St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-01
A SHIP OF'49.
A ROMANCE OF CALIFORNIA.
BY BRET HARTE.
IN THREE PARTS-PART II.

/
listless faces and lounging feet of prone
naders, and was notable in the deserted
/ offices and warehouses still redolent of last
nights gas and strong with the dead
ashes of last nights fires. There
was a brief pause before the busy
| life which ran its course from
'ssteamer day. to steamer day was once more
taken up. In that interval few anxious
spectators and investors breathed freely,
some critical situation was relieved, or some
impending catastrophe momentarily averted.
| In particular, a singular stroke of good for
tune that morning befell Mr.. Mott. He not
only secured new tenant, butt as he saga
ciously believed, introduced into the Pontiac
a counteracting influence to the subtle fasci-
nations of De Ferrieres.
The new tenant apparently possessed a
combination of business shrewdness and
brusque frankness that strongly impressed
his landlord. "You see, Rosey," said Mott,
complacently describing the interview to his
daughter, ''when I sorter intimated in a
keerless kind o. way that sugar kettles and
hair dye was about played out ez securities,
he just planked down the money for two
months in advance. There sez he, that's
your security-now where's mine" q reckon
I don't hitch on, pardner,' sez L; security
what fora 'Spose you sell the ship?' sez
he, 'afore the two months is up. I've heard
that old Sleight wants to buy her. Then
you gets back your money sez I. And
lose my room,' sez he; mot much, old man.
You sign paper that whoever buys the ship
inside O. two months hez to buy me ez a
tenant with it; that's on the square, So 1
sign the paper. 1t was mighty cute in the
young feller, wasn't it!'' he said, scanning
his daughters pretty, puzzled face a
little anxiously; ''and don't you see
ez aint goin' to sell the Pontiac, it's just
about az cute in me, eh? He's contractor
somewhere around yer, and wants to be near
his work. So he takes the room next to the
Frenchman, that that ship captain quit for
the mines, and succeeds materially to his
chest and things. He's mighty peart-look-
ing, that young fellow, Rosey-long black
mustaches, all his own color, Rosey-and
he's regular high stopper, you bet
reckon he's not only been gentleman, but
ez now. Some o. them contractors are very
| high-tonedr'
81 don't think we have any right to give
him the captains chest, father,'' said Rosey:
there may be some private things in it..
| There were some letters and photographs in
the hair dye mans trunk that you gave the
photographer"
'That's just it, Rosey," returned Abner
Mott with sublime Inconsistencies, ''photo-
graphs and love letters you can't sell for
cash, and l don't mind givin' 'em away If
they kin make feller'creature bappy.n
''But, father, have we the right to give lem
away?"
They're collateral security, Rosey," said
her father grimly. "Co-la-te-ral,' he con-
tinued, emphasizing each syllable by tapping
the fist of one hand in the open palm of the
other. "Co-la-te-ral is the word the big bus
iness sharps yer about call 'em- You can't
get round that" He paused moment, and
then, as new idea seemed to be painfully
borne in his round eyes, continued eau
tiously: "Was that the reason why you
wouldn't touch any of them dresses from the
trunks of that opery gal ez skedaddled to
Sacramentoa And yet them trunks I regu-
larly bought at auction, Rosey--at auction
on spec-and they didn't realize the cost of
drayage."
A slight color mounted to Rosey's
face. "No,'' she said hastily, mot that
Hesitating moment she then drew softly to
his side, and, placing her arms around his
neck, turned his broad, foolish face toward
| aha ubay
mother died would you have liked anybody to
take her trunks and paw round her things
and wear themr'
"When your mother died, just this side o.
Sweetwater, Rosey," said Mr.. Mott, with
beaming Inconsistencies, 'she hadn't any
trunks. | reckon she hadn't even an extra
gown hanging up in the waggin, 'cept the
petticoat ez she bad wrapped around yer. II
was about ez much ez we could do to skir-
mish round with Injins, alkli and cold, and
we sorter forgot to dress for dinner. She
never thought, Rosey, that you and me
would live to be inhabitin' paliss of real
ship. Eff she had she would have died a
proud woman.''
He turned his small, loving, bear-like eyes
trusting companion of Ulysses might have
regarded the Transforming Circe. Rosey
| turned away with the faintest sigh. The
habitual look OF abstraction returned TO her
eyes as If she had once more taken refuge in
her own ideal world. Unfortunately the
change did not escape either the sensitive
observation or the fatuous misconception Of
| he Vnjl ba ti,i IA
few furbelows and fxins. Rosey, 1 reckon
ez only natural. Mebbee yell have to prink
up a little now that we've got q
gentleman contractor in the ship. I'll see
what 1 kin pick up in Montgomery street."
And indeed he succeeded few hours later
in accomplishing with equal infelicity his
generous design. When she returned from
her household tasks she found on her berth
a purple velvet bonnet of extraordinary
make and pair of white satin slippers.
"They'll do for a start off, Rosey," ne ex-
planned, ''and got 'em at my fggers."
''But l go out so seldom, father, and a
bonnet
That's so," interrupted Mr.. Mott COM
placently, ''It might be jest ez well for a
young gal like yer to appear ez II she did GO
out, or would 90 out if she wanted to. So
you kin be wearin' that ar heads tall kinder
Ike this evening when the contractors here,
| ez il you'd jest come in from pasear."
Miss Rosey did not, however, Immediately
avail herself Of her fathers purchase, but
coDtented herself with the usual scarlet rib
bon that like a snood confined her brown
hair when she returned TO her tasks. The
space between the galley and the bulwarki
had been her fayorite resort in summer
when not actually engaged in household
work. 1t was now lightly rooted over with
boards and tarpauIin against the winter rain,
but still afforded her Yerznda-like space be-