The Republican journal., 1885-09-24
Naming the Baby.

| y
a good 'eal to ask of an old father like
me-only two of them left, and Bill off
on long VICES. But what makes it hard
for me, John, is Jest what makes YOU
want her. Yes, know it and know
how She feels about it, too though she
don't say much. She amt one O. the
sort, John, that does say much about
her feelings; she Jest keeps quiet and
takes it out in thinkin and feein' and
suspect, prayin', too; jest the sort O
woman for a sailors wife,
John WINGED a little, for it was the
thought Of Margaret that had kept him
from joining Bin on bis present voyage
Capt. Reuben failed to note his uneasy
look, and so he continued
"Just the woman for a sailors wife
She ain't one o the sort that whine and
complain when their husbands are at
home, and CAD among the neighbors be-
cause they are lonesome when they are
Oft. No, she's the kind that'd stay at
home and keep busy, and bear up and
walt cheerful till her man come; and if
he didn't come for year, or two years,
II wouldn't make no difference she'd
wait till he did come. She wouldn't do
like that ar wife Of Enoch Arden that
she was readin' to me bout the other
mght-go and marry another fellow
| Not but lots Of women hey done the
same but, beongin' to a ea-farin' town,
she might hey known that men some
times make mighty long v'iges, and that
gittin' cast away on a desert island amt
no uncommon experience.
"Why, the first v'ige | made, | was
gone four years; sailed out q Boston
Harbor III June, got round to Californy
IN seven months, loaded with hides at
Monterey and San Diego, and put away
Just in time to meet the heaviest blow
that ever struck rggin shipped water
every five minutes for the next four days,
and then sprung leak. But we couldn't
do nothiD' with them hides they TUX
water like a sponge. Pumpin' hadn't no
effect on EN- 50 We tried throWin' 'em
over AcdneSt work | ever did. Well,
between pumpin' and thrown' over, we
managed To get off to Valparaiso but
/ tWa'n't no use. The vessel went down
Just outside the bar, and we pulled into
port in the boats in fair weather, every
man with his box and hammock, and a
good lot q stuff besides, and the Capt n
an the officers with all their beongn's
1t was ridlculOus-shipWrecked in still
water; and all on US in our best clothes !.
Even them good for nothin' South Amer
leans laughed at U.S. Well, stayed
there about six weeks, and then got a
chance on guaner ship for Callao, and
went on her to Marseiles, Thinkin it
was about time for me to report at
Calais, | shipped on board a man-o'- war
bound for Portsmouth. Wei, when we
got oil Gibraltar our Capt'n got instruc-
tions to jine Commodore Perry in Chiuu
waters 50 twas mOre'n four Years after
left fore my keel struck bottom i'll
Calais llarbor. But mother, here-we
weren't married, then, eithcr-was wait
in for ne; and | tell ye, John, Mar
g'ret's just like her"
john listened patiently to this not un-
familiar narrative Of the Captains first
voyage; but thought within himself that
he hardly needed it to confirm him in
his good opinion OF Margaret, yet. with
4 secret mis5iylng lest the Old mans
loyalty to his calling might c0nsign his
daughter to the sad tate Of 4 sailors
wife. and he secretly resolved, if that
We're the case, to be the sailor
''But, John, Id Just rs soon she
shouldn't marry Il sailor. It don't DO
women amy good to live alone moren
nine tenths Of the time and have all the
care Of the house and family, and lie
awake stormy nights when their hus
bands are OF the coast; it's Wearin', and
there amt much comfort i'll it. Now,
John, I've DO sort Of objections to YOU
You'd make her good husband, even il
You amt quite worthy of her don't
know any man that is. That is my
opinion Of Margret'
johns face frightened at this, and he
very warmly seconded Captain Reubens
opinion Of his daughter without dis
claimer as to himself.
'But John, Eve thought that p'r'aps
she'd better not marry any body, unless
she's very much set on it herself You
know how it's, John. She aint strong,
and she don't get no stronger with years.
Shes the kind that goes early, john
too good and pure like to stay here.
She tavors my mother, they say, jist sech
halr and SKIN, and llst Sech calm, steady
eyes; looks as if on the lookout for the
final harbOr You know how It's with
such, John. And I've thought she'd
better Stay here with mother and me,
and p'r'aps We'll all get ready to sail
bout the same time. providin', John, she
don't think otherwise. Bless her soul,
John, she shall do just as she pleases'
John thought it would have been quite
as easy to have said this at the outset
but the conclusion satisfied him, and be
was already aware that a retired sea
captain in Calais did not always make
the shortest voyage between the begin
ming and end of land matters
'NoW, John, | want you to go down
and look over that boat Eve been repair
IN. Them pieces of oak and ash you
sent round was the best stuff I've seen
for long time; none of your swamp
growth, full of fresh water"
John and Margaret settled the ques-
ton thus thrown upon them, the same
evening, though not without her press
ING on him those reasons that had
weighed 50 tenderly on her father But
, John had already considered the matter
and decided that Margaret was the one
woman in the world for him, whether
strong or weak.
And so they were married, one June
morning, in the little parlor that looked
upon the sea, the only guests being heI
Sunday school class, and Uncle Moses
California "Forty miner" who rivaled
his brother in the abundance of his
leisure and the length of his years
While the Captain was ploughing the
seas, he was mining in the Sierras, and
had returned to Calais about the same
time, somewhat the richer of the two
but with a heart no contact with the
rough world could ever chill or harden
Captain Reuben and Uncle Moses, as
they were called in all Calais, were gen
orally seen together-one in pea jacket
and the other in a miners shirt, and
pants tucked within his boots which
arrangement he always insisted was
"'Cordin to natur' and common sense"
The towns people who read Dickens
called them the Cheeryble Brothers
those who read only the newspapers call
ed them the Siamese Twins but every.
body loved them, and not a few blessed
, them tor better reasons than the gooC
words and cheer they dispensed in the
; meeting places of the little town.
John Moss was in the enjoyment of 8
small, but rapidly growing lumber bust
ness, when he married Margaret Sewell.
;