The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-11-13

pray, what prevented you from sending
your cabIegrams? The mate would
have taken any messages that were
given to him."
81 know that" cried the young
woman; land when l was in my room
writing the last of the dispatches. a
person who is on board as a passenger
hcre-Miss Longworth-came into my
room and held me prisoner there until
the boat had left the ship"
The captain arched his eyebrows in
establishment.
my dear madam" he said. "you
make very serious charge. Miss Long
worth has crossed several times with
me, and am bound to say that more
well-behaved young lady 1 never had
OF board my ship"
Extremely well-behaved she isl"
cried the correspondent angrily. "She
stood against my door and prevented
me from going out. l screamed for
help. but my screams were drowned in
the cheers of the passengers when the
boat left" s
why did you not ring your bell?"
81 couldn't ring my bell because she
prevented me. Besides. if had reached
the bell. it is not likely anybody would
have answered it; everybody seemed
to be gawking after the boat that was
leaving"
"You can hardly blame them for that.
\ great deal depends on the safety of
that boat. In fact. if you come to
think about it, you will see that what
ever grievance you may have. it is, after
all. very trivial one compared to the
burden that weighs on me just now.
and very much prefer not to have any
thing to do with disputes between the
passengers until we are out of our pres
ent predicament."
The predicament has nothing what
ever to do with it. I tell you fact. l
tell you that one of your passengers
came and imprisoned me in my state
room. come to you for redress. Now
there must be some law on shipboard
that takes the place of ordinary law on
and. | make this demand officially to
you.) If you refuse to hear me, and re-
fuse to redress my wrong then have
large republic to which I can appeal
through my paper, and perhaps there
will also be a chance of obtaining just
ice through the law of the land to which
| am going"
MY dear madam" said tine captain.
calmly, you must not use threats to
ME. am not accustomed to be talked
to in the way you have taken upon
yourself to speak. Now tell me what il
is you wish me to do"
1T is for you to say what you will
do. l am a passenger on board this
ship. and am supposed to be under the
protection of its captain. 1 therefore
tell you have been forcibly detained in
my stateroom. and | demand that the
person who did this shall be punished"
You say that Miss Longworth was
the person who did this?"
Yes, do
Now do you know you make very
serious charge against that young
lady? A charge that find it very diff
ficult to believe. May L ask you what
reason she had for doing what you say
she has done?
THAT is long story. l am quite pre-
pared to show that she tried to bride
me not to send dispatch, and, finding
herself unsuccessful, she forcibly de-
tanned me in my room until too late
to send the telegram"
The captain pondered over what had
been said to him.
Have you any proof of this charge?
Proof! What do you mean? Do
you doubt my word?"
81 mean exactly what L say. Have
you anything to prove the very serious
charge you bring?"
Certainly not. have no proof. If
there had been a witness there the
thing would not have happened. If l
could have called for help it would not
have happened. How could have any
proof of such an outraged"
We'll, do you not see that it Is i'm
possible for me to take action on your
unsupported word? DO you not see
that if you take further steps in this
extraordinary affair, Miss Longworth
will ask you for proof of what you
state? If she denies acting as you say
she did. and you fail to prove your al
legation. it seems to me that you will
be in rather bad predicament. You
would be liable to a suit for SANDER.
Just think the matter over calmly for
the rest of the day before you take any
further action upon it. and 1 would
strongly advise you to mention this to
robody on board. Then. if tomorrow
YOU are still in the same frame of mind.
come to me-"
Thus dismissed. the young woman
| left the captains room. and met Mr.
| Fleming just outside. who said:
Look here. Miss brewster, want to
have a word with you. You were very
curt with me just now"
MIR. Fleming, do not wish to speak
to you"
"Oh, that's all right, that's all right;
but let me tell you this: You're Il
pretty smart young woman. and you
l