Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1890-03-26
The Captains Story.

THAT'S just the best glass that ever
sailor-man clapped eye to" said bluff
Captain Martin, as, seated in his snug
cabin, | took from rack big, old
fashioned ships spy-glass. or telescope,
bearing silver plate with inscription.
"The English government presented
my old father, captain of the clipper
ship Martha Washington, with that
glass for saving British crew at the
risk of his own vessel. It's the most
precious thing | have on earth, except
my wife and my ship-and it saved me
from dying by the rope on the gallows.
The captain took the instrument
from me and patted it lovingly as he
nursed it in his arms.
"Give us the yarn, cap!"
"Well don't mind-maybe you
can make a story out of IT,"
IL was board ship with father until
he died-mother had gone three years
before. had no relations and few
friends. ! thought Ed try land
cruise so packs this old glass with my
little dunnage and hoofs off for the
Yankee States.
"Up near the Canada line got
work with farmer. knew nothing
of farming, but was tall, stout, strong
and willing, just twenty-one, and
hearty as live oak ! was on that
farm at Round Lake for over year,
and folks got to like. me very we'll.
There was one liked more than well
that was Jean, the adopted daughter
of an old Frenchman, named Bazine,
who with his wife aud nephew lived
in very lonely old house down on
the lake shore. Jean was as trim a
built little craft as ever carried tidy
rigging. made chase after first
sight of her, and sometimes she show
ed signs of surrender. She was light
ming for work, aud old Monseer and
Misses Bazine didn't encourage any
one they thought might take her away.
Besides they wanted their sullen,
round. shouldered. bad-eyed nephew,
Peter Carter, to marry her.
"No one knew anything of old Ba-
zine, except that he came there several
years before. He would answer no
questions. He must have been rich
once, for he had great sideboard
covered with heavy, old fashioned
silver plate. But he was miserly now
and cranky in his ways of farming
and in all things else. The people
were sure he had lots of money hid
den in the house, for he often paid for
goods in foreign gold coin.
Jean and got to meeting in the
early evenings, and was certain she
cared for me But one night after
all day in the harvest feld-wc used
to have whisky ihen-wbat had
drank went to my head-my legs were
steady, but | cit the liquor and show
ed it. The stubborn in me walked up
and i walked right to old Bazine's
house and asked to see Jean.
THE old man raved and tore and
gave me good cursing. paid him
back IN the same.
FINALLY Jean put in an appearance,
and showed me she was mad at me
for coming to the house, and also for
being half, or more, drunk. What
she said riled me, and / turned on my
heel and left.
81 felt pretty bad that night, | was
mad still, and yet ashamed of myself.
| was up at first crack of dawn, and
as soon as it was sun-up, goes with
this old spy-glass to rock from which
| could see Bazine's house and all its
surroundings, about mile away
This was the only point about
from which such sights could be obtain
ed. J. had discovered il by accident,
and used to lay there in the early
evening aud watch through the glass
for Jean to come out Of the house and
make for our meeting place.
IL watched to see her come out that
morning, at milking time, intending
to hurry over and try to square mat
tiers with her, for had concluded to
TO leave and 60 sea again for awhile.
But she didn't come out, for the reason
as found long after, that when / left
her before, old Bazine had abused me
until she stood up for me, then he
turned on her and struck her, and she
had left the house at once and gone to
a girl friend two miles away. / saw
some things through this glass that
morning, but thought nothing Of them
at the time. When my boss showed
up at breakfast I demanded my wages