New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-28
MRS. BAGSHAW'S FISHING.
A SUMMER EPISODE AT NANTUCKET

|
Did you ever come to Nantucket. and when you
| were here did you go bluefshngl These the
Two questions Mr.. Bagshaw asks every friend hc
meets. True, Il is not yet two weeks since he went
himself and for the first tmc but he makes his In
| tcrrogaon with air as II he had been on that
| trip every summer all his life and could tell
| him anything the subject. lie did not go alone.
| lie took his wife. and there's not but knows
| a bueHshng trip, any other. Is very different
thing II there IS woman along. Mr.. Bagshaw did
| not mean to take his wife and did not want her. bur
she said IL It was fitting for him to catch bluchsh II
WAS fitting for her to catch them, too. lie tried to
expain that perhaps they wouldn't bite meaning the
osb that n is very rough work he understood that
| n nerson was generally drcnchcd with salt water. and
ALWAYS had rheumatism afterwad. She said dcvotedly
that they needn't bite II they didn't want TO- meaning
| the fish: no matter II II were rough, OF II she go'
| dfenched and had rheumatism; her place was Desiuc
| him This devotion made him sigh as he Kissed her
before he went TO his office. lie was very cross 'ha'
morning and swore at his booRkeeper. lie wished he
| had NOT told hIs wife he was going. He wished-he
ouite shrddercd when be stopped to think what nc
! had almost wished concerning Mrs. BagShaw VINO
everybody was continually saying made him tne DeS'
| OF wives.
lie Sat in the office and held up his paper beiore
ME face and scowIed like q pirate Instead OF Deins
thankful 10 heaven that his life companion could not
| bear TO be separated day from him, he reD'heu
| against a kind Providence. He had never dIea'hc"
| that Mrs Bagshaw would go blueishlng' ~ Is pos-
slble that ne had chosen this particular form Oh IT.
creation because he thought she would not go pu'
this is dreadful suspicion TO have concerning MIS-
| Bagshaw's husband.
| lie had invited his friend Lorng. They weT
| going TO smoke I'm the boat. They were 10 nave
| champagne on some ice. Thunder! Mrs bagshaw
could not bear a Whit OF smoke, and she pronounce"
| It sinful TO taste champagne.
The gentleman slapped down his paper ana "e'i.
there was any way to get of IT. He was caleni
| TO explain to his friend that he onged to nave MS
wife present but that he anxious lest she might
| be made ILL., She did not realize what 1t was. nc
| said dcspondenty.
"Iet her co. replied Iorlng grlHly. 4" let her go
and find ont. II she is sick, half drowned she IL
believe what you tell her"
The speakers tone signlned that ~ hoped she
would be both sick and half drowned; It was relief
| to Bagshaw to hear II.
| He walked sadly away. lie knew that his consor'
would do far more than believe. lie kncw-aas =
people could only guess what he knew
| lie thanked his stars however that IOring would
be present: his presence would be worth great deal
late the afternoon he received the following hnrrcu
note:
"Dear Bagshaw-Too bad 1 can't go bluefshins
with you. Called down to Maine. Shan't be back
| for a fortnight"
am afraid the recipient OF this swore again as he
! read The worst OF II was he morally certain
| he knew why Loring backed out.
lie went home early to dinner lie
was very afable At dessert he said.
casually. that he guessed they wouldn't have
their bluefshing after ALL How could he know that
| the lady opposite him had all day been fixing over
dress for the trip, and that 1t was remarkably be-
| comlngi
| She looked up inteIrogaivey.
.Ioying IS called to Maine" said Bagshaw. easily
| h,sha
| "You can't expect me to mourn because that great
hulklng brute Is going TO Maine, can you. dear'' she
asked gently. She smiled again as she added: Now
we Will have journey all to ourselves. 1t VIII
| be lovely TO go with you alone Albert
| What could Albert do but look gratifed' And yet
| he was thinking Of the cigars aud wine he could not
have After dinner he hurried ont and cOunter-or-
| dercd the champagne he had meant to take In
| hamper lie looked at a box Of prime cigars he had
| purchased to go I'm the hamper, and he banged shut
the cover OF the box and cursed his stars lie kne"
very well that when his Alicia the pleasantest
| she was the most resolved. lie knew what that
| shining smile meant hen it camo upon the beloved
| face lie knew and he succumbed. Who could tell
| so well as he what his life would Immediately be-
come If he did not take his wife to Nantucket
The pair arrived safely at New-Bedford. Among
| other things, Mrs. Bagshaw had with her package
| OF bananas She never travelled without them. In
| they start upon a summer trip, that moment begin
| 70 eat bananas. This lady always calmly assumed
that her husband liked them because she did AT
any rate she fed this fruit him at intervals after
| they on the boat
| In an unglarded moment Mr. Bagshaw when away
from his wife, had been heard TO say that he sup
| posed no man ever hated anything as he hated the
| Internal banana. But he ate it, ON the water part
of the tourney from New Bedford he ate three large
specimens Still, he had some slight compensation
for this heroism his par, by the privilege when
came TO him later of cons gnng them from bis stomach
to the ocean. This privilege occurred as they were
| appipachng Nantucket town. and while his wife was
pointing out its beauties to him. Then she gave MIN
| Jamaica ginger without which she never went any
| where on salt water. | suppose no man was ever
| the recipient Of such was Albert basSlaw'
| You should have seen his wife bend toward HIM. ana
| ask II he did not think he felt a ltle, Just very
| little, better.
| They did not try 10 60 fishing that day. haVihg
taken room hotel, where they left their panana'
and their jamaica ginger they went round the town
| and were very much interested in the lo0Kou's Old
the tops of some of the Old houses, where tho people
climbed TO gaze for the return of whalers
Mrs Bagshaw told her husband all about this as
she walked him by the old wharvcs. She had just eau
| a very minute guide book, but she seemed 10 nave
| composed the information the spot or TO nave
| known It always She informed her husband tha all
the original settlers on the island were genuine
aristocrats and that TO have descended from one OF
them was a distinction for which to be grateful She
said that as for herself, il she had not married Sag
shaw she should have wished tO be the wife Oh
Coffin or a statbuck Nearly all the Inhabitants were
Interested in the French spoliaion claims ana when
| those werc paid they would he rich
| Whom their stroll was ended Mr.. Bagshaw felt
brimful of information
Refore they returned to the hote he. guided by his
| wife engaged Yacht for fishing for the next day.
They engaged 1t Of the owner. Captain Levi swan.
CAPTAIN swan seemed 10 be remarkably honest klnd
Of a man. like some Of the farmers one meets IN the
| back country-a man who did not know what cheat
ing or eXorbItance were but Just wanted always !"
| do the right thing" by everybody.
| While they talked with him he let them know
that his mother had been sarbuck. and that some
| tlmns thcy had reckOned on getting " Slice outer