The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-06-28
- DAVY."
A Fresh Water Sketch.

DaNy McNell coming was abrupt
and characteristic.
We had been pounding against ahead
wind all day, close hauled and barely
holding our own, for the Mary Jane
was fore-and-aft schooner scow, hay
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 q 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
oil 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, CLAW
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 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.
flying jib, jib and stay sail halliards are
let 90 with much confusion, amid col
loquially delivered orders from the
mate, the sails come rafting down the
stays with 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
trife, the little schooner steadies her
self like drunken man who grasps u
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 tlattered by the appellation
of stewart" had been sent ashore at
the last port with locked pay and q 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 locker.
''Git forr' nd, you cussed foolw roared
the irate skipper, as he staggeredup the
companion-way and with mighty oath
douSed the mess overheard. The shock
headed cook following got on deck in
time to receive 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 adiect-
ives of lifetime. And so we were
short-handed.
Captain Tousley, who had spent
long lifetime on salt water, after sew
eral Intellectual attempts to wean him
self had finally retired from active
service only by putting 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, busting hotels, pulling
walters and rulfling the calm serenity
OF the clerks by hopeless endeavor to
reconcile his nautical habits to hotel
life.
One day he accommodated a newly
made, vessel-Owning friend with few
hundred dollars, and a 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 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. Intact, 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 "teach" the
longshore lubbers the science of naviga-
ton"
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.