.
And hadn't looked at her. But when
spoke out my name she gave little
scream and started back, OF course
couldn'' help looking at her then, and
she was sitting down with her handker-
chief before her face.
Says I, "Beg pardon, are you i'll,
mum?'
Says she, still not looking up" "Did
you say your name was Captain Bal
last?"
"Jack Ballast, at your SERVICE" said I.
Says she, 20, Jack! don't you know
me?'
Says I. "Look up and I'll make sure"
And she lifted up her face and I saw
well, it wasn't the pink.cheekek girl I
knew. 1t WASN'T q girl at all, but in a
minute it was Jenny Blush again-a
great deal more than I was Jack Bal
last.
Jenny" says I, ooh, Jenny, is it re-
ally your"
And then the color came into her
cheeks, and her eyes glittered, and she
whispered, 'Oh, not before the school,
jack" for had caught her to my heart
and kissed her.
We had not much time to palaver,
then, but I came for her again in the
evening and took her for walk. And
she told me how the rag store had been
shipwrecked, and old Blush dropped
| dead Of apoplexy when he knew it.
And how my brother Charles Augustus
had offered her mis- hand, but she said
no, and preferred to earn her own liv-
ing to marrying one she did not love
while there was one living whom she
did. And now it was fifteen wears ago
fifteen years.
Then says I: "Jenny, dear, I love you
better than ever, now I've found you
again. When you told my brother
there was. some one living you loved,
did you mean me7"
eyes, Jack" said she.
Says I: Nov you've seen me-a
wea:her-beaten, SCARED old sailor-dc
you think the same?"
Says she: II always shall, Jack"
"Come on, then, says I. And not an
| other word until we come to Rev. Eden
fuckers. There,I rang the bell.
| Says she: ''Why have you brought
me here. Jack?"
Says I: "To make the chaplain mar.
ry us, my love-"
Says she: 1T; too sudden. I can't
What would people say?'
mo matter for the people," says I.
And in we walked. And for all she
told me that no woman was ever mar.
ried before in a delaine dress and straw
bonnet, the chaplain didn't find it any
obstacle, but spllced us. And so, after
fifteen years, l got my Jenny for my
own.
I don't think she's sorry for it, and
know I amt, and as for poor Toms
children, she's mother to 'em. AND
| whether there's any romance in my
story or not, it's a happy one for me il
the ending, as sure as my name is Jack