Litchfield enquirer., 1881-08-04

| WHeTc IS sHe nave you seen ny pussy, father p 1a ---a4ss.4 .1...s5.}
 ..'Your father has thrown her into the sea I missy" said one of the men, ''And what's. | come o't, God knows" i"f" tfatSH' e.tii tsI
 How exasperated I was with that man | ''You'd better go for'ard, you men," was all 1 said, however But. before any of us had time to stir. the cres. of a. wave, like white flying mape, flung itself over and drenched us. caught Maggie ill my arms all dripping, and carried her below. She said nothing, but look ed atme in a way that cut me to the heart her gaze was frightened and half turned away. 1 had no word to say for myself. l changed her night-gown and put her back in theHberth. She shivered and snuggled down with. her head under the bed clothes. After little she peeped out and said to me: 345fz 4 t'i 1897 (
 "When you are some day angry with me, will you maybe throw me into the sea ?"',...y
 1 could not bear it. ''Oh, Maggie, my child, my darling p cried, taking her in my arms ''don't talk and look like that. The cat was a bad cat, and brought us ill-1uck and bad weather'' 5e5lsa~e s;fFaea s45tf s-sgs..i 5.,1 S
 T thought, said Maggie simply, Sit was God made the weather was silent. After pause she cried: 'I want to get pussy back, father. Get me it back It was not bad, and | liked it.'' a 'suj si .s..l F ss..e '.
 Il wash, my dear." I said, T could bring it back"
 Was it a new I heard, and a scratching, or was it only the wind above and the dash of the water at the port hole? Maggiehad heard it too; she sat up, and her eyes were fixed on the port-hole. With some difficulty pulled it open, and in scrambled the cati
 I was never more delighted by the sight of any living thing than was by the return of that poor, ,half-drowned cat. Snch weight of guilt was lifted off me felt almost like a little boy. again, there, with my little girl beside me. The to-do Maggie and made over the poor, outraged creature 1 confess to yoC truly the tears came to my eyes. Mag gie kissed it and cuddled it, all wet and shiv- ering as it was, the brave little swimmer I went to the cook and got some hot mass for it the cabin stove, and poor grateful pussy licked my hand.
 l Captain! Captain !" heard eagerly whis- pered, from the top of the cabin steps, l should have been on deck, and was turning to go-after glance at Maggie, with shawl about her sitting down by her recovered pussy when the cook stumbled hurriedly down into the cabin, whispering in terror, ''They've got at the spirits, captain, and they're mad !! They've knocked Dick down for standing up for you, and they're sure, as you threw the cat overheard, the only way to save the ship is to throw you after it! They're coming!"
 And before another word could be said, or anything done, they were come. I suppose they at once suspected the cook of being in. former in a moment he was gagged and | bound, stood before them with what calm. ness l had though felt my cheek pale and my blood jingle to see all the desperate crew crowded in before,me. They were not drunk i; they were only primed to the Dutch courage point their faces were bloodsiot and reso- l lute . ,.
 "What is the meaning of thls, my men ?' 1 asked firmly ''Mutiny ?" 'sr-' ' ."
 At the dreaded word they qualed a little but Bill Bowser-he who had told Maggie l had drowned the cat, and who seemed the Was an ugly sab of man with hapd Something 5 like a squint. but he could speak to the point: 5ea a g" '.s~g4-.f' -.ss
 ''No mutiny, captain, only self preserva- tion, the first law o'nature. That darned cat ! has been thrown overheard, and to save the ship and all the rest on us you must follow it, captain, cause you done it.
 l was about to speak. when Maggie, who looked very much surprised, but not in the least frightened, said Standing up in her sweet childish beauty, with the shawl slipping from her shoulders) 'Look, pussy was in the sea, but she's come back again and she showed them the cat in her arms.
 They were dumfoundered, and smitten with | and the cat, and they shouldered toward the stair. Bill Bowser again made himself | spokesman. -.E .f=P .. ..4 ...4 | "Im blest," said he, 'but that cat has the | devil in her, as sure as david: But look a here, captain. we must just set her aorift again, and tie her in this time"
 1 ''Now," said l. "I won't allow a hair of of that cat to be touched again. And l ad. vlse all you men to clear out of this at .once, I ahnn atr1 ,Ofs sk .A tempt at mutiDy." spoke in a loud con- manding tone, to rouse Jack who was in his berth close by. II ..-,s a st .. | ''Oh, you will, will you?' said Bowser, now snarling out the rebelllous spirit natural to him, and suggestively lowering his head and drawing up his sleeve from his right wrist felt sure he had his knife handy. ''If it's to be reckoned mutiny, it may as we'll be made worth the reckoning. Down with l him, mates ]" ..~ &'-t3.. '. a rI3 t,-. II caught the gIeam of the knife; had no weapon; threw my cap in his face, and l the next instant foored him with my fist. | At this juncture as if in answer to little Mag ge's cry, out burst Jack half-dressed, revolv- | CT in hand. s{a. ... s'Haloa ! Eh what's this" he cried. | H,l tQGk the revolver from, his hand and | pointed it among the men, who looked some sulky, some bewidered, but none inclined to | follow BOWSer'S lnltIatlver. 5E at -+-tt5 iti14 a'.Ndw," said l. Il give you another chance. Be off at once to the rfo'c'sle, or" clicked l the trigger of the revolver
 ''Ay, ay, captain," they murmured, and tumbled up to the deck as fast as they could ''We didn't mean any harm, sir" pleaded those who were nearest me, and who were | forced to finger.
 No, the lubber no harmI But if Bill Bowser had struck me down with his knife, they wouldn't have moved, & finger or tongue to save me, or to keep themselves from thecrimes of mutiny and murder on the high seas Yes; that's what your merchant seamen have come to nowadaysl As for Bill BOwSer, he was of course put Tn irons. Now, soon after daylight, with nasty sea still running and the wind in the south- east the man at the lookout sighted bark with signals, of distress flying, She was about two mlles off out larboard quarter By and by we signalled what was the matter. Leaking, |" was the answer ''all hands at the pumps.'' Then he set the ships letters, and we made out the name-what do you think ?-the Lilyl Could it be the same Lily-the Lilly of Plylnouth-a we had passed on another quarter nearly week age3 1t must be; for, ye. see, these hurricanes often, maybe always, work in circle Cy- clone, dye say? An, yes; that's what we call them when met in the tropics We'll We bore, down on each, other, and l took the op- portunity of having word or two with my men, to set myself right with them, and to make them. if could throw off that super stition about the cat called them aft.
 Now, said I. '.you needn't look frighten- ed Pm not going to say anything sbdM last nights affair. agree to cali it all a mistake, if you will give up your foolish, old wives notion about my cat here. I say nsg cat, be- cause Tam determined to take it home with me, and leave. itswith my little girl here. Now, look at 1t hasn't it the incest little face Cat ever had? ?A How can ye believe there is devil in the creature !? "el aaaf96
 "Tl- deyil." said-one, sseften hangs out the prettiest figure heads, sir.'',t @ fT
 Well" said l, that's true But now you're sailors; you can't refuse shelter, and you can't surely think i'll of poor dumb creature that W2s twice thrown into that sea,