The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-06-12
OUR STORY TELLER.
Capt. Jack BallaSt'S Yarn.

My story ? Well, L don't see why /
should not scratch it down. There's
nothin' to be ashamed of in it, so far as
j know, and though your regular story
writer's may MT call it "romantic," u
think the wind sets that way myself;
and there's a bit of love in it, too,
though you'd never think / was subject
for love-story, to look at me. Pm old
'nough, dye see, TO feel safe about the
draft, and brown enough to be Hot
tentot; and as for flesh-well, no matter;
some of you slim young dandies will be
as stout as ], If you live as long. Besides,
that fracas at Gibraltar didn't improve
my looks. I'll tell you about that be :.
fore the story is over, / reckon; at
present, I'd better heave ahead. +
Fat as am, aud old as am, there
was time when / was as slender a
young fellow as ever shipped afore the
mast agin his parents leave. They,
Lord bless 'eml wanted to make
counterjumper of me, and tried meas
uring rags about year. Then 1 could
not stand it any longer, and jumped the
old counter for good, and cut and went
to sea. I'd had a hankerin' for it a
good while, and the only thing / ever
regretted was the way my poor mother
took it to heart. Wait bit. Honor
bright, there was one thing.
There was Jenny Blush, old Blush's
only daughter, and the prettiest girl i
ever cast eyes on. Her skin was Just as
soft and fair as any baby's. As for her
hair, I've got bit in my old desk up
stairs; and though it's crossed the ocean
about a dozen times, it's 30 bright now
you'd take it for gold chain coiled
down under the bit Of blue ribbon it's
tied with.
Old Blush was my captain ashore. /
mean to say, he was the head of the big
dry goods store where they first set me
to measuring rags, and Jenny used to
come over every day after ribbons and
calico, and the like; and, Lord love ye /!
| don't find fault with women folks
looking after such things, tho it didn't
seem a mans place to sell 'em. She
looked mighty pretty when she put 'em
on, did Jenny. Father and old Blush
were fast friends, and when they found
out that / was sweet on Jenny, they put
their heads together and resolved to
sanction the match. was to be taken
into partnership, dye see, and was to
step into the rag business when the old
man stepped out, "Dry Goods Whole.
sale and Retail" was on the sign, but /
always called 'em rags.
Well, Jenny and / were fond of each
other, and knew it already; so, the old
folks being agreeable, we saw a good
deal Of each other, Sundays and even
ings, to say nothing of the errands she
made TO the store. And used to wish
\ ennld m Ga nv, naipI 20 - and ofa -,
ashore; but could not, if / died for it.
heard the waves beating about my bed
in dreams. hated the cloth, yard and
the scissors so they made me ill. And
one night told Jenny 80. She cried a
bit: but by-and-by she owned that she
didn't hate me for it, and we talked of
the time when / should be captain,
and she could make every voyage with
me, and have cabin like parlor to
herself.
Then she let me kiss her. P'raps she
kissed me back; and cut off the yellow
curl told you of with a pair scissors
the only pleasant job ever had with
the confounded things in all my life.
That night / ran away, anil though /
blubbered like a baby when / passed
mothers door, you couldn't have coaxed
me back again. What a man wants to
be, he will be; and there are men meant
from their cradles for the water, az
sartin as the fish are.
got letter from old nanny that
cut me up, don't deny; but l knew
she'd come round, and didn't guess
the worst-how should I? When it first
came to me that a man that sold rags
was better than sailor, 1t took my
breath away. This was when 1 first
went home, dye see! Mamma, she
scolded and cried and kissed me; but
Margaret, Melinda and brother Charles
Augustus pitched into me ferocious
Says, they, "You've disgraced your
family. We have been respectable
ginteel folks all our lives, and now we're
TO have n common sailor for brother"
] caught it-a reg'l lar galer; and father
put in his oar regarding disobedience
When that came, / cleared out and
marched over to old Blush's, Nobody
was at home but Jenny, and she ran
into my arms. Well, we were billin
and cooin', AZ sweethearts mostly do,
reckon, when old Blush came home Il
tea. / never heard gale of wind roal
louder than he did when he saw me.
"What do you want here, sirT say
he.
Says /, "Don't YOU recollect me, Mr.
Blush? Pm Jack Ballast"
Says he, "I recollect you well enough
and how dare you show your face here p
Says /, a. 1 came to see my Jenny"
Your JennyW saws he. "My goo,