Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1897-04-21


or over forty years. But I've carried
some queer passengers in my time.
I'll tell you about two who exercised
powerful influence over me; but
whether for good or evil you shall hear
presently
1t was In the fall of 1872, just when
on the eve of sailing, that an old gen.
tleman stepped on board, and hurried
ly approached me- He was a tall,
spare man, with iron gray hair, and
had a slight stoop at the shoulders.
Good day, Captain" said he. 81
only heard this morning that you were
sailing for the United States, and l
hurried down to ascertain il you could
find accommodation for myself and
daughter at so short notice"
Certainly" l replied II shall be
only too pleased to take you. AS it
happens there are only three passen-
gers booked this trip, and they are sec
ond-class, so you can have the saloon
pretty much to yourselves"
He thanked me effusively and disap.
peared into the saloon. l marveled at
his precipitancy, and wondered where
the daughter was to come from, as she
was not visible anywhere.
l gave instructions to the apprentices
to have their luggage conveyed on
board, and myself superintended the
slowing away of their trunks in the
two best appointed cabins in the ship.
While so engaged l heard light foot
fall behind me, and, turning round,
beheld the fairest vision of loveliness
that ever frightened my saloon.
My daughter-Captain Harnott,"
said Mr.. Brandon, introducing rs.
l was so taken aback by her Exceed
Ing beauty that l awkwardly touched
my cap, and with the wind clean taken
out of my sails, stammered.
"Glad to see you, Miss"
She placed her soft little white hand
in my big, sun-browned paw, and, look.
ing me squarely in the face out of her
laughing blue eyes, said:
'I'm sure we shall be good friends
Captain, during the voyage"
She spoke with a charming colonial
accent; from that moment l was her
most devoted, humble servant slave,
ears in love with her at first sight. You
may smile, but recollect | was COM
paratively young man then
Leaving them to arrange their cabins
to their own satisfaction, | ascended
the companion steps and went on deck
1t certainly occupied them considera-
BILE time, for neither father nor daugh-
ter appeared on deck until the ship was
we'll outside the Heads" and the tug
had returned to port
That voyage look back upon as the
happiest and saddest | ever made. Miss
Brandon was splendid sailor. In fair
weather or foul she'd be on deck, de-
lighting me with the admiration she ex-
pressed for my handsome three-mast-
ed clipper, and the childlike naivete
of her questions. / used to pace the
quarter deck in the morning, impatient
for her first appearance. Or the dull
est or dirtiest day it vas like ray of
sunshine suddeniy bursting forth from
a lowering sky to see her eme'se from
the companion hatch, looking as fresh
as a daisy, and thousand times more
lovely.
or course, 1t was only natural that
my mates should fall in love with her
also, but she treated them with mark
ed Indifference, II not absolute cold
ness. Her smiles were all reserved
for me, and she lavished them upon
ME In no niggardly manner.
There was plano in the saloon, and
often in the long evenings she would
sing and play for my sole delectation,
while / would sit on settee alongside
and gaze rapturously into her pretty
face. The song liked best was 'Tom
Bowling" and she infused such an
amount of pathos into her expression
that the tears would sometimes trickle
down my weather-beaten cheeks as she
sang. All! those were happy days; 1t
was heaven while 1t lasted.
have scarcely mentioned her father
yet. The fact IN, was so engrosseu
with his beautiful daughter that |
didn't pay so much attention to him
as perhaps | ought. At the best he was
an unsociable sort of person, who
seemed to prefer his own company to
other peoples. When not in his own
cabin, where he spent most of his time,
he was walking with his hands clasped
behind him, apparently deep in thought,
In the waist of the ship. Sometimes,
when standing idly at the break of the
poop, have caught myself wondering
if he had ever committed crime, the
remembrance Of which was weighing
Oh his conscience. l was destined soon
to learn more about aim.
One evening, when about nine weeks
out, I was sitting in the charthouse
alone with my idol. The second mate
was stepping the planks outside, old