The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-10-14
being broken, that she thought it had
better be renewed.

better be renewed.
$50 I said, pretty stiff on my part:
Madam, I will renew my engage
ment with your daughter on one con-
dltlon-that [ marry her before we
part: She can 60 on with you and
see her father, if you like; but won't
let her 20 to the other side of the world
from where I am going. unless we are
married, and Pm sure of getting her
when l come back
"The mother made terrible tima
about that, but I wouldn't give in an
inch. So at last she gave her consent,
and the poor thing said I might do
what I lik ed, if I'd only get Jessie on
deck. didn't want to hear any more,
but tore down stairs as if the devil was
after me, and knocked at the door of
Jessle's state-room.
"'Come in," says she, very weak.
threw door open, and rushed in.
There she lay in her berth, just as
white as the wrapper she had on, and
she had Il handkerchief in her hand,
all in little damp ball, with the way she
had been crying. I flew at her and
snatched her up in my arms, and T.
L
Come up on deck, and get well.
We're going to get married when
we're in port.
"And away went up on the deck,
with her in my arms. rushed into
my cabin where her mother and sister
were sitting ON sofa, and sat down
on chair and held her in my lap;
and after she had cried till she was
tired, she began to laugh; and then we
both laughed and talked, till the moth
er laughed too, and she thought we
We're crazy. But by dinner time Jes-
sic and [ were both in our places and
everything was as lovely as-as it is to-
night" added the captain, casting his
misguided eyes over the waste of wa
ters around us, now black in the even
ing light.
''Things went on smooth as oil after
that" continued the captain, "and 1
looked forward every day to the time
we should get into port. And l dread
ed it too, for know should lose her
very soon after that. There were going
out on a vessel that was to start a few
days after we got in, and it was arrang-
ed that they should stay on board ship
till time to be off: Meanwhile I'd
made up my mind to be married on
deck. We got into port at night, and
the next morning I was off and on shore
as soon as breakfast was over. and in a
carriage riding up and down hunting
| for a minister. You see I was a
stranger, and didn't know I had a
friend in town; but before I'd been a
half an hour on shore I found two.
The first was Ben Roland, an old
friend whom [ thought safe at home;
he'd come by another route and here
he was; and I drove up behind him as
he was going in the door of a hotel.
| "Hullo, Ben" says I, opening the
carriage door; you're the very man I
want. I'm just hunting for a grooms-
man. Get in! Get I'M
Il pulled him into the carriage, and
told him all about it. OF course Ben
was happy to serve; but he hadn't been
there much longer than had, and did
not know where to find a clergyman
any more than I did. The hack
driver didn't know; and finally we
copied several names out of the direc-
tory, and we went and called on their
owners. Would you believe it? Every
one of those clergymen was out except
one, and he had funeral on his hands
at o'clock!
"Well,' says I, I'm bound to get
married to-day somehow. Jessie's ready
and the first officer is dressing the ship
with flags, and one thing and another;
and if / don't be married at 5 o'clock
I'll have to be married at s.
'The clergyman said he was off duty
at 5 o'clock; butas he didn't seem to
understand very we'll how to find me I
left Ben and the carriage standing at
the door, with orders not to lose sight
of the reverend gentleman till he
brought him to the ship at 5 o'clock. So
there he sat, smoking and reading the
paper, till funeral time, then drove to
where the gig was waiting for them.
meantime I walked off alone. and
after had gone a couple of blocks,
whom should [ meet but Mr.. Grinnell,
an old friend of my fathers and mine
"'Hallo, Fred! says he, where did
you come from?"
''Then we fell to talking, and he told
me he'd come down to meet Jessie's
mother and the girls.
"Why, I brought 'em with me- says
l. "They're on board my ship now
You don't say says he winking at
me. uncommon good luck for a
young bachelor like you, Fred!
oh, NONSENSE! says looking as
glum as T could. II didn't want 'em
to come. did my best to leave them
behind.
You did? says he. That shows
uncommon bad taste on your part
They're the incest girls know.
They're we'll enough says I.
We'll enough says he. They're