Birmingham age-herald., 1894-11-18
eB ..--
 AN ELABORATE EL0PEMENT
IoopYHIGnr. lso4.l

lCoPYRIGHT. 1894l
 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 8 somewhat adventurous career, claimed to have received Napoleon's sword at the battle of Trafalgar and a wound in the back at Waterloo. l pre- fer to tell it in my own way, his being so garnished with nautical terms and explosives as to be half unintelligible and somewhat horrifying. Our talk had been of love and courtship, and after making me present of several tips invented by himself and considered invaluable by his friends, he related this story of the courtship of a chum of his, as illustrating the great lengths to which young bloods were prepared to go in his days to attain their ends,
 1t was 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-theway town of Oxford, in Suffolk. Among other antiquities, the town possessed Hezeliahs 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 filial 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 him 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.
 -Hezelziah regarded them closely, and then ordering the boat to be lowered, scrambled over the side and was spulled swiftly towards the shore.
 A sharp scream and a breathless "Lawk-o-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, MT. Rumbolt," said he heartily, to stout, red-faced man who sat smoking in the doorway.
 Morning, cap'n, morning." said the red-faced man.
 ''Is the rheumatism any better?" in- quired Hezekiah, anxiously, as he grasped the others huge hand
 ''So, so," said the other, "but it ain't the rheumatism so much what troubles me-" he resumed, lowering his voice and looking round cautiously, tits Kate"
 ''What?" asked the skipper
 You've heard of man being hen pecked2" continued MT. Rumbolt, in tones of husky confidence.
 The captain nodded.
 'I'm chick-pecked," murmured the other.
 "WhatP" inquired the astonished mariner, again.
 Chick-pecked, repeated MT. Rum bolt, firmly; 9C-H-I-K-P-E-K-E-Di Dye 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 Q desperate appearance of resolution, he bent down to the old mans ear.
 That's the deaf un," said MT. Rum bolt, promptly.
 Hezekiah changed ears, speaking at first slowly and awkwar3lY, but be-