The morning call., 1891-03-21
THE CAPTAINS
LAST ORDERS.
BY MARLroN DOWNING.

BY MAklION DOMNlNd.
"And what will you do, foolish boy, if
cut you off with single dollar only?" de-
manded Hiram Briggs Of his son Herbert at
the close of a heated interview.
"Do, father?" quickly replied the young
man, his face flushed with righteous indig-
nation. Il would do as many a one has
done before me-worKl Work for living
for her whom l love"
THAT sounds very well" answered the
father, &" but what can you do? You have
not so much as profession to fall back
upon"
"Then I at least can wrest a livelihood
from the sea. Am | better than hundreds
Of our ne ghtors who daily push off in their
boats with trawl and seine2'
What! 4 son OF mine turn fSherman?
Even so. 1t is surely an honorable
though perhaps an arduous calling"
Then leave my presence, sir, exclaimed
the elder Briggs aEgtIly, and never dare to
enter this house again, OF st least until you
have overcome your insane infatuatlOn and
are willing to conform to my wishes and
wed an heiress."
Very well, sir" answered Herbert
calmly, and he turned and walked out Of the
spacious mansion and down toward the
beach.
He had not gone far, however. when lie
tHCtuu ttAEu q 1bull = biAi' pNAt'''lo - tNhAo
OF age. She was as lovely as the dawn OF
summers day, with rich, golden hair flow
ing about her lace, that was itself perfect
picture Of femme beauty.
a smile played about her features as she
saw the young man approaching, and she
paused and seated herself upon bOwlder
TO await the coming Of him whom she loved.
"Ah, Hefbertr she began, q slight tone
Of sadness in her voice. 1T is as l feared.
Your father will not consent TO your marry
. H. i,+ .1f Eetaa ,s,r,f
What Of that, Nellie, my darling? Am
not my own master, and at liberty to wed
whom l choose"
Yes, Herbert, but the wishes Of parent
should be respected. II is better that we
should part. \ GU must 60 and never think
of NE more, unless il is as a foolish girl who
loved one far above her station"
1T is not so, Nellie. For to-day there is
no barrier between us unless it be poverty,
and that, with the will Of Heaven, l shall
removed Tejoined Herbert, earnestly. But
where is your father? | must see him be-
fore he goes out to-day"
81 left him busy with his travis q short
time since down near the old bOat-house on
the beach"
Then come with me and we will find
him."
So saying the two lovers walked along the
waters edge until they reached the side of
an aged son of Neptune, who was seated
upon piece OF dTiftN cod buSily employed
in batting his hooks.
E. Good morning Mr.. Gasket," began Her
bert as the fisherman looked up from his
labUrs. " ! would like to speak with you"
Alb, good morning, my young master!
Certain. certain! Tom GaSket Is never so
hard at work that lie cannot afford to knock
OF aud listen to a friend" and the old man
stuck his knife into the edge VI his trawl-
tub, shook the ashes from MS pipe and arose
to his feet,
Nellie viii remain here" said Herbert.
with some hesitation in his manner, while
We walk little apaIt," and the two stepped
one side.
The maiden could see that her father lis
tened most lntently to tie hurried words
that her lover was pouring into his ear. At
length she heard her father say:
We'll, Mr.. Briggs, think ye to be 81
honest man, and ye shall have your wish,
but not until you have made few trips in
my company to the Banks-for there is no
place in the whole world where one can
study the character Of another as out yon-
deT, there"
"Ghdly," quickly returned Herbert as he
gTssped the hand Of the sailor. MAY l go
on the next trip"
ITS as We say, Young man, it's as We say"
So the matter was settled that Herbert
Briggs was to become a fisherman, and
when in the opinion Of the old skipper he
was fitted tU support a wife from his earn
ings lie was to marry Nellie.
Trip after trip the Trim schooner Polly
made to the Georges, and few there were
who saw the young sailor attlred in his OIL
skins standing upon the deck of the vessel
as she came loaded into port would have
taken him TO be the son of the richest man
in the neighbDThO0d.
a year elapsed. when little party of
sturdy fishermen, with their wives and
daughters met at the cosy cottage of Tom
Gasket, for it was his daughters wedding
night, and two loving, faithful hearts were
to be made happy.
The minister had performed the cere-
mony, and was about tn retire when the
venerable Tom detained him, saying:
Hold on bit, parsOn! Don't cast off
your lines and leave US just yet There's
something more l want you to do afore you
bear away and leave this Young couple to
sail out on the sea OF life alone"
He had scarcely finished speaking when
there came loud rap and the door was
thrown rudeiy open, aud Hiram Briggs
strobe haughtlly into the room.
so you think TO work upon the feelings
OF IA father by sending for him at such a
time as ihisp' exclaimed the rich man, east
ing a look Of derision around him and tax
ing in tie situation.
No, Squire, We don't want anything from
you, except maybe, to dc little law bSSi-
ness, which, as you are magistrate, think
you're qualified for" quickly answered the
old sailor, as he arose from a sea-chest upon
which be had been sitting, and opened the
lid.
We got mere some papers that wants to
be turned over 10 them as owns 'en;" and
with that the mariner placed a large pack
age OF documents IN the hands OF the angry
visitor
And while you're looking at 'em I'll spin
yarn for the edificaton of the young folks
and our neighbors.
'' Il were a little more than seventeen year
ago, and was mate of the ship Flying
Scud, Cap'n Williams. We was bound from
Liverpool to Valparaiso, but got wrecked on
the Canary Islands in making a harbor to
find doctor for the sick wife of the skip
per. Not soul was saved but Cap'n Will
Jams, wee Bit of baby aud myself. The
skipper go: hurt among the wreckage, and
as he lay a-dying upon this hard rocks he
gave me that bundle of papers and says:
Tom, that's all my child has got in this
world. Look after them and herr Then he
closed his eyes and was no more.
Eve Obryed my cap'n's last orders, for
there's the papers, and here's the girl, q" and
he grasped the hand OF the brds and led
her forward.
WhyP exclaimed the astonished magis-
trate, these documents represent large
fortunep'
:" OF course they do, Squire, and they be-
long to MY little Nellie here and her con-
sort, So you see, Squire Briggs. Herbert
has no use for your thousands, for he is
rlcher than yourself, not only in money but
in that true worth which goes to make up a
perfect man-BOston &; tOba