The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-06-26
"DAYY..
A Fresh water sketch.

DAYY.o
Fresh water sketch.
Davy McNeirs coming was abrupt
and characteristic.
We had been pounding against ahead
wind ali day, close hauled and barely
holding Dur own. for the Mary Jane
was a fore-and-aft schooner scow, hav-
ing bows which arose from the water
like a floating dock, and was only in
tended to make Roadway with the wind
abeam or over the shoulder. Toward
nightfan the breeze died away and the
old skipper decided to seek anchorage
and wait for a slant. The end of the
long leg of the tack brought Us with the
shore not yer q 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
mergedinto the general cherries gloom
which, on the northern horizon, charac-
terized land and sea and sky alike. To
the southwark commenced bare, CLAW
cliffs, capped with green and extending
into a fine, 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 sur
like a 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.
Tying jib, jib and stay sail halliards are
let go with much confusion, amid col
loquially delivered orders from the
mate, the sails come rafting down the
stays with a noise like a burglars alarm,
the foresail and mainsail are taken in
more slowly, the anchor is let go. the
chain CRATES and roars in the 6awse-
hole, the mainsail peak is hauled up a
tribe, the little schooner steadies 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 MS
before the mast. The cook, usually dig
ni6edand battered by the appelfation
of 'sstewart," had been sent ashore at
the last port with docked pay and a bur-
denof ~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.
tGitforr'ud you cussed fool" roared
the irate skipper, as he st~aggeredup the
companion-way and with a mighty oath
doused the mess overheard. The shock
headed cook following got on deck in
dmet to receive a continuation of the in
vective which was a work of art in its
way, as he gave the dazed young man
the benefit of the accumulated adject-
ives of a 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
Chicago's big, bustling hotels, puzzline
wasters and ruffiing the calm serenity
of the clerks by a hopeless endeavor to
reconcile his nautical habits to hotel
life.
One day he accommodated a newly
made, sel-owning friend with a few
hundred dollars, and a little later, to
safe himself, was obliged to bid in the
Mary Jane at a forced sale. This en-
tanglement wa the oc .asion of much
hollow buster, but it really afforded
him an unconfessed satisfaction, mas
mnnh ao n AHorad L.
tween duty and inclination; he could
escape the dreary hotel. tread a deck,
be master of his own hooker, and still
carry out his ~uualterable design of re-
tirement; for who could claim that lake
navigation was worthy of the nameP
Then there was the mate who looked
upon 1.-THE old man" as unnecessarily
navy in his notions. In fact, Captain
Tousley vas irritated at the shiftless
and distinctionless habits of the lake
marine, and attempted a reformation,
accomplishing little besides making
enemies and driving. away good men in
his well-meant effort to ssteaeh'' the
longshore luObers the science of naviga-
ton"
When everything vas made snug all
turned in except Rick, who was stand
ing anchor watch. Taking a 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 a dead calm. Just as it
was getting gray in the east, he dropped
off for his last nap. When he awoke
the u had just peeped above the
misty wall of green and gold into which
the bluffs had been transformed, and
tinted the few sails t o the westward,
making them like 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 a very
Hercules in repose. Tall. well-built,
with light hair and complexion, a tswny
beard and great, serious, blue eyes in
which brooding trouble lurked. His
clothes had been torn by briars and were
full of burrs and '-stick-tights." He
had been drawing diagrams in the films
OF dew that lay on deck, in an absent
m nded manner with a tanned and
sinewy hand, on which veins stood
ont like strands of rope yarn.
chow the" began Rick, but his
voice was smothered in a roar from the
skipper. who had at hat moment stuck
his head up the companion way.
LAY aft, and pipe all hands on deck!
Why didn't you call me sooner?
Here's q four-knot breeze a-blowin'
and we've got our mud-hooks in.
Come, now, stir yourself!"
Then he espied Davy, who had arisen
and was approaching.