San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-09-01

in old Joe Grapple's Office.
eyes, yes, know the Fish well enough"
said the lawyer impatiently. "Cfet to the
point, John. Come to the business"
swell, will, sir, fast as l can. But We
might GIN me a little tirse, Mr.. Wyckel, for
old times sake. Well, as I was a-sayin', we
KEEP the Fish a-goin' pretty tight through
the season, year an year, an never herd but
we give good satisfaction-tried to, anyway.
We was misfortinate some years-bought on
a venture sometimes and lost, or the Fish
would carry away somethin' in blow. But
takin' one year with another we couldn't
complain, an managed to lay by somethin'
handsome, case of anything should happen.
But the tide turned in 40, an the GIBBS left
me in pretty shoal water My wife Emily
died in 80, an that was hard blow, though
Kit and me bore up the best we could. But
since then, seems as if everything went
wrong. bought hay of the farmers on a
spec one winter, an it went down third on
my hands Then a lubberly Brexam schooner
went an run into US in the Gate, an cost me
more'n could well spare to repair, lettin
alone losing the freights of four regla trips
in the drivin'st time o. year. Then they went
and started that Internal propeller on my
route and was fool enough to try to fight
em off But it wasn't no use, as l might a
known. Sheet an sail amt no sort o.
match for steam and screw. But l had got
reckless like; didn't care; didn't stop to
think or count. fought em desperate: car
ried for half what it cost me to run the
schooner; carried for anythin' or for nothin'
rather than let the stuff go to the Dread
nought Week after week the bank book
dwindled more and more. Kit tried an
tried to git me to hold on to what we had,
an try some other place. But l was mad
an fool, an KEEP on, losin' regular every
trip i!2vou y. coo that couldn't last for.
ever. One week I come home an there
wasn't no more money at the bank. But l
wouldn't stop even then. We had passed the
Dreadnought on our way up, an Delevan an
his crew chaffed us as they went by and give
three cheers for the Dyin' Fish. l couldn't
STAN that no how. swore I'd take freights
free the next day she loaded, IN l did. l
borryed what 1 could from the farmers an
took full load that day anyway. Delevan
laughed on the other side of his mouth that
night-ha, ha!
But that was my last trip. I couldn't
borry no more money-couldn't pay what l
had borryed. They come down on me; got
rachment on to the Fish, an sold me up.
She went for song, poor thing! to Ben
Egerley, of Northhaven, and after sheriff,
constable and lawyers no offense, Mr..
Wyckel-had got all they could lay their
hands on, there was just enough to pay the
loan, an ten dollars an a quarter to me.
Well, l don't exactly remember just what
happened since: been little wild, think,
for some time-a little wrong, you know.
wouldn't a cared so if t hadn't been for the
Fish. I'd got so used to her ways, We see,
sir; come to feel to her like she was alive
like she was human. I amt 80 young as
was once, Mr.. Wyckel, an it's hard work
rowin' up stream when you've got SO far
down If it wasn't for Kit, sir, think I'd a
gone an drowned myself when they sold the
Fish. Ye see, I wasn't just right in my
head But my Kits the best girl, sir, an the
| handsomest. She never give me one hard
word for all my crazy folly. Father she
says, we've been mistortinate, but we mustn't
give in. You've had hard times, father she
says, but you must keep good heart. We
must bear up an try again. You'll try,
father, won't YOU says Kit, for my sakeF
An promised her l would, sir, an God help
me, will
can that's what I've come about today.
sir. don't know how it's, but somehow
can't bear to think of goin' on the water
under another man, after bein' master so
long in the Fish. Howsever there's bit of
land on Kensel Point that cousin of ours
left to Kit some years ago. Wedtry an sell
Off part of il to start on the rest with the
r:oney, but e. she promised cbat she'd never
SCI! il IS long Is she lived So I've come to
as; you, SIR, to lend us five hundred TO start
with. Wen give You a mortgage on the
place, al think we can pay you the interest
regular, en- clear it all of, in three years.
Kit an me made some calculations long OF
the crops, an Tn pretty sure We can promise
that safe enough. I've brought the deeds Of
the place so you can see it's all clear"
Tho lawyer took the papers, examined them
carefully, and said:
This is all straight, l believe. John.
know the farm, think-the old Halliburton
place, isn't it, on the harbor side of the
neckf"
Eyes: that's it." Grale answered. you'll
be easy on us in the terms, Mr.. Wyckel, for
the sake of old times"
"I'll make it right" said Wyckel "You
know these things must be done according to
rule and custom"
He stepped into the outer Office and spoke
to one Of ,he clerks:
"Mr. Marshal, will you take a mortgage
and ELL it out according to this deed! take q
blank with interest, assessment and insurance
clauses. And make 1T twenty days default,
at : per cena-for five hundred at three
years."
Abraham Wyckel knew perfectly well that
rule ard custom made a mortgage from thirty
to sixty days default; but his rule and Gus