St. Landry democrat., 1893-10-28
UNCLE JERRY'S STORY.
BY G. L. GRERLE.

ing water at my tect, or follow the mo
ton Of the brush in Uncle Jerry's horny
hand us it splash,d vigorous coat o
green over the worn sides of his Ole
boat.
he was character in his quiet way
the skipper par excellence of the little
word was law in his native town, anC
who had been, since the days of oul
childhood, the epitomc Of all that was
worth knowing i'll sea-lore.
We We're great friends, he and |, and
many II long summer day had spent he
side the bent old frame, watching hi>
rough fingers mend nets or sails with the
deftne>s grown from long practice, ant
listening to his tales with keen enjoy
lucnt; but there was one incident of his
life on which he had never touched, MOI
could any amouut of coaxing induce him
to approach it. 1t had happened while
| WAS in Europe. The horror Of it reused
the nrighborhood, and they said, those
who Knew, that Uncle Jerry was never
the same again. Whether that was so OF
not | found him greatly changed on
my return after six years absence. This
afternoon, for the first time, he BETRAYED
a willingness to contide in me, and set
tied myself in the shade, by the bow of
the boat, AMI waited. Presently Uncle
Jerry began:
at were nigh five years ago. The
year before the hotel was built The
cove was crowded. 1t seemed like we
all had MORN we could make comfortable,
and the boarders was crowded inter old
Miss Hollis in way that did seem Won
dcrful when we hcerd how they lived in
their big city homes-rey' lar palaces, the
gals tibet come with 'em to take keer
Their clos said.
II he'd Jest bought a new sail-boat, a
fifty footer. an regular goer; | calcu-
lated ter make a heap ont o pleasure
parties an scch-an' l did. In the
morniu's went lobsterin', cause Miss
Hollis folks he'd to hev sea things, an
every afternoon I red up in my blue
coat with brass buttons an sailed skipper
of the sloop yacht Foam.
IL tux the same crowd pretty reg lar,
an in time | got to know 'em we'll.
They was as nice a lot of young things
as ever came in my path; but they was
careless like. an they didn't allnyS think.
"The girls was healthy an hearty, an
my! but they did 60 it lively. There
wasn't nothin' they didn't try. Tennis,
an ridin', an rowin', an shootin' at
targets made O white paper, an sailiu',
The sailin' bothered me. They was all
over the boat at once, an nothin' would
do but must larn EN- to sail. he'd to
tell EN- | wouldn't take EN- if they
warnt quieter, an after that they kinder
settled down.
II grew powerful fond of 'em all, but
there was one little girl l TUX special
shine to. She wasn't very strong-I
hcerd tell she was Jest gettin' over a
fever. She had a sickly look, but you
could see she'd been bonny.
"Iier eyes was blue an round, an her
teeth was little an white-like Miss
Hollis Sunday china. They'd cut off her
hair when she was sick, an it was all
over her head in little short ourls, like
my Lie when she was babe.
81 remember trick she had of takin'
off her cap an lettin' the wind blow her
hair, an if the day was damp it would
curl up tight, an she'd run her fingers
thro' it an phil it out straightto see how
it was growin.'
''As | said, she warn't very strong, an
when they all got to larkin' it seemed
like she couldn't stand it, for she'd leave
the rest, an with her little polite bow
she'd come an say, so gentle like:
Uncle Jerry, do you mind il stay here
with you?' l was mighty glad to have
her, an she seemed to know it, for she'd
settle herself in pile of cushions an
sit there quiet as mouse.
"Gradually the rest of 'em kinder for
got her, and by an'-by she'd come right
away from the start, an got so used to
havin' her there at my right hand that
when she stayed home I felt real lone
some.
"She begged me to larn her how to
steer, an when | saw she meant it
showed her one thing and another; an
she never forgot what | told
ler. An one day she says to me: uncle
Jerry, l believe | could sail a boat as
we'll as any one if were only stronger.
Bless her heart I'd have trusted her
any Young Teller in the party if
she'd had little more muscle in her
lrm.
"'Nhen August come I begun to see
She warn't happy. She grew paler an
thinner, an her eyes was so wistful-like
t made my heart ache to see them.
"Therc was a young Teller in the party
or 10 IL al
lbout twenty, | reckon. He had lots of
money, an | 'heard from some of the
aides gals that he used to be a great
riend O. Miss Mays before she was sick
'ut he was great sport, an after she be-
,un to go about, an he found she couldn't |
10 things he did, he jest naturally slipped |
way from her and TUX to goin' with Miss
ulie Webb.
Miss Julie was mighty pretty, with
light hair, mouth big enough |
o swalIer doughnut hull, an rows of
eeth like pearls, beard Mr. Grey say.
they looked strong enough to bite
ails, AN she showed 'em all the time
When she warn't talkin' she was laugh
n. She had a voice like steam
There warn't nothin' she
ouldn't do except keep still, an bein'
lr. Hugh was always doin' himself,
hey spent most of their time together.
Miss May used to watch 'cm with
hat heart breakin' look on her dear face,
n finally Miss Julie took to jokiu' her,
ayin': May don't you want to play i
ennis' or 'Ill run you a race on the |
'onies this afternoon, May or why |
Ion't you wake up, May? What are you
rcaming about?' But Miss May never
answered Miss Julie word, an finally
hey stopped even that, an left her alto
ether alone
'1'm getting to my story now. I |
amt never told it before. 1t hurts