The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-01

or three OF these contractors. who've
sent in estimates for Providence cot
| tage and bump 'em down into Port
Royal harbor, so that Port Royal Tom
could just open his jaws and contract
for them. One would think was go
ing to build palace instead of tidy
little siX-roomed cottage"
'Ah, but the masterful way in which
you rule and direct them, Capt. Bud
dle!" said Mrs. Pringle, admiringly.
You've natural gift for the ruling OF
men"
Maybe" said the captain, pleasant
ly; "brt that's different thing from
the ruling of women, Mrs. Pringle-
You CAN'T clinch any little difference Of
opinion with handspike when you're
arguing with lovely woman. You've got
to keep your hand on the helm all the
time nd not let her know it,"
yes" rejoined Mrs. Pringle, thought
fully; women like a strong, master
full hand that'll guide them; but they
won't be driven"
The captain shifted himself in his
chair. Suddenly it dawned upon him
that the matter might be one capable
of personal Interpretation. He had
never tried bis hand in that direction.
1t seemed to him that the bowling wind
outside, as it blew among the unfinished
rafters of the Providence cottage, was
jeering at him for his lack of skill in
the direction of the fair sex. He stirred
his tea and took another lump of sugar.
And the widow, too, thought of many
things in her quiet, gentle way as she
sat by her side of the fire. Capt Bud
die, with his wonderful flow Of Ian
guage and quaint descriptive power,
had been great source of comfort to
the amiable Mrs. Pringle. And now in
a couple of months Providence cottage
would be finished and the captain cease
to remain her ledger. How kind he
had been when that '1and-shark" of a
coal man tried to cheat her out of q
sack of Goals! The captain, albeit
man of peace, had knocked the fraudu-
lent coal man into the middle of the
cellar, and refused to allow him to de-
part until he put his head through the
circular opening and humbly apollo
gized. 1t was something to have a
great. strong, gentle-the captain was
wonderfully gentle to her-sailor about
the premises. All, well, she would take
her nephew Jack and his pretty bride,
Polly Humphreys, to live with her I'M
til they had saved enough money to
buy house-no thrifty fisherman at
Ventnor ever married before he had
bought house-and try TO forget the
captains pleasant ways. Then she re-
membered that Jack was a little I'M
certain in his temper, and that the cap
tain was, except when justifiabiy
reused by fraudulent coal men, as mild
as lamb.
Suddenly Capt Buddle rose from his
chair and crossed over TO Mrs. Pringle's
side of the room Mrs. Pringle,
ma'am," he said-and his flow of lam
guage seemed to have returned 10 him
Mrs. Pringle, ma'am, what would
You think of man who was safe in
port il he veDtured ont 70 sea again in
a new craft--a craft that might be lop-
sided and cranky, with shifting ballast,
given likewise to shipping bilge water"
there was touch Of real pathos in
his voice as he drew this touching pic
ture--''aDd maybe that wouldn't an
swer her helm? What would you think
of such a man If he was TO leave his
snug bunk in port and 20 drifting up
and down, a-steerin' all over the points
OF the compass generality
s,t - --b --~x,.
thought of him, Capt Buddie," said
Mrs. Pringle. 1T is not for me 20 set
my opinion against that of sea-faring
gentleman like yourself But IL the
man you speak Of is the man take
him to be, then"
Then what, Mrs PriDgle, ma'am7'
eagerly inquired the captain
''He-he would stop in his bunk In
port, as you nautical gentlemen say"
returned Mrs. Prirgie.
The captains face glowed with ex-
element lie took ap the plans Of
Providence cottage 20 cast them ia the
FIRE Mrs Pringle gently stayed has
hand 'Wh2, are you doing7~ she
asked
Mrs PringIe. .na'a-n, Ira going 20
comm, these plans 20 the flames, said
the captain, ''unless you'll ist me give
them 20 Jack and Polly
''sT-what?"
Eyes. Mrs Pringie. na'azn. ara tha.
Iuboer.' said the captain. with re-
pressed excitement Wing shooia
go building house Ike ProYideacs