San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-05-23

| not to visitors of this finished descrip-
ton. The morning sun, too, was in his
eyes and made him blink.
whats wanted" he asked in the tone
of command natural to man who for
years has walked the quarter deck with
undisputed sway.
"Why, don't you know me Cap'n
Bligh." He Scowled blackly as he
stopped little to peer under the veil
that covered the lady's face. SIS it the
woman who applied for housekeeper's
placer"
La, Cap'n Bligh, as if l would ask
such thing, a person of my means. !
am Martha Whitcumb, Martha An
drews that was"
The cloud darkened on the captains
strong face. and there were running ruts
over the eyebrows that betokened storms
"Oh, you'll" he said, drawing in his
breath with sharp sound.
Wont you let me darken your door,
Cap'n Blight" she said, not without a
tremor "You scorned my invitation,
know, but | have something to say to
you"
The captain still stood darkling and
looming over her, piercing her with his
wary eyes, as if trying to probe the mo-
tive of her visit. At last he pulled him
self together, having suddenly remem-
bered his manners.
you can walk aft, if you don't mind"
said he in softer tone. 1.-THE decks
haven't been swabbed of late; have
been too busy about other things to
| think of them"
Mrs. Whitcumb, quivering more than
ever, did step aft through an uncar-
| peted passage to what had been the din
ing room of the Bhgh homestead. The
room was flooded with sunshine. There
were three large, high windows from
| which the captain, in his manly i'm
| patience of swathings that shut out the
| light, had torn down the curtains. A
cook stove had been. set up near the
chimney, and Mrs. Martha's sharp nose
at once detected the odor of burning
teakettle. She stepped straight to the
stove and deftly lifted it off the fire.
The breakfast table, still uncleared, oc-
cupied the middle of the large room. 1t
was the captains practice to use all the
dishes in the house successfully and to
stack them in what he called the locker
meaning the cupboard, to await the ar
rival of his old woman helper who came
over once week to wash up and tidy the
house. A pile of red and yellow squashes
were penned up in one corner OF the
room, and other hooks were filled with a
litter of books, magazines and news
papers heaped on the floor.
A melancholy old white parrot, much
denuded of feathers about its scrawny
neck. sat doing on perch. On the
casing of one of the curtainless windows,
letting in pitiless floods of daylight to
revel over the damaged and dusty con-
dition of Captain Bligh's belongings,
was stuck long row of immense nee
dies with black and white threads dan
Cling, ready for immediate use in the
sewing ON of buttons and the drawing
up of rents in the captains wardrobe.
On the wall over his sea chest hung a
| chronometer and marine chart, and
the demijohn of whisky rescued from
the deep stood on the chimney piece
cluttered with pipes and garden tools,
currycombs and bootjacks.
Captain Bligh looked around rather
ruefully, as if the presence of well
dressed woman had for the first time
made him conscious of the clutter and
confusion and discomfort of his abode.
81 know amt shipshape, Mrs. Whit
1 Int I 70
clay inside"
1T amt rSht to live So" returned
Sister Martha, taking in the scene with
her housewifely glance. You're a
woman hater, Cap'n Bligh, and | guess
you've found out you can't manage a
house us you would a three master"
A strange look came into the captains
face, something between satiricaI
smile and terrible, black frown. 81
don't suppose you have come here to
talk me over" he said sharply, as he
seated himself with his back to the light
but where the Widow Whitcumb, gently
swaying back and forth her stout per
son in the rocking chair, presented &
fair target for his keen eyes.
Eyes. have" she answered, plucking
up courage, as she fused with the
fringes of her mantle. "Tve come t.
talk about what you air, and what yol
might have been and ought to have beer
"a better and happier man."
"Well," said he, in tone of grim re
straint that his schooner hands under
stood as sign of tempest piping up il
the shrouds, pay out your hawse
if you must, Mrs. Whitcumb. I'll b
dumned. if l can make out your bear