Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-08-22


Having discharged this with start
ling rapidity of speech, the poor fellow
sank down as if he we're exhausted,
upon the long seat that extended round
the cabin.
After shaking hands kindly with the
whole company, and casting fatherly
glance at the score Of little ones on the
shelves, the minister seated himself
with the remark:
"You all seem very cosy and happy
here. Is the bride to live on the boat?'
All eyes were turned on the great
buxom girl with light hair and gray
eyes. and she replied:
Yes. sir, else III never be bride
was born on the boat, and when
father and mother died, put my Tn
Gle Jim in captain, and staid here"
But shes cap'n. after all, Clargy,
and we all have to step round hoard o
this boat, l tell YOU" cried al Old man,
loosely.
81 don't ask anybody to do what 1
won't do myself, Simon. If we're short
handed. and there's freight to be taken
on, or landed, put my own hands to
the work, as you may see by their hard
ness. ] haint had ldnd bringing
up. but IN not heather for all that.
I've got my principles. l fear God as
we'll as know how; / read my Bible
and say my prayers; and nobody ever
lacks a passage on this boat for being
poor, if know it.
u try to do as I'd De done by, and /
work hard-for l don't believe any
body will get to heaven who won't work
here. live peaceably with everybody.
If man on board is unruly or takes
liquor, all do is Just to point to the
tow-path, without word, and he knows
what that means.
60 to church sometimes, but not
often. In summer we don't haul up
Sundays, and in winter when we're in
port, don't like to go because don't
know anybody of landfolks, and they
stare at me so-I'm sure I don't see
why, for my clothes are as good as any
shop girls, and better too. Maybe l
walk different from land-girls."
"Well, l hope your friend beside you
has the same good principles" said the
minister.
"He has, sir but he can speak for
himself said the bride, glancing
proudly toward "Pink Joe."
"Come, Joe, cried Uncle Jim, who,
like the other men, was in shirt.sleeves,
but who had gay necktie on by way
of full dress, "tell the Clargy low it
came about. I'd like him to know
something about canawl life, and ca
nawl folks-for lay dollar he don't"
Pink Joe, as he was styled in honor
of his cheeks, rose up, and bowed to the
/ minister. Both he and his bow con-
trasted strangely with all about.
~ belong in c., sir. My father
deals in canal supplies, and when I was
a school-boy I got bewitched with the
boats. 1t seems like playing baby
house-washing and ironing and cook
ing. all in one little boat.
My father let me come down to
New York with boys we knew, and that
famed the flame. So when was
eighteen, came aboard the Erie. First
I only led the horses; then got q
place on the boat, and next, well, the
next thing did was to fall dead in
love with the captain-no, no, mean
with the captains daughter y
This little blunder brought down
the house."
You needn't blush, Joe p cried an
old man, "for it's about so. Uncle
Jim will admit himself that she's actual
captain, though he carries the name.
You're going to be cap'n of the Erie
now, and she'll look out for him and
his children, as her father did be-
fore her.
Uncle Jim grinned and nodded as-
,, sent. He was evidently not very sensi-
+, tive, and all was right with him, if he
and his were only clothed and fed.
And is your father reconciled to
your choice OF business, now ?" asked
, the minister.
!, " Yes, sir and he would have been
here to-day, only that. my mother is
very sick. My sisters were too proud
) to come. It's an honest life; and al.
though, after my boyish nonsense was
over, l would as soon had other work. I
, couldn't take it without losing her.
!, "She would not, perhaps she could
not, lead land life, with ANYBODY.
and 1 couldn't live without her."
She was noways anxious to crowd
herself on family that despised canal
folks, and rather bluffed me off. So
she and my family both put me on pro-
baton, on hard work, for a year. Faith
er offered us farm but her home was
the canal Then he said, if liked the
, hard work and the rough life, after an
other years trial, he'd consent to my
|. staying on the boat.
/" All that year I never got any diff
ferent words or looks from her than
old Simon there, did. Then father
gave his consent, and sent her gold
watch, and she agreed to give up all
the rule here to me. She will do the
writing, and sew and read, and advise
me, and Uncle Jim will see to the
freight. We have good, sober men
with us, and I can't see why we need be
looked down on, any more than folk
that behave themselves and work on
shore, do you?"
Certainly not"
"They take their choice, and we
take ours. I'm satisfied with mine, and
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