Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-07-15

as sweethearts mostly do, I reckon,
when old Blush came home to tea. I
never heard gale of wind roar louder
than he did when he saw me.
"What do you want here, sir ?" says
he.
Says I: 'Don't you reooilect me, Mr..
Blush? I'm Jack Ballast"
Says he: II recollect you well enough,
and how dare you show your face here ?'i
Says I: II came to see my Jenny"
"Your Jenny ?" says he. my good
fellow, Miss Jennie Blush is no match
for a common sailor before the mast,
and whatever there may have been be-
tween you when you were entitled to
my respect, it is all over now. You
have your choice of quietly walking out
yourself or of being kicked out"
Any one but Jenny's father would have
been floored for that. I Just looked up
and down and saw my fists shqt up of
themselves, and tried to keep 'ern so.
Says I, as cool as I could, II don't
mean to be before the mast all my life,
sir, I expect to be captain some
day."
"And," says old Blush, "a man with
no advantage, brought up to the sea,
might boast O. that; but you might
might have been partner in our firm,
sir. You might have been 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
| would see my daughter In her grave
before I would give her to you. Sam,
snow this person oyt.
This was the niger just come from
across the parlor with the coal hod.
A v,d vu t,oro hoo 90 id that OF
beyond control, and the last I saw of old
Blush he was on his back on the hearth.
rug. Then says to the darkey, "touch
me Il you Eapt to, yoH rascal" and I
saw Jenny on the sly next day and
tried to get her to run away; but the
girl had will of her own and knowed
! her duty.
Says sla. "T cent disobey my father,
Jack. I love you dearly, and I'll never
marry anyone else; but it. must be all
over between us. I don't think pa
would have repented even if you hadn't
been SO violent, but nav ha never will.
You've done 1t yourself, Jack, !" she said.
turning quite white and looking from
me- "You Ike the sea best, and you
have got it instead of me-"
These were the last words she said. I
wes going away when heard her give
little cry. and turning saw her arms
stretched towards me and 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 twasn't
aloud, for mind ye, a woman is wo-
naan, and words good enough for other
mems ears aih't to be spoken before her.
The sight of Jenny as I left her, with
her yellow hair blown back under the
baTe tree branches, all bright with
icicles. haunted me for fdany long
were times when looking over the side
the waves whispering her words over
again.
you've done it yourself, Jack; you
liked the sea better than me, and you've
got it."
1t doesn't take long for the years to
go by either On land OF. on the ocean.
They went with me as with other
folks. got on well enough. Before I
knew 1 was second mate, then first
mate, then captain. I suppose should
have sailed the sea until thsy buried
me in it, if it hadn't been for the first
mate, Tom Hamlin. loyed that fellow
as might brother, if I'd had better
one than Charles Augustus. At Gibral-
tar, 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 used them on each other. I didn't
save Hamlin, for they shot him dead
but I got couple of bullets in me, and
was picked up just as near Davy Jones's
locker as man ever was who didn't go
into it. l got well again, and was on
the invalid list; and as I laid upa hand
full of money and was past forty, made
up my mind to stay at home and take
care of Tom Hamlin's orphan children.
tied down in New York and fetched them
home, poor, half starved creatures, for
the woman they boarded with was Civ
en- to drink and Kept them on bread and
treacle; and as they told me must put
them in black frocks, they would have
felt just as bad in red, and settled down
to be comfortable. Soon I looked out
for 3 chaplain to pass Sunday as 1t
ought to be, and Rev. Eben Tooker's
church being handy, I shipped him
along with the girls, and I always did
my duty, never pretending not to see
the plate when the steward shove it up
cur pew. Rev. Eben T0oker was Q so
cial man. He used to drop In evenings
and talk to me about my soul; and
though can't say but what dropped
asleep sometimes, he knowed his duty
when he did it. A captains duty is one
thing and chaplaih's is another.
One day bespoke about poor Hamlin's
gals. Says he, "You send them to
school, 1 hope" Says I, II haven't
done it; gals are better without learn
ing, if they can read and cipher out the
butchers BILL"
But he kept on, and pretty soon I let
him examine them; Lord love ye, they
hardly knew their letters. TIE school
ing, as well as the board, had gone for
gin.
1.-THE poor heathen are scarely more
benighted," says our chaplain. He in
sisted on my saying pastor, but t'other
sounds best.
"We must and mistress for them,
captain"
"Surely," said II wanted to do the
best by Toms children that I could
'.surely; just !menticn schoolmarm,
chaplain"
Says he, "My own are under the care
of the person who plays the organ-a
highly estimable lady in reduced cir
cumstances. Her school is close by
Broome street.
So he wrote the name and address on
a card and promised to take the girls
there. Monday morning we took sail.
l bought 'em spelling books, and satch-
els, and states, and by O'Clock we were
at the door. Then looked for the card.
and behold ye, I'd lost it! However, 1
was in port, and could hail the lady as
ssschoolmarm.n rs
Betsy was wiping her eye; and Peg
was bawling out that she wanted to go
home. But, said I, no. no. gal, I don't
want you to grow up benighted as the
heather. and that's what the chaplain
calls you now.
So lugged 'em in, and made nay rev.
erence.
DUTY, ma'am," says +: "There's
two gals as need instruction. Rev.
Eben Tooker recommended ye to give
it to Fem, and whatever extra it is for
playing the organ and let 'em larn it
for it's you that wnrk's in the top loft o.
Sundays-you know how to do it. Cap.