Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-05-08
CAPTAIN MOLLY.


Truth is, this human vessel had heavy liquid
cargo aboard His veins were throbbing his
head ouZZing. The S0bereSt of captains at sea- he
was the most maudlin of revelers ashore. Good
heavens. where was he? For that matter, who
was he? The sudden disappearance OF expected
landmarks aroused disturbing queries as TO his
own identity. People In their right minds,
finding themselves In unwonted plight. have
been upset IN some such fashion. The old
woman, OF childish memory. awaking from her
roadside nap, TO discover with saul, tnaL her
skirts had been curtailed, cries out In oeWlider-
Hent:
Laws mercy on me- this can't be Tn
They are not wanting happy strokes Oh
human nature I'm condemned nursery rhymes.
The Captains wandering steps for the enSu-
Ing two minutes stamped somewhat intricate
DTaidfng pattern on the mud. His 1ndectSlon
which way TO turn, and his inability TO DO aught
but turn. were piteouS In the extreme. At last
he stuck fast In a deeper mire than ordinary.
and his glance sweeping helpieS5iy about, he
saw two red, Dubious eyeoa!I5 staring at him
as If they had never Dlinked The castaway
laughed aloud. Nothing on earth was the mat
ter with him. Those We're E5trada's lamps. and
he was Misgill OF the Barnacie. The mvSterI-
Gus disappe.trdnce5 were due TO natural PIE
nomanOn-fog- Had he not been so heated By
internal tires he would have felt its piercing
chill.
.Git out o. this 'er mud hole. turn your back
old chap"
The proprietlos of language forbid exact
transcription OF the CAPTAINS brief soiloquy.
scarce substantive In it but Was doomed TO
erdition before IL left his lips. Ooeying his
own mandate, he was presently rewarded by
finding himself going up hill.
In reality, the stratum of vapor was not very
thick. But little fog may do vast deal or
mischief with poor jewellers upon earth, shut
ting out sun. moon, and stars how splendidly
soever they roll and shine. In spiritual things
mere Whit of smoke-the idlest OF idle opin-
1ons-is quite enough. for a time at least, to
annihilate prospective eternity.
Now aud again. Misgill looked around to
make sure that the beacOnS cleaned in their
places. AS he went higher, they sank lower
and l0ver-Seening TO roll up toward him some
very sanctimOniOuS glanceS; and. as he uttered
Suodled curse upon the slippery hillside, all
at once The lights went out, as if concealed by
vigorously dropped eyelidS. A moment later,
pair OF hot lips became eloquent In the Ian
guage OF execrati0n. In particular did they
cover with infamy, toe dire to hint at, the nau-
IlcaI nend who had advised Misgill to climb the
III anu take lodgings with a mysterious indi-
V1dual whose sole attractions were reflected
from the wife and daughter he had fetched
rom the states. The California OF thirty-One
years ago was not rich In wives and daughters.
MiSgiu had been sure when POrteouS had
suggested ii, that he had far rather enter the
magic circle OF home, however humble, than
10 put up with the gregariouS di5cOmfortS of a
Iodging-house. SO, armed with explicit direc-
tiOUS how to find BaIlen'S dwelling and further
Instructions 10 mention POrteousS name, Mis-
gill had brayely weighed anchor from the Old
city Hotel saloon. and had set sail upon what
he anticipated would prove a short ana success
ful run. But the fog had pitilessly snuffed oIt
blacker and grimmer. A cLill wind laden with
moisture, rushed across the hill side and swept
through and through him. He shuddered to
his very marrow. and concluded to retrace his
steps Hardly had he turned to Put his re.
solve into execution. when his feet Slipped from
under him, and he went down, down, down.
until something started beiigerently out OF the
misty darkness right in his way. 1t was the
side wall OF house. and AItsgi1l beat on it fur-
ously- At length candle flickered family
through small window over his head.
said voice.
Its Misgin, of the Barnacle. If you're Jim
BaIlen, PorteouS sent me. Come, now don't
put me clean through the blasted catechism.
