The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-08-18
fifteen or twenty feet high, and good
nart af tho time no haat can live In IL.

Funday, this place shows the highest
and lowest tide in the world. The peo
, pie here tried to build a breakwater ou,
beyond the surf. but it breaks over j,
| half the time, and when it doesn't il
knocks it to pieces. Sometimes vessels
have to ride at anchor for week before
they can send boat ashore.
"We'd only just hove-to when |
noticed that shipat anchor not far of
was making signals Of distress, and
that a boat was putting off in our
direction. Of course, we were anchored
far out beyond the surf, and it was
comparatively easy for the boat to reach
us; 50 it was soon alongside, and one OF
the men came up the ships side and told
me what was wanted.
1t appears the ship was coffee-ship
from San Francisco, and had come to
San Jose for its cargo. 1t was only
half loaded when one Of the boats cap
sized in the surf, drowning the captain
and first officer. The second officer was
very low with fever, and they had no.
body to navigate the vessel; so they'd
had to wait in port till some other ship
came along, and could lend 'em an
officer, or somebody who understood
navigation.
"Well called up my first officer, and
put him aboard the coffee ship, and in a
day or two we both sailed. We were
going over just the same ground or sea,
rather-and as the two vessels were
about equally fast. we kept each other
in sight most of the time. Wed been
out about ten days, and were in Ameri-
can waters again, when all of sudden
the ship hove to, and signaled US to
stop. We ran as close to them as we
could, and then we hove to, and pres
emily through the glass I saw boat
being lowered and that there was a
woman in it.
Il was surprised, as you can imagine,
for didn't know there were any pas
sengers on the coffee ship, through there
were half dozen on my own. In few
minutes up the side came my first Off
Ger, more than half-carrying the rretti-
est little Spanish girl I ever saw. On,
ladies! she was a beauty! Eyes like all
the stars in the flag, and the sweetest
little face-kisses Just sticking out all
over it! But wasn't she the sickest lit
tie mortal that ever set foot on deck? /
tell you! she was all green and yellow,
and looked half starved. don't be-
lieye she'd kept down quarter Of a din
ner tor month past.
"sHullo, Jack!' said I; whats the
matterp' And gave the lady seat on
the loungein my cabin. The POOR little
thing couldn't sit up straight, so I just
hoisted her feet up and made her COM
Portable among the pillows.
"Captair,' said he, I want you to
marry me to this young LADY,
"' arry youp' said /. What do you
meanp Shes too sick to be married,
man! She can't stand up. If you and
she want to be married, why don't you
wait till you get ashore"
"You see, ladies, we talked out free
before her, for she couldn't understand
a word of English:
"If we wait till then,' said he, you
and III be going to her funeral instead
of her wedding. We've got to be mar
ried, and right away, and you've got
to marry u.s.
"You see again. ladies, we were very
great friends outside the ship, and when
we were alone together we dropped all
ceremony.
"What in thunder are you in such
hurry for?' said I. why can't you
wait till you're ashoreP Where are the
lady's friends
"'Her stepfather's aboard my ship
he said.
"'I thought so,' said I; and I won't
have anything to co with it.
"He Just turned and winked at me
'out O. the tail of his eye,' and then |
remembered, in q moment of misplaced
confidence, had told him some little
circumstances in regard to my own
marriage.
"Hemn said he, grinning like
monkey, i think they're sometimes
justihahle. Now just look here, cap;
listen, and III tell you all about it.
That little girl has no relations, nothing
but a stepfather, and she's dependent
upon him for support. Well, the old
coot's doctor, and crazy at that; or,
if he isn't, he's the meanest cuss on
earth. He's taken it into his added old
head to discover a sure cure for sea-
sickness, and because just the name of
ship sets poor little Dolores 10 casting
up accounts, he's been taking her on all
sorts of long voyages, and trying his
various decoctions on her. So want
to marry her to get her out of his way:
Of course I'm in love with her and all
that said ne, looking kind of foolish;
but if that was all, I'd wait till we got
ashore. Of course 1 can't make him
let her alone unless she's my wife, and
if lie has control of her much longer
she'll never see port again.
Do you mean to say said l, star
ing at him in surprise. that he tries
experiments on her gives her things
that amt medicine?'
"I do said he; and mean to say
that the last thing lie gave her was a
bottle of Eed-bug poison, and it most
killed her.
"By the Flying Dutchmanr said l,
L should think it would! Where's the
old coot now?"
"'In irons. I told him I wouldn't
have any such doing aboard my ship,
and he slapped my face. So I put him
in irons and came off to you
"Well, ladies, I just went over to the
sofa where the little girl was rolling
her big black eyes at US, and wondering
what in thunder we were saying.
"'How old are you. my dear?" l
asked in Spanish.
"You see, Id been married more'n
two years, and thought I'd sorter
right to be paternal.
Eighteen, Senor Captain, said she,
in the softest voice in the world.
Il think that voice did THE business
for me.
"Said I: DO you love this young
man and want to marry him? You
needn't if you don't, because III see to
it your stepfather doesn't bother you
my more
for I knew he'd be looking blacker'n
thunder at me just then. And. indeed,
he took q step toward US; but made
him keep off till she should nave an
swered for herself.
"Well, she blushed very prettily, and
hesitated for a second, then answered
very sweetly that if the Senor Captain
didn't mind the trouble, she should
rather marry the Senior First Officer.
That the Senior First Officer had been
her only friend: that, although she had
taken many voyages and seen many
people, she had never before found any
one who cared to interfere on her be-
half; that she had felt very grateful to
the Senior First Officer, and had now
become attached to him, and with the
Senor Captains permission Woulo
gladly become his wife.
GAS she said this, Jack got out of he1
sight behind the door, put bis thum b tc
his nose, and twinkled his fingers at ms
in the most disrespcctful manner.
had great mind to put him IN irons fol