The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-26
- DAVY."
A FresIl Water sketch.

Shetcns
Davy McNeil's coming was abrupt
and characteristic.
We had been pounding against head
wind all day, close hauled and barely
holding our own, for the Mary Jane
was fore-and-aft schooner scow, hav-
ing bows which arose from the water
like floating dock. and was only in
tended to make Roadway with the wind
abeam or over the shoulder Toward
nightfall the breeze died away and the
old skipper decided to seek anchorage
and wait for slant. The end of the
long leg of the tack brought us with the
shore not over mile distant on the lea
bow. 1t stretched away in the cold,
blush light of the north and tapered
of until the grey green of the bluffs
mergedlnto the general cherries gloom
which, on the northern horizon, charAc-
terized land and sea and sky alike To
the southwark commenced bare, clay
cliffs, capped with green and extending
into fire, purple mist, until their
ragged edges, each crested with Opaline
light and standing in relief against its
succeeding neighbor, melted into the
royal glow which illuminated the whole
southern horizon. The red, angry sun
like big bloodshOt eye was lying close
to the water and rapidly dipping.
At length the anticipated order comes;
tOpsails are clewed up, the jib topsail.
flying jib, jib and stay sail halliards are
let 90 with much confusion, amid col
lo4uially delivered orders from the
mate. the sails come rafting down the
stays with a noise like burglar alarm,
the foresail and mainsail are taken in
more slowly, the anchor is let 90. the
chain CRATES and roars in the hawSe-
hole, the mainsail peak is hauled up a
trifle. the little schooner sieadieS her
self like a drunken man who graSpS a
chair, she swings around with her nose
to the wind, which had about died out,
and all hands turn to to make things
snug for the night.
All hands at that time included but
four souls. Captain Tousley, the skipper,
Mr.. Tatman, the mate, and two of us
before-the mast. The cook, usually dig
nitied and flattered by the appelfat;on
of stewart" had been sent ashore at
She last port with locked pay and a bur
den,of imprecations, which had left him
limp and spiritless. Captain TOusley
had caught him in his bunk one morn
ing with the dirty breakfast dishes
neatly packed in the dish pan and all
slowed away in a locker.
''Gitfo nd, YOU cusSed fool" roared
the irate skipper. as he staggeredup the
-cOmpaniOn-wav and with mighty oath
dou>ed the mess overheard. The shock
headed cook following got on deck in
time to receive a continuation of the in
vective which was work of art in its
way. as he gave the dazed young man
the benefit of the accumulated adiect
ives of lifetime. And SO we were
short handed.
Captain Tousley, who had spent a
long lifetime on salt water, after sew
-eral Intellectual attempts to wean HIM
self had finally retired from active
service only by putting a thousand
miles between himself and the sea he
loved so well. For months he lived
with much miSapplied luxury in one of
sChicago's big, bustling hotels, pulling
walters and rulfiing the calm serenity
of the clerks by hopeless endeavor to
reconcile mis- nautical habits to hotel
life.
One day he accommodated a newly
made, vessel-owning friend with few
hundred dollars, and little later, to
save himself, was obliged to bid in the
Mary Jane at forced sale. This en-
tanglement was the occasion of much
hollow buster, but it really afforded
him an uncOnfesSed satisfaction, mas
much as it offered compromise be-
tween duty and inclination; he could
escape the dreary hotel. tread a deck,
be master of his own hooker, and still
carry out his unalterable design of re-
tirement; for who could claim that lake
navigation was worthy of the name?
Then there was the mate who looked
upon 1.-The old man. rs unnecessarily
navy" in his notions. In fact, Captain
'Tousley was irritated at the shiftleSs
and distinctionleSs habits of the lake
marine, and attempted reformation,
accomplishing little besides making
enemies and driving away good men in
his well-meant effort to ''teachn the
lOngShore lubberS the science of naviga-
tion."
When everything was made snug all
turned in except Rick, who was stand
ing anchor watch. Taking blanket
he curled up under the lea of the rail
forward and slept during the night
with intermittent wakings, in which he
reported below the state of the weather.
1t remained dead calm. Just as it
was getting gray in the east, he dropped
of for his last nap. When he awoke
the sun had Just peeped above the
misty wall of green and gold into which
the bluffs had been transformed, and
tinted the few sails to the westward,
making them ike fiecks of gold leaf in
the soft, violet haze.
'Good mornin'."
Rick jumped as if struck by a ropes
end. Sitting On the rail was very
Hercules in repose. Tall. well-built,
with light hair and complexion, tawny
beard and great, serious, blue eyes in
which brooding trouble lurked. His
clothes had been tornby briars and were
full of burrs and ''stick-tights. He