The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1897-05-01
= o. I've never been shipwreck-
ed, nor been In COLLISION al inc
time I've been to sea-a matter

OF over forty years. nut VIC N"iAA~N
some queer passengers in my time.
I'll tell you about two who exercised
n 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 n tall
spare man, with iron gray hair, and
had a slight stoop at the shoulders.
Good day, Captain" said he. Il
only heard this morning that you were
sailing for the United States, and |
hurried down to ascertain if you could
find accommodation for myself and
daughter at so short notice"
Certainly" l replied. Il 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.
| gave instructions to the apprentices
to have their luggage conveyed on
board, and myself superintendent the
slowing away of their trunks in the
two best appointed cabins in the ship.
While so engaged 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 us.
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 n charming colonial
accent; from that moment | was her
most devoted, humble servant, slave,
anything you like. / went head over
cars 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, l assembled
the companion steps and went on deck
1t certainly occupied them a considera-
bic time. for neither father nor daugh-
ter appeared on deck until the ship was
well outside the Heads" and the tug
had returned to port.
That voyage l look back upon as the
happiest and saddest l ever made. Miss
Brandon was Il 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-
ell clipper and the childhke naivete
of her questions. l used to pace the
quarter deck in the morning, impatient
for her first appearance. On the dull
est or dirtiest day it was like ray of
sunshine suddenly bursting forth from
n lowering sky to see her emerge from
the companion hatch, looking as fresh
as daisy, and a thousand times more
lovely.
OF course, 1t was only natural that
my mates should fall in love with her
also, but she treated them with mark
ed Indifference, if not absolute cold
ness. Her smiles were all reserved
for me. and she lavished them upon
me in no niggardly manner.
There was piano in the saloon, and
often in the long evenings she would
sing and play for my sole delectation
while l would sit on n settee alongside
and gaze rapturously into her pretty
face. The song liked best was TON
Bowling" and she infused such al
amount of pathOs into her expression
that the tears would sometimes tricklt
be- down my weather-beaten cheeks as sh,
sang. Ali those were happy days; il
was heaven while 1t lasted.
have scarcely mentioned her father
yet The fact is, was so engrosseC
with his beautiful daughter that
didn't pay so much attention to hin
as perhaps / ought. At the best he wa,
an unsociable sort of person. who
seemed to prefer his own company I,
other peoples. When not in his owl
cabin, where he spent most of his time
he was walking with his hands claspeC
behind him, apparently deepin thought
in the waist of the ship. Sometimes
when standing idly at the break of tn
poop, l have caught myself wondering
If he had ever committed a crime, tn
remembrance of which was weighing
on his conscience. l was destined sool
to learn more about him.