Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-12-17
THE STUPID COUPLE.
How Thoy Became tho Heroes OF
the SHASTA g.

"The stupid couplc"--at least tina
was what the other paSsensers called
them during the frs, few days Of the
voyage after the ship had sailed from
Queenstown.
John Picrrepoint and his wife had
come ON board the Shasta at Queens
town by the last tender few minutes
before the propeller commenced to re-
volye slowly, and they had not yet
found their s,ateroom when the signal
"Ful speed ahead" passed from the
bridge to the engine-room. She was
the largest and newest ship Of the line,
and was commanded by the company's
Commodore, Captain Hood, a general
fayorite.
John Pierrcpoint and his wife seemed
TO b. particularly inexperienced in
travel. and therefore deserving Of being
rallied stupid they must certainly never
have taken long voyage before; they
showed no disposition 10 struggle for
what some thought the best seats at tn
bic. and they accepted without u grum-
bic the StateroOm assigned 20 them,
which was one OF the smallest in the
ship. In fact. they were too easily sat
isiied. The PierrepointS were reserved
because they knew no one on board,
but this seemed to give them no con-
Germ, they being perfectly satisfied with
their own society.
The weather was splendid out in the
Atlantic. The ocean had it, long low
roll, sometimes showing ripple where
the winds touched II tenderly. and some
times crisped by light breeze. which
generally died away at sunset. and each
d,y the voyagcrS saw red sun sinking
into the water right ahead At length.
one aftcrnoOn-'the voyage was half
vcr-mid-Atlantic had been reached.
PicrrepOin, and his wife were far aft on
thc poop. close to the rail. he reading
and she knitting. as their custom was,
She j. fair. gracious woman, with gray
eyes and squirrel-colored hair, perhaps
about twenty-five years of age. lie IL
long.limbcd. well.knit fellow of thirty,
decp-chestcd and lean, black-haired,
with a crisp beard and tawny skin. He
f. dressed in one Of his old white flannel
crickcting suits, with hat OF the same
stuff
There was one passenger who attract
ell more attention than any other. and
this was not Young lady, nor gentle
man with diamond pin; he WAS simply
little boy Of eight; but then he was
Captain Hoods son. and every one
wished to be friendly with him and To
amuSc him. He had made friends Of all
The passengers, and was quite nj home
on board. and now was running to and
fro on the poop among the groups OF
ladies and gentlemen rolling u great
colored ball Of hollow India rubber.
Captain Hoods home was on the Hud-
son. u few miles from New York City.
His elder children were girls, and little
Jack was his only son. IL had been an
old promise that as soon ~ Jack was
eight years Of age his father was 10 take
him on voyage 10 England and back.
When the time came, and Captain Hood
saw he could take Jack over, his mother
was very unwilling to let him 60; she
feared some harm might happen to him,
and raised all the difficulties and objec-
tons she possibly could; but Jack and
his. father carried the day. The first
eastward run of the Shasta was chance
not la bo missed: and the weather was
very fine and settled. Mrs. Hood with
her daughters came down TO the wharf
In New York TO sec the steamer OH Her
last words 10 her husband were: IKE
member. IL Won don't bring Jack safe
home YOU needn't come without him.
The CAPTAIN remembered. these words
LATER. lie replied: ',Alli right, little
woman; we'll be back with you for
breakfast some fine morning in less than
I've weeks"
During the voyage to Liverpool all
went wen. The chief stewar,leSs took
Jack under her special care, and he
slept in her cabin. lie had become
quite friendly with many OF the sailors,
and he had not the least objection to n
confidential chat with some of the grimy
and half-naked stokers, most OF them
Irishmen. who came up on deck when
they could from the depths Of the stoke
hole TO get breath OF fresh air. The
solemn old Scotch engineer was his par
ticular fayoritc.
Jack Hood was rolling his great ball
sud rushing about after IL screaming
with delight. when suddenly after n
strong throw II fell on the rail and then
with bound into the sea The child
stood still second. and then, running
70 where his ball had disappeared. he
,limbed on the rail to see what had b.