The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-10-14
CUPID AND THE CAPTAIN.
A SEA STORY.

tired of this horrible old ship, with its
eternal up and down, that I don't know
what to do! I've finished my worsted
work, and haven't an inch Of canvass
on which can put stitch. I've read
all the books and there's not q soul on
board well enough to speak but our
two selves"
eff the ship didn't roll so we might
walk" said Deb, turning over IN her
steamer-chair, and making a languid
effort to reply.
At this moment, the captain fresh
and breezy, came along, and as firm
upon his feet as the piers for the Brook
lynn bridge.
"Well," said he, looking down at us
with his bright brown eye-the captain
was a handsome, portly man Of forty
two, isn't this lovely? What wouldn't
go to sea in such weather as this?'
II wouldn't" snapped Deb.
The captain looked honestly sur
prised.
''Why," said he, "what more would
you ask? Look at that sunset Isn't
it lovely? Look at the moon just be-
ginning to show her face. Isn't that
beautiful and he appealed to jean
ME.
'Oh, yes; if one could stand on land
and see them; but how can one enjoy
anything at sea? How can think of
the moon when my head goes so all
the timer" And JEANNE tumbled her
hands over and over in her lap, like a
dog digging for rabbits.
The captain laughed and looked at us
in pity.
"The fact is" said he, "the sea is no
place for women. But for all that I
courted my wife at sea, and married
her aboard ship"
ooh, dear, how could your asked
JEANNE. However, perhaps she
wasn't sea-sick."
eyes, she was; she was terribly sea-
sick. If she hadn't been / dare say I
should never have been particularly
acquainted with her."
''Sit down and tell it," said Deb eager
ly.
The captain took a long look at the
horizon and then sat down. Over in
the west and above the horizon was q
wonderful purple and crimson country
with range after range of crimson hills;
one faint green lake in the center, and
just one star drowned in its depths.
Over in the east wasa silver ship, the
first We had seen in a week; and just
behind us the sea-birds had settled
down for their nights rest in the cradle
of those stormy waves.
"Well,'' said the captain, "tifteen
years ago was twenty-seven years old
and I had sailed out of New York, as
one thing and another, for a good many
years; but this was my first voyage as
captain and it was a long one-severa]
months. I was feeling very good about
it. I'd got a nice ship. OF course it
was q steamer. Steamers were more
scarce in those days than they are now;
and though I'd liked being mate pretty
well, every sailor wants to be captain.
Then I'd been up to Connecticut to see
my mother, and left the old lady re-
markedly well and comfortable; and
everything seemed just as nice and
comfortable till I came back to the
ship and found seven women booked
to take the voyage with me-"
"You see, in those days I was lln-
commonly green. I had been at sea
all my life, and never had anything to
do with women, and didn't know
how to get along with them, and 1 had
an idea that it took all fellows time
to wait on them. And, altogether, I'd
as lief have seen the devil himself on
board as one woman, let alone seven.
Well, went down to the ship COM
pany's Office, and I put it in hot to the
president. But they were friends
mother and her six daughters he
was set upon it that they should go, and
go they must. Said they were going
out to meet their father, who had set
tied ON some island Or other; and he
sent them along with me because he
knew I'd take care Of them. was mad
enough to swear, and told him I
wouldn't have anything to do with them
more than civility required; that I'd
see they were comfortable, but by the
Lord Harry, that was all I would do!
But he only laughed, and said he knew
that I'd do all that was right, and thatI
needn't be so bothered they were
most of them children and wouldn't
need much attention, and would keep
things lively on the ship. So there
wasn't any thing to be done, and had
to give in. 49,
"When / knew they were coming
aboard / went ashore, and left my
steward and first officer to store 'em:
and when I came back I was right
mad to see how comfortable and at
home they looked-the mother and the
two oldest daughters sitting sewing in
the cabin, and there wasn't a nook or
Granny on the ship that four other
girls hadn't poked and pried into. The
oldest girl was twenty, and the other