Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1893-09-01
UNCLE JERRY'S STORY.
Why He Will Never Take a Pleas.
ure Party Sailing.

ure Party Sailing.
Tell me about it, Uncle jerry" |
said, lying full length in the warm
sand, letting my eyes alternately rest
on 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 worn sides
of his old boat.
He was character in his quiet way
the skipper par excellence of the lit
tie seaport of Il; 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 |, and
many long summer 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 en-
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 l 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 that 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 willingness to confide 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
year before the hotel was built The
cove was crowded. 1t seemed like we
all had morn we could make comforta-
bic, and the boarders was crowded inter
old Miss Hollis in way that did seem
wonderful when we heered how they
lived in their big city homes--reg'lar
palaces, the gals tibet come with em to
take keer Their clos said.
IL he'd jest bought a new sailboat, a
tifty-footer, an a regular goer. calcu-
. lated ter make heap out o pleasure
parties an sech-an' l did. In the
morn MS went lobsterin' cause Miss
Hollis folks he'd to hev sea things, an
every afternoon l red up in my blue
coat with brass buttons an sailed skip
per of the sloop-yacht Foam,
81 TUX the same crowd pretty regular
an in time | got to know 'em we'll.
They was as nice lot of young things
as ever come in my path; but they was
careless'like, an they didn't allays
think.
1.-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' al
targets made O. white paper, an sailin
The sailin bothered me. They was al
over the boat at once, an nothin' woulC
do but must larn EN- how to sail.
he'd to tell 'em ] wouldn't take 'em i
they warn't quietcr, an after that they
kinder settled down.
~ grew powerful fond of 'em all, bu
there was one little girl | TUX specia
shine to. She wasn't very strong
heerd tell she was jest gittin' over
fever. She had sickly look, but yo,
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 babe.
81 remcm Der 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 it was CROWN.
'As said, she warn't very strong
an when they all got to larlin'
seemed like she couldn't stand it, 70
she'd leave the rest, an with her littl
polite bow she'd come an say, SO gentl
like: Uncle Jerry, do you mind If
stay here with your | was might,
glad to have her, an she seemed +
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 RICH
away from the start, an got so used +
havin her there at my right hand tina
when she stayed home felt real lone
some.
"She begged me to larn her how t
steer an when ] saw she meant it
showed her one thing and another; ar
somehow she never forgot what toll
her. An one day she says tome: 'Uncl
Jerry, | believe l could sail boat a
we'll as anyone il were only stronger
Bless her heart! I'd have trusted he
sooner'n any young Teller in the part
II she'd had little more muscle in he
arm.
when August come | begun to Sc
she warn't happy. She grew paler ar
thinner, an her eyes was SO wistfuI
like it made my heart ache to see then
There was a young teller in tn
party nan cd Grey. He was a likel