The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-09-09
UNCLE JERRY'S STORY.
Why He Will Never Take a Pleas
ure Party Sailing.

Tell me about 1t, Uncle jerry" L
said. lying full length in the warm
sand, letting my eyes alternately rest
or the smiling water at my feet, or fol-
low the motion of the brush in Uncle
Jerry's horny hand as it splashed a Wig
orous coat Of green over the WORT sides
of his old boat.
He was a character in his quiet way
the skipper par excellence of the lit
tie seaport of L; an %autocrat whose
word was law in his native town, and
who had been. since the days of our
childhood, the epitome of all that was
worth knowing in sea-lore.
We were great friends, he and l, and
many a long suInme day had | spent
beside the bent old frame, watching his
rough fingers mend nets or sails with
the dizziness grown from long practice,
and listening to his tales with keen IN
joyment; but there was one incident of
his life on which he had never touched.
nor could any amount of coaxing in
duce him to approach it. 1t had hap
pened while | was in Europe. The
horror of it reused the neighborhood,
and they said, those who knew. that
Uncle Jerry was never the same again.
Whether hat was the cause or not, |
found him greatly changed on my re-
turn after six years absence. This
afternoon, for the first time, he be-
trayed a willingness TO contide in me,
and l settled myself in the shade, by
the bow of the boat, and waited. Pres
emily Uncle Jerry began:
1t were nigh five years ago. The
wear before the hotel was built. The
cove was crowded. 1t seemed like we
all had morn we could make comforta-
BILE, and the boarders was crowded inter
old Miss Hollis in a way that did seem
wonderful when we heered how they
lived in their big city homes-reglar
palaces, the gals tibet come with 'em to
take keer Their clos said.
Il he'd jest bought a new sailboat, a
fifty-footer, an a regular goer. | calcu-
lated ter make a heap out O. pleasure
parties an sech-an' l did. In the
mornin's l went lobsterin', cause Miss
Hollis folks he'd to hev sea things, an
every afternoon / red up in my blue
coat with brass buttons an sailed skip
per of the sloop-yacht Foam.
Il TUX the same crowd pretty regular
an in time | got to know EN- well.
They was as nice a lot of young things
as ever come in my path; but they was
careless-like. an they didn't allays
think.
The girls was healthy an hearty,
an my, but they did go it lively. There
wasn't nothin' they didn't try. Tennis,
an ridin', an rowin', an shootin' at
targets made o white paper, an sailin'
The sailin' bothered me. They vas al
over the BOAT ut once, an nothin' would
do but | must larn 'em how to sail.
he'd to tell 'em ] wouldn't take 'em i
they warn't quieter, an after that they
kinder settled down.
II grew powerful fond of EN- all, but
there was one little girl Ttuk a specia
shine to. She wasn't very strong
heerd tell she was jest gittin' over
fever. She had a sickly look, but 20,
could see she'd been bonny.
Her eyes was blue an round. an he
teeth was little an white-like Mis-
Hollis Sunday china. They'd cut of
her hair when she was sick, an it wa
all over her head in little short curls
like my Lie when she was a babe.
Il remember a trick she had of takin
off her cap an lettin' the wind blow
her hair, an if the day was damp i
would curl up tight, an she'd run he
fingers thro' it an pull it out straigh
to see how Il was CROWN.
"As | said, she warn't very strong