Let me In
Next door,! were the uncompromlsing ac-
cents OF the reply, and the light vanished with
Next door. He might as well have said next
planet. Misg1ll knocked again, more furiously,
Pu1 was !, rewarded by no further parley.
rounding vacancy and after cropping about In
rage, succeeded IN finding not another shanty
as he supposed, but the very same, which st0l-
idly W1thStood another assault. The humiliat-
ing 1act1S, that this process was repeated sew
eral times before MiSg1ll, aStoniShed that the
Mill was so well built UP, devoted all its
residents TO fiery torInents, and gave up In de-
spair.
The following day, he avoided Porteous as he
would the plague; but that jolly parsonage
found him at last 4 watery twinkle In hi,
b,oodshot eyes led MlSgin TO believe thar he an
uclpated confeSSioA.
:. Halo. Cap: Wher ye ben all day? How'd y,
sleep las night eh?"
- Fine, = said Mlsgfll. IaconicalIy.
''FQun' Ballen's, chez
Without any trouble"
'Humph. Didn't expect you would. A man
as full as you vas. Toad couldn't be expected
TO fin anythin' Well. s'pose the young I'm is
jgs' what said eh?" There was always an al
cOholic uncertainty about PouteouS's conSo-
nantS. She's a splendid gal she is
This reference TO the young un'' reawakennd
MisgillS curiosity TO see her. She had rashly
vowed never again 10 set foot on Telegraph
Hill; but, having to account TO no one, save him
self. for broken resolution. ne SET OUT before
dark TO find BauenS-
Looking along kearny street westward to-
day, the bill is so closely built tha, II resembles
huge stack OF yari-shabed boxes; but MiSgiIl
IN climbing. was led over upon slopes, green
and soaked by heavy rains. Where be had been
wandering the night before. he could not posi-
bly, make out. He saw nothing OF the clustered
houses among which he had imagined himself
Here q rude tent. there a Tuder Shanty was all
He began to think that he must have been very
drunk, indeed.
Ballen's was not easy TO miss BY daylight
FOTteOus'5 description enabled Misgiii TO reco1-
GiZe ii az once. Ii was ambitfously whiJewas6-
ed, and was 1anked by huge Eogshead stand
Ing on end; this; having a sort or door cut in
CT which latter had at that time remarkable
value
Announcing himself loudly at the front en-
trance. Mfsgtn was Unexpectedly waited uD1n
by somebody who darted around the Side OF the
EouSe Ike watchdog: an angry man. whose
fiery c0uDtenance was covered By an abundant
growth OF vigorous red briStleS standing ouT
straight from chin, cheeks-ear5 eyen-ani
fadl3t-nS heat ard choier from every hiisu}e
point
What the = do you want hammering a
mans house down over his head" was the
frst lmpetuous query, put forth Ike a yolley OF
baTkS-
I'm Misgill. OF the Barnacle want land
rat named Ballen. and go 10 with YOU. y
growled the Captain ID his best chest notes
'Wen, ir you DO want me- you needn't come
here as II you was in command OF the whole
HILL" replied the other, letting his voice fan
an octave. You're Porteous's friend, | sDose.
Expected you last night Walk around The back
way. We don't put on no airs in these dggn's s.
No lock on the front door; SO It's barrica led
Women folks skeeTy."
And rabbits were ''skeery, " too. One fed here.
another started there az the Captains approach.
making, with long, soft leaps, for the shelter
ing hogshead. This gaining, they turned 10 In
yestigate, with WonaeF-stricken ears and treln-
uloUS noses.
Mrs Balien excited Misgtll's profound aston
ishment w hat spare rio she Is" thought
he, chuckling. BLAST me II / don't think her
stays would pinch my thumb." a reflection
which he afterwards repeated to PorteousD SO
witheTed a creature was She indeed, that her
shriyeled appearance seemed In some mysteri-
Gus way to hold toward her husbands infiaIn-
mabie temper the relation OF effect TO cause
one might be pardoned the fancy that she had