The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-07-10
Mary Jane with the skipper and the

ACA0 was Oub Ouo oO1utlOu W Cut
mystery. The ship Yves haunted
Strange stories were told with batet
breath about spirits who lived on boarc
ships, of which the skipper or an Officer
was a bad man; big, bearded men, wht
had braved danger in every part of til;
world, related all they had ever hearc
of gnomes and sea spirites with {
spite against a certain craft, or a Ger
tain member of its:crew, with seriou.
mods and winks.
Bartlett alone pooll-poohed these idlt
tales. and linked the believers will
Captain Brandy in his category o.
"derned fools, "and almostgot angry will
the little girl for sharing the popular
creed.
Mary Jane enjoyed herself immensely
The weather was perfect, so that she
could romp about as much as she liked
her appetite maintained its invariabls
excellence, although she generally hat
her meals alone, and nobody could
swear that she ate all that was placed
before her.
This last fact gave Captain Bartlett
an idea. She was the thief. He knew
that she was a favorite with the men
and he knew from long experience that
the men were up to any dodge to get ar
increase of rations and grog. They had
got over the innocent little thing with
their soft sawder. He watched her.
The steward set before her for supper
one evening meat and biscuit enough fol
three men, and left her. Bartlett from
the bunk of an empty cabin saw her fall
to with fair appetite for a while, al
though he remarked that she did not
eat extraordinarily for a healthy, grow
ing child.
When she had finished, she pulled
out a linen bag from her pocket, and
into it she put all that was left. Then
she rose gently, got on to the seat, took
down the whisky bottle from the shell
swinging above her head, and poured
half its contents into a flask.
Then she stole away, Bartlett after
her. Right forward she went along the
deserted deck, and disappeared in the
darkness under the raised foc'sle.
"Wall," said the skipper to himself,
"ef this don't beat 'possum trackin',
bust me of I know what does, an that's
a fact. They're a cunnin lot O. rascals
they are! Jes' think that they should
come it over a poor innocent little kid
like that thar, anthem try an blarney
me with a lot of yarns bout spirits !!
We're ten days out, anyway, an we'll
make Liverpool to-morrer, so that it
doesn't signify wuth much, an Brandy's
hundred pound'H pay; but its real
mean, that's what it is"
Bartlett, who, with all his rough.
ness, was a kind-hearted man, could
not bring himself to tell Mary Jane
what he had seen, but he became con
cerned with a new thought. What
was to be done with her on landing! :
She lived in Birkenhead, but how was
he to find out in a huge place like
Birkenhead where she lived and who
her parents we're? Take her to his own
home he dare not; partly because Mrs.
Bartlett had five youngsters of her own,
and, partly, because she was q bit of 8
Tartar, and would be sure to be down
pretty heavily on him for taking SO
much notice of a strange, stowaway
child, when he was always complain.
ing about the expense and worry O.
his own.
So this question as to the disposition
of Mary Jane Johnsworth vexed Cap.
tain Bartlett all the next day, and un-
till next evening, when Holyhead
Light was sighted, and his attention
was directed to other matters.
Little Mary Jane was in a state O.
great excitement at the approach to hel
land, now running to one side of the
deck, now to the other, then scuttlinp
up the companion ladder to the bridge,
then darting into the galley to poster
Marcus with all sorts Of questions, to
which the faithful negro had to invent
answers, then dashing away into the
foc'sle until it was dark and she could
see no lore.
At midnight, the "Picayune," Cap
tain Bartlett, was safe alongside the
dock quay, and the Captain himself, af-
ter a bothering day, was at liberty tc
turn in.
Poor little kid" he said as he ca
ressed Mary James fair hair; land
what's to become of you? I'm real sor.
ry that the voyage is finished, as I've
got uncommon fond o you. Mary Jane,
an eff I hadn't kids of my own, I'd like
to change your name to Mary Jane
Bartlett, and turn you out a real lady
Us your home here ?" asked the child
looking up in the Captains face with ar
artless gaze.
yes, my sugar stick" replied the
Captain. "Nummer IL Providence
Road, that's where the Missis is located
but she's agoin' back to New York, she
is,next trip. But look yer, I reckon
you're a bit tired; you go an turn in an
to-morrer we'll see what's to be DONE
So he kissed the child as he babe he,
goodnight and she battered eff singing
as if it were midday.
"Poor little kid poor little kid" soil.
oquized the Captain when she had gone,
81 should like to. have ten minute.
with them brutes as have sent her away
Like this, and that's a factl"
Early next morning, the Captain
sent a hand ashore to find out if the
"Cockney" had by chance arrived dur
ing the night.
"Not that / reckon she's more'n hal
way across the pond" he said to him
self; "but Brandy's up to lodges, he is
dAGLouSu ne 10 SUCH uerueu ioOl.
The reply came that the "Cockney
had not arrived.
"Wall, then. I reckon I needn't hur
ry ashore" said Bartlett.
He was in the saloon going over hi
papers with the customs officers, wher
the chief mate appeared at the doc.
with a broad grin in his face.
"Thar's a gentleman an lady come
aboard and wants to see you, sir"
"a gentleman an a lady!" repeated
the skipper. "Great Thunder! VIII,
are they? Tell 'em-ro, show 'em in
say, Nj. Slope, is the kid up yet?"
dunno. sir, I'll see," replied the of
fcer, and disappeared. The skippe
bent over his papers again, but wa
| disturbed by the entrance Of the yis