Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-06-27
STARTLING THE CAPTAIN.


so calm and blue, and all over littl
trembles? 1 should be perfectly, per
fectIy happy if the Captain weren't 81
awfully crosSI | really do believe h,
must be a great bear, and can't talk. HI
only growls when l play near him, anC
never smiles or even looks at me. YOu
told me, mother, that the Captain woul(
be kind to me, and give me sweeties."
"Yes, most captains have seen have
been very fond of the children on theil
ships, and have petted them good deal
But You see, Rosie, Captain Howard is &
very silent man, and perhaps little girls
worry them"
Il don't mean to worry him, mother
I'm sure I'm not rude. | do wish ht
would be kind
Rosie was coming back to England
was the only child on board, and very
merry and bright one, everybody made
great fuss over her, except the big
burly Captain, though capital sailor
was not an agreeable man, and seemed
to be always morOse and surly.
But nothing could really keep down
ROSie's spirils. She was skipping and
rOmping about the deck from morning
to night, and was always getting into
some Scrape or other.
She would tumble down the hatchway,
trip over ringbOlt, and whenever any
painting was going on she would besure
to go and hug the newly-painted STAN
chiOnS, or worse still, step into one
of the huge paint-pOts. Her ayah (Indi-
an nurse, was especially Mortified at the
spelling of the missile baba's Qittle
misss) pretty frocks.
This ayah was very interesting
looking person. She wore strip of
soft muslin around her body and over
her head, and was nearly covered with
iewelry.
She had about a dozen earrings in
ear, and large one through her nose,
and wore rings on her toes as well as her
fingers, and no end of bangles on her
arms and ankles.
One morning Rosa had persuaded the
chief olficer-to let her come upon the
hurricane deck.
The steep climb and the strong breeze
made her more lively than ever, and she
poured out her high spirits in all sorts
of pranks.
There's another of those funny-look
ing chimneySr cried she, rushing at [ ne
of the ventilatOrs which are placed all
over the deck to catch the air and bring
it down to the cabins below. "If II only
could climb up here 1 shall be taller
than anybody on the whole ship. Oh, |
shall nearly reach the masts and the blue
skyw
And, before the officer could prevent
her, she had scrambled up the ventila-
tor, and standing on the rim of the
opening, waved her hands triumphantly,
crying out
Il am monarch of all i"
But here the ''mOnarch's' foot slipped,
and, before she could finish her sentence,
down she tumbled into the gaping
mouth of the chimney-shaped Ventila-
tor, and disappeared from the dismayed
officers sight.
Now this ventilator led straight down
into the Captains room, and great was
his amazement when, in getting up
from his chair, yawning and stretching
himself, little girl came bang into his
arms from above, like a thunder-bolt.
So he instinctively clasped her to him
to save her from falling farther, and she
flung her arms right around his great
sunburnt neck, sobbing out
"Save me! save me! Please do not
let me go!''
Very carefully and tenderly the huge
rough man felt her tiny limbs to see
that no bones were broken, and finding
she was all right, laid her softly in his
bunk.
His only idea of quieting a child was
a dose of,cakes and coffee, so he called to
the steward to bring him some at once.
Rosie soon recovered from her fright;
and after the Captain had shown her
the pretty things and curiosities of his
room she led him on to talking of him
self, and then he brought out picture
of his own little girl Gust about ROsie's
agel who had died when he was last
home.
The Captain looked so very sad when
he spoke of his child that Rosie threw
her arms around his neck again, and
kissed him, and told him how very, very
sorry she was for him.
For the rest of the voyage not day
passed without Rosie spending part of
it in the Captains room; and somehow
or other they always found plenty to
talk to one another about, and seemed
very happy and cOntented together
ECeRiRq Post.