New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-05-06

child of about eleven.
well" said Bartlett, after he had
slowly surveyed her from head to foot
and from foot back again to head, and
noted that she was apparently of very
superior order Of stowaway, her clothes
being good, and her physical appear
ance that of ia child well looked after,
"who are you?"
"Mary Jane Johnsworth," was the
ready reply.
''Mary Jane Johnsworth,' repeated
the skipper; wall, and what the tar
nal does Mary Jane Johnsworth want
hidin' of herself aboard a craft as don't
belong to her?"
II don't know" was the answer.
g. You don't know. Got father and
mother?" asked Bartlett.
eyes sir" answered the child.
''Then what are yer a-slopin' from
home fur?"
''I'm not. I'm going home"
s"Then you'rea Br1tisher, I reckon. !"
MARY Jane is my name; England is my
nation,
Birkenhead is my dwelling place, and"-
said the child.
Captain Bartlett filled up the rhyme
with something which was not "salva-
ton, % then took turn or two along the
bridge, keeping his eye on the child all
the time, as If she was some rare zoolog-
ical specimen.
"Wall. he said, stopping suddenly,
IF you wur man, or boy, do you
know what 1 should do with you?"
"Ask me If [ could eat anything 2"
was the reply"
Captain Bartlett took his cigar from
his mouth, and looked at her with in
creased amazement.
"Great Scott" he calculated, you've
got sass anyway. Mr.. Slope, take her
ferr'ard and see that she has something
to eat, and-Mr Slope, send hand
aloft, and report the hearings of the
"Cockney."
The report presently came that the
"Cockney" was out of sight.
"Brandy's a derned FOOL" chuckled
the skipper.
In half an hour Mr.. Slope reappeared
on the bridge.
''She's a queer 'un, that Their kid,
sir" he said; II left her with couple
O. pounds O beef, and loaf O. bread,
an potaters, an fxins', and I'm blessed
if she hadn't slowed it away in quar-
ter Of an hour. She's proper stow
away, she is sir"
"Poor little cuss!" said Bartlett: II
reckon I should like to- have ten
minutes talk with her skunk. of a
father, OF whoever her friend is.
Thar's one thing, Brandy's hundred
pound'll pay for her passage, an that's
fact"
Three days passed, three days of
glorious weather and calm sea, and the
"Plcayune" made her twelve knots
regularly every hour. Mary Jane
Johnsworth in this time established
herself as general favorite with officers
and crew, and particularly with the
skipper. She could sing any amount
of old sea songs, could initiate to the
life the noise made by the men as they
ran round the capstan to the shanty Of
Johnny Franswaw" or the "Shanan-
dore." She could dance, and with all
she had such pretty, piquant ways,
that there was not man on board who
would not have done anything to please
her, from the skipper to the stewards
boy. Her appetite continued huge;
with ease she put away twice the ration
of an ordinary seaman, although she
had a whim of preferring to have her
meals alone at all sorts Of odd times.
On the fifth day out, Marcus, the
black cook, came aft with long face to
the skipper.
please, sah," he said, j" I nebber
seed such ting in all my horned days,
nebber!"
'sWhat is it, you vagabond ?" demand
ed Bartlett.
"Why, sab" replied the cook, "de
steward he glib me beef, an mutton, an
pork, an mlasses, an, flour, an biscuit,
cherry mornin', and it go!"
what dye mean, it go? of course,
1t co." said the Captain, Eyer don't
reckon ships stores amt made to 60"
"Dats jes'what sez to myself, seq ], =
replied Marcus. "ShipIs stores is
meant to go, but dey isn't meant to Ay.'
''Wher do they fly to, you black-iiv.
cred skunk?" asked the skipper angri]y.
''Dat's jes' the oder ting 1 asks my
SELF" replied the cook, g wher does they
fly to? Steward he glib me over lowance.
Dat amt no good worth cent"
II reckon some of the boys rob you,
Marcus" said Bartlett; Jest you ieer
that weather eye O yourn open, an il
you ketch any skunk prowlin' around
the galley when you amt thar, jos'fetch
him over the head with anything handy
and then tell me. You can bet your
bottom dollar he won't do it second
time"
Marcus took all possible precautions
After nightfall he would prowl about
the galley with marling- spike in hand
ready to pounce upon any hungry foe sic
hand or fireman who should be tempted
to tap the provision store in the galley
He and Mary Jane were the very best o.
friends, and in return for little delcacies
he made her, she would offer to keet
watch whilst he snoozed or joined the
hands in sky larking.
Still, the provisions went, and til.
rum went, and the shippers whisky
went, and neither Marcus nor Mar
i Jane. nor any one else con1d imao;n.