Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-08-19
SAVING THE CAPTAIN.
"LOOSHA" USED TO HAVE MUCH
TROUBLE WITH ONE BOAR0ER.

"Top Landing''-what She Did for Him
on One Eventful Night-Her Story.
Previously TO Loosha's assumption Of
t'o reins of management at No. 999
dleclass Flats, our present domestic
,.casure occupied the position of house
ard parlor maid at Billits. Billits is a
lodging house of the most approved re-
spectability, situated in the classic neigh
borhood of the British museum. AT
Billit's gentlemen are taken in" by the
month or quarter, found" and "done
for" and in this orbit Loosha revolved
with sharp and winlIing brilliancy for
the space of seven years. Loosha's
trenchant manner was formed during
this regime; her eye acquired its gimlet-
like properties; her bosom developed its
adamanti.e qualities of resistance to
wheedlements or "comeovers" on the
part of the opposite sex.
Human nature is human nature as
Loosha's mother, Mrs. Hemman's, is
wont TO say, "and men but men, call
'em what you may" and, following this
example of maternal tolerance, Loosha
glides lightly over certain episodes in
her life at Billit's, when dodgers returned
home in the small hours, as Loosha puts
it, "a bit Apply" When such a one
proved incapable of controlling his lam
guage or his boots within the proper
limits, LoOsha's services were enlisted
for the dual purpose of pacifying the
backslider and getting him up stairs.
Looshas ready presence of mind and
highstrung spirit would be invaluable,
one can understand. in moments of emer.
gency.
There is no human doubt that but for
her Captain Clatterpen Noosha's short
for Clutterbuck, which really is his
name) would not at this present moment
be "adroring the bereth of life." Cap.
tain Clatterpen had regularly for years
laid into Billit's docks when ashore for
the needful overhauling. The captain
was gri2zled. thick set, elderly, stanch
Presbyterian and an admirable seaman.
He had but one failing.
Somewhere about the small hours Of
the morning shuffling sound would
be heard upon the doorstep of Billit's,
puff Of old Jamaica through the letter
slip would succeed an aimless period of
fumbling with the latch key, and the in.
mates of Billit's would be startled from
their slumbers by ANALYTICAL below, "Of
ship a-hoilr says Loosha. Like the
fog'orn Of a penny steamboat it sounded,
and 'Old your noise, Capt'in Chatter
pen, dor Mrs. Billit I'D say, lettin down
the chain. Then in ed tumble as Apply
as you please. There was only one way
O. gettin i'm Up stairs, and that called
the candle charm. 1t was done by 'oldin
the candle very near is face till is eyes
began to water an is whiskers smell
like singein an then droring of it a little
way back, when ed stagger arter it like
a pessimized subjec'.
"One night, when e was as bad as
ever | remember to "a seen i'm, lured
i'm up stairs in this way till got i'm on
the top landin. where his bedroom was.
close to the iron ladder that run up to
the fire escape trap in the roof. | got
i'm into is armcheer. took off is collar
anraked out the fire. collared is matches,
give i'm a soothin shake an left i'm.
Then | goes down to set Mrs. Billit's
art at rest before goin to bed myself, as
slep' On the same top landin with that
old peach. Up | comes again in ten
minutes time. Lo and beold you! Wot
does | see but is door wide open, and,
simpularly, the roof trap, with the stars
blinkin through Next minute ears
the capt'ins heavy footmarks jouncin
on the leads overed. Up the ladder
ops and puts out my ed.
Though knowed e was there it give
me turn to see i'm staggerin up an
down amongst the chimbley pots Be-
fore l could breathe my lips e turns an
sees me. "A 'oylr sezee. lows the
wind, boszmy BLOWN round the cor
nerr says |, KNOWN e must be humored
At that . gives a lurch as nearly car
ried i'm over the parapet. Lay 'er ed
TO it, sezee; AN djeerl Fetch me my
night glass from the cabinr Which
you've 'ad one too many at this identical
moment, thinks |, but says to i'm coax
mly; Go onl Wot comfort is there in 'av-
In it up ere? Come down an mix for your
self, captin.' 'Wot do you mean, you son
of a seed cakeY sezee in a tearin rage. DO
you think I'm goin to send my ship an
crew an cargo to Davy Joseph's locketY
sezee, by stoppin under 'atches on a
dirty night like thisy Dirty or not.
says 1, You won't clean it by stoppin up
ere amongst the blacksr SILVER my
tops sezee, if ever card such mu-
thus langwidge in the ole course of
my 'xperience. I'll stop your grog.
you land TO repeat is language
would be to demean myself. I'll put
you in irons or my name amt Joshua
Clatterpen.' Come an do itr says |,
tauntin i'm an poppin down the ladder
agin.
"Breathin fire and slaughter, o sets
down ON the edge of the trap ole, dro
is legs through an begins to come dov l
the ladder. a ned wind an a new, y
sea- e growls; low she pitches, the
IL IL s.,1l-f Il. u