The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-11-23
HE DID NOT MIND
COPYRIGHT. lss4l

COPYRIGHT, 1874
have always had slight suspicion
that the following narrative IS not
quite true. 1t was related to me by an
old seaman who, among other incidents
of a somewhat adventurous career,
claimed to have received Napoleon's
sword at the battle of Trafalgar and
wound in the back at Waterloo. L pre-
Ter to tell il in my own way, his oe1ng
so garnished with nautical terms and
expletives as to be haH unintelligible
and somewhat horrifying. Our talk
had been of love and courtship, and
after making Inc present of several
tips invented by himself and considered
invaluable By his friends, he related
this story of the courtship of chum of
his. as illustrating the great lengths to
which Young bloods were prepared to
go in his days to attain their ends
It was a fine, clear day in June when
Hezekiah Lewis, captain and part
owner of the schooner Thames"
bound from London TO Aberdeen, an
chored off the little out-of-the-way
town of Oxford, in Suffolk. Among
other antiquities, the town possessed
Hezekiah's widowed mother, and when
there was no very great hurry-the
world went slower in those dayS-the
dutiful son used to go ashore IN the
ships boat, and after a flial tap at his
mothers window, which often startled
the old lady considerably, pass on his
way to see young lady to whom he
had already proposed FIVE times with
out effect.
The mate and crew of the schooner,
seven all told. drew up in little knot
as the skipper, in his shore-going
clothes, appeared on deck, and regarded
linn with an air of'grinning mysterious
interest.
Now you all know what You have
got to do?' queried the skipper.
"Ay, ay," replied the crew. grinning
still more deeply.
Hezekiah regarded them closely, and
then ordering the boat to be lowered.
scrambled over the side and was pulled
| swiftly towards the shore.
A sharp scream and a breathless
! "Lawk-a-mussy me-" as he tapped at
| his mothers window. assured him that
the old lady was alive and well, and
! he continued on his way until he
brought upat small, but pretty house
| in the next road.
Morning, Mr.. Rumbolt," said he
| heartily, to stout, red-faced man who
sat smoking in the doorway.
Morning, cap'n, morning." said the
red-faced man.
us the rheumatism any better" in
| quired Hezekiah, nnXiously, as he
| grasped the others huge hand.
80, So said the other, but II amt
| the rheumatism SO much what troubles
me-" he resumed, lowering his voice
and looking round cautiously, its
| Kate"
WHAT" asked the skipper.
"YoI've heard of man being hen
| pecked?" continued Mr.. Rumbolt, in
tones of husky confidence.
The captain nodded.
I'm chick-pecked." murmured the
other.
"What?" inquired the astonished
mariner. again.
Chick pecked," repeated Mr.. Rum
| DOlJ, Hrmly, C-h-i-h-k Il n ~ ~ y
understand me?'
The captain said that he did, and
stood silent awhile, with the air of a
| man who wants to say something, but
is half afraid to speak. At last. with a
desperate appearance of resolution, he
| bent down to the old mans ear.
That's the deaf un," said Mr.. Rum
bolt, promptly.i
Hezekiah changed ears. speaking at
first slowly and awkwardly. but be-