Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-24
Ill.

'.Like everything else, this marrying bust
ness is pretty much q matter Of circum
Stances explained the captain 10 me two
years later.
We had arrived on the island after . Ion,
absence. The old fellow was changed-greatl,
changed. His beard and his speech and hi
dress were all better trimmed and he bore AZ
air Of intense respectability.
snow, for instance" he went on, stake ,
man who's got his notions set He goes OF
through life without finding anybody to d
them notions You can't blame him for stay
ing single. But suppose that man is put on
island and he finds a woman there fine
woman, too-apd the circumstances throw then
at each other every day In the week, why, what
to be done, notions or no notions, but to cali in
the first preacher that comes along?'
Captain, your logic is beneath respect, and
what's more, I'd like 20 know if an old woman.
hater like you has any right to talk about mar.
riage? Has an in6del right to preach from G
pulpit2''
"Yss, he has-when he gifts converted.
Haven't you heard?''
You don't mean to say"
"ies, do. I'm converted. Oh. I'm married
You needn't laugh. 1t wasn't my fault; it was
circumstances. You see, after Henry's death
from heart disease in that wreck. we all said
the wilder should have the school back but
there was another wilder in the way, and she
said she was going to stay on the island on ac-
count Of her health, and there we were Talk
about your circumstances, two widders is q
whole boat load. Well, had to 20 to SEQ the
second wilder about the school and so on, and
found out she wasn't going to bulge, and the
only way to get her out of the school was for
somebody to marry her. Iswore to myself that
Henry's wife should get back in that school il
/ had to turn Mormon and marry a whole
county full Of widders. So kept on going to
see her, and pretty soon we dropped school and
hecr 70 al oh 9th
such like. all Of which was q d-d-draggled--
"'Draggled,' captain"
The captain gave a sigh Of infinite pathos
and continued: Yes, draggledi That's one OF
the drawbacks Of marriage-she won't let me
swear; won't let me say anything worse than
draggled. Now, don't you listen to the yarns
the boys III tell you about the hard time had
giving il up. 1t was hard, but as was saving.
that going to see the wilder got to be q drag
gled sight pleasanter than / ever imagined and
inside Of . month we called in q preacher. And
20 Henrys wilder got the school, and she's GOT
1t yet. and We built her that new house over
yonder, and il there's anything she wants on
this island or anywhere else, the boys will GET
1t for her, and thank her for letting 'em do t.
y suppose. captain, that you like married
Like ita Young man, was here on earth
nfty-one years, and when was Hfty-two-the
day the preacher came nj commenced To
live. I've got the best wife in the world. She "a
the best woman in the world except Henry 9
wilder, who 10 the best woman in the world
except my wife. But here We are at the station.
You'll stay for dinner, and after We eat ven 90
over and look at the boys grave"
IL was delightful to be welcomed By such .
woman - Mrs. Graves, but it was strange, very
strange, to zee the captain bow his head with
real reverence, and hear him say grace with
genuine JUNCTION.
Late In the afternoon We strolled over TO the
little cemetery. We stood together by the
carefully kept grave, and read this inscription:
"Here Lies the Body Of Henry Dane, Aged
Is Years, Who Gave His Life. November Is, for
by his Comrades Of the Robb's Island sxation.
Greater love hath no man than this. that man
lay down his life for his frisnds-& JoAa, ".
CAqptw, - Tese"