The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-02-19

cap'n- mebbe you've heerd of him, sir2'
this to me-
wasn't it he,' I asked, as. a dim re.
mem brance Of the name brought to mind
a newspaper narration of cruelties on
ship board, which somehow died out very
suddenly, "who was heavily fined fol-
brutality toward some of the emierant
i passengers?"
#"Wot's a fine, that the owners steps ur
an pays said Jim, in scorn, ''to lettin
q woman die on deck from the wet an
colds An why didn't they bring up some
OF his other cruelties-shootin' men of
in the topsl yard, drivin' 'em overheard
in the Mersey. or breakin' rib or an arm
wi an iron belayin' pin2
'Oh, come now, Jim," said I, 'sYou
don't mean that there are men on ship.
board to- day who are such brutes as all
that9 Why, the law would ~
t "The law!" repeated jim. LAWS fol
cap'n an owners, not for us sailors
though they did manage to shove the
petty officers of the Jack Frost, Jr, into
prison, few years ago, arter they killed
two or three men aboard on the passage
though I mind it was said that the
cap'n and mate escaped punishment by
happenin' to both die-sing'lar, wasn't
titus atore the ship was hauled into
dock"
| "But such men are the exception. There
are plenty Of kind-hearted men who 90
as captains nowadays" urged after a
short pause.
=, Indeed there are!" suddenly broke in
Miss Nellie, with energy. "Char-that
Is, a captain whom know" she said, in
terrupting herself suddenly, "says that
the trouble is with the men; that they
are drunken, reckless lot Of
| "Nellie," said Mis-. x, reprovinely.
swell, don't care!" said the willfu7
girl. "Only beg Jim's pardon; didn't
mean such men as he is"
tits all right, num-" returned jim,
quietly. "Tain't to be expected that the
likes Q, one O. you young women, VII a
heart like one o. them ere big J'pan ILL
lies, knows O. mems badness aboard ship
why should you2'
"But are there no captains who are
kind to their men?'' asked Mrs. x.
in some perplexitv; and Miss Nellie was
heard by me to say, under her breath,
that she knew one. at least.
"Blecs you, yes'm' said Jim, ''There's
lots of 'em {; only it hasn't been my luck
to sail with 'em. There's cap'ns sail out
o New York to day, as I hear don't al
| low swearin' from men nor officers gives
'em good grub, watch an watch, an has
'em in the cabin of a Sunday for rrayers.
Though" he added "where there's one o.
them, there's dozen that's either fends
themselves, else they're that careless as
they let the officers do just as they hap
pen to feel. I don't mind tellin' YOU"
he continued, seemingly betrayed into an
unwonted confidence, that my business
ashore is mostly to run foul of cert'n
man as I'm sure ta meet sooner or later
know he's roun' these parts. An when
he an does meet" said Jim, rising and
striking brawny, clenched fist into the
hollow Of the other hand apparently for
everything but someremembered wrongs,
"there'll be a hard reckonin!'
II think" said Mrs. k, rising,
with as much dignity as is consistent
with a eight of five feet four, .that we
have heard quite enough. Come, Nellie p
IL. Whereupon the twain (the latter little
I4fnwiDingiy. as fancied) entered the
house, man;festly to the discontinue of
the sailor.
There they co." he said, dropping his
head and speaking in rather sad voice.
''a-thinkin' how Pm only low, revenge
! ful cretter, with no feelin' morn the
ships log. But, how far would you
forgive man who has had you strung
up the main riggin' for full hour by
the two thumbs, an all for that begged
Of him to send me up to stow r'yal in a
gale, Stead of little chap as was a
stowaway, an no more fit to go than a
girl baby9" again asked jim.
| Before coulu frame suitable answer,
which should combine prudence with the
usual forms OF good advice, always prof
fered and seldom needed in such cases,
Jim had taken himself Off I saw NO
more of him until the following morning,
when he abruptly informed me that it
was to- be his last day; no persuasions or
inducements of mine being sufficient to
turn him from his purpose
Clad in pair OF voluminous overalls
and a dilapidated old felt hat, was assist
ing at the turing of a flower bed in front
of the house; and while awaiting the re-
turn of Jim with the wheelbarrow, was
accosted by an elegantly dressed and
gsntlemanly-looking young man, who,
accosting me by the rather familiar title
of 'old chap" demanded in somewhat
peremptory tone, to know "where Mrs.
x, hung out"
With an inward chuckle, I mildly
designated the house behind me as the
residence in question, and asked if he
wished to sac Mrs. X.
"What's that to you?' was the rather
unexpected answer, in a low tone and
with a manner that savored rather of
| coarseness, which centrasted strongly with
the suavity Of manner with which he
greeted Miss Nellie, who just then ap.
peared on the scene with both hands full
of flowers. ~ h@a T. If. -.us@
As the young lady blushed charming
| ~, and murmured her surprise at meeting