The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-06-06

Her namo Was lnlust, and she was hufn
aud grrN aud nnc She ate at the captains
table, and she slept with the captain or with
anyone else she chose, sharing the lookuuts
responsibility, she Kept u kccn eve on tho
weather. she cllnhed the mnsts with the sail,
orS, or caSt the Rurhnr with he mate when
the water gUrgrd through the scuppctholcs
and sprrad ln II running brook over the deck,
ballast nullckcd. .slappng at It aud sprