The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-10-14


me mad to see how genteel and lady,
like they were, and SO pretty behaved
that COUNT be as ofish as I'd meant
to be. The mother and I were soon
great friends, and SO I was with the
youngest girls, but as soon as we got
fairly out to sea, the elder ones were
taken sick, and [ didn't see them again
for week. At the end of that time
they were all on deck again but the
oldest; Jessie was her name, and the
mother told me she couldn't get her
out for breath Of fresh air. Oh, she
was terrible sick! And there she lay in
her berth losing strength all the time,
and wouldn't take the only chance
there was for her getting better-going
up on deck.
"Why, ma'am, said to her mother,
you mustge her out. She'll.die if you
don't.
"'I can't" says she, she won't do it
and can't make her
"'Well, I can, says I; "and you can
lust tell her that tomorrow morning
at ten o'clock Pm coming to help her
on deck; and if she won't come, I'm to
take her. I won't have anybody dying
on my ship if can help it,
All right, says the mother, kinder
crying; for the girl was sick by that
time that she was d ea1fully frighten-
ed.
"Well, when the time came, I went
below, and there was Miss Jessie lying
on sofa. Her mother had told her
what 1 said, and though she didn't be-
lieve I'd do anything, she'd dressed
herself to see me. So I babe her good
morning, said was glad to see her,
and that I'd come to help her on deck;
and then offered her my arm. She
answered very politely-she was always
very lady like even when she was mad
and said she was much obliged but she
meant to stay where she was.
"'You'd better go. on deck says I;
you won't get we'll if you stay here
and offered her my arm again.
''She was the proudest person ever
knew; and she just listened to me till ]
got through; then she bowed her head
very dignifed, and said:
"'No, thank you,' and turned over
and shut her eyes as much as to say,
you may go now.
"'Well, them says I I'll just take
your
"And lust gathered her up in my
arms, and before she got her eyes open
[ had her on my shoulder, and was
running for the companion-way with
her, shouting to the steward to bring a
mattress and some pillows. Oh wasn't
she mad! She was so little, and so ex-
hausted with sickness, that she couldn't
do a thing. She was too weak even to
pull my hair or box my ears; SO she
had to keep still till laid her down on
the bed, the steward and her sisters fix.
ed for her. But she wouldn't speak to
me, not a word so had chairs brought
for her mother and sisters, and then
went about my business. When it
came time for her to 60 back again. ]
just carried her down and put her on
the sofa, and told her I'd come for
her the next day. But next day,
when I offered her my arm, she took
tall without word, mind you-and
we promenaded upon deck as solemn
as ghosts.
After this she began to get better.
Why, it was wonderful how she i'm
proved; and she looked so pretty sit
ting upon her pillow that l began to
coax her to talk to me; and very soon
she forgot how mad she was and we
became very good friends. [ began to
court her as hard as I could, and did
have the worst time with those little
sisters of hers, that ever was. There
was always one or two of them around,
and didn't mind that so much, but
they were always getting into some
mischief or other. And when I was
making love to her as fast as I could,
up I'd have to Jump, and run off to
save the little witches from breaking
their necks. Then they would steal
my onions. You know onions are
very necessary for a long voyage. As
soon as they found I set a store by
them, the imps made away with them
whenever they could; and Just as I'd
get tight hold Of her hand I'd be sure
to catch some Of them at my onions.
Then I'd have to let 20, and rush after
them; and by the time I'd 90 back she'd
have hidden her hand and I'd have to
begin all over again"
And the stalwart captain shook his
head, and sighed over his laborious
counting.
"Well, by and by, when found Jes-
sic was all right, applied to the moth
er, but she was very unwilling fact
refused up and down. I didn't wonder
at it either, for was pretty lively in
those days, and they didn't know any
thing about me except what they'd
seen on the voyage. But the mother
said she wasn't willing to take the re-
sponsibility gof letting Jessie marry
when her father was so far away; and
then he had sent for them all to come
to him, and she didn't know what he'd
saw to h or If sho Lost Ioss;o b,z tho ,,za.z