Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-11-28
and could lend 'em an officer or somebody

VINO understood Navigation. @- I
swell, called up my first officer, and
put him aboard the coffee ship, and in
day or two we both sailed. We were going
over just the same ground or sea, rather
land as the two vessels were equally
fast, we kept each other in sight, most of
the time. We'd been out about ten days,
and were in American waters again, when
all of sudden the ship hove to, and sig
nailed us to stop. We ran as close to them
as we could; then We hove 10, and present.
ly through a glass / saw boat lowe, ed
and there was woman In 1t.
81 was surprised, as you may imagine,
for did not know there were any passen-
gers on the coffee ship, though there We're
half dozen on my own. In few min
more than half carrying the prettiest little
Spanish girl 1 ever saw. Oh, ladies! she
was beauty Eyes like the stars in the
flag, and the sweetest little face-kisses
just sticking out all over it? But wasn't
she the sickest little mortal that ever set
foot On deck? I tell you, she was all green
and yellow, and looked half-starved. L
donot believe she'd kept down quarter of
dinner for month past.
"Hullo, jack" said ], ''what's the
natter" and gave the young lady
seat on the lounge in my cabin. The poor
little thing couldn't sit up straight, sol
just hoisted her feet up and made her
comfortable among the pillows.
''Captain," said he, 81 want you to
marry me to this young lady"
Marry yot,?' said 1, what do you
mean? She's too sick to be married, mani
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 be-
fore her, for she couldn't understand a
word of English" Eae.r
eff we wait till then said he, you and
I'll be going to her funeral instead of her
wedding. We've got to be married, and
right away, and you've got to marry u.s. p"
"You see again, ladies, we were very
great friends outside of the ship, and
when we were alone together we dropped
all CEREMONY s.L ..sE "a
"'What in the thunder are you in such
a hurry for?' says I, "Why can't you
wait till you're ashore? Where are the
lady's friends?''
'''Her stepfather's aboard my ship" he
said. aaE @F
""'I thought so, said I, ''and won't
have anything to do with it. -
" He just turned ana winked at me
out of the tail of his eye, and then re-
membered, in moment Of misplaced
confidence, had told him some little
circumstances in regard to my own mar
riage.
. 'Hem!' said he, grinning like a
monkey, [ think they're sometimes justi-
fable. Now just look here, Cap; listen
and I'll tell you all about it. That little
girl has no relations, no one but step
father, and she's dependent on him for
support. Well, the old coot's doctor
and crazy at that or, if he isn't, he's the
meanest cuss OH 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 to
casting up accounts, he's been taking her
on all sorts Of long voyages, and trying
to marry her to get her out of the way.
that said he, looking kind of foolish
but if that was all, I'D wait till we got
ashore. Of course, can't make him let
her alone unless she's my wife, and if he
has control of her much longer she'll
never see port again"
"'Do you mean to say said I, staring al
him in surprise, that he tries experiments
on her-giyes her things that amt medi-
| cine?'
az do, said he and I mean to say that
the last thing he gave her was bottle oil
bedbug poison, and it most killed her.
"'By the Flying Dutchman?' said I, ]
should think it would! Where's the old
coot now2'
lin irons. I told him wouldn't have
any such doings aboard my ship, and he
slapped nv face So l put him in irons
and came to you - &c
"'Well, ladies, I just went over to the
sofa where the little girl was rolling her
big black eyes at US, and wondering what
10 thunder we were saying.
"'How old are you, my dear? l asked
in Spanish.
"'You see, I'd been married more n two
years, and I thought I'd a sorter right tc
be psternsl.
Eighteen, Senior Captain said she in
the softest voice in the world
Said /: DO you love this young man
and want to marry him 2 You needn't il
you don't, because I'll see to it your STEP
father doesn't bother you any more
II didn't dare look round at Jack, for
knew he'd be looking blacker'n thunder
at me just then. And, indeed, he took q
step toward US; but l made him keep of
till she should have answered for herself.
Well, she blushed very prettily, and
hesitated for second; then answered very
sweetly that if the senior captain didn't
mind the trouble, she ST Guild marry the
senior first officer. That the senior first Off
Ger 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 in her be-
half; that she felt very grateful to the senior
first officer, and had now become attached
to him, and with the senior captains per-
mission would gladly become his wife.
'As she said this, Jack got out OF sight
behind the door, put his thumb to his
nose, and twirled his finger in the most
disrespectful manner. / had good mind
to put him in irons for mutiny-but no
matter.
"Of course there was nothing to be done
except marry them; she was over eighteen,
and at sea the captains as good as par
son, you know.
$50 ] called up the passengers and off
GERS; and the ladies dressed her up in their
own fnery, and we had a wedding in very
short order. After that the ships surgeon
prescrib ID an antidote for the bed bug
poison.
1.-THE second officer went over and took
command of the coffee ship in Jacks place,
and sent back Dolores trunk and clothing.
At first thought we couldn't get along
without him, for Jack was so deeply in
love with his little sea-sick girl I thought
he'd be no manner of use. But we had
did his duty ike man.
"But it was real touching to see him 60
to his wife's cabin every day and bring
L H. G.. L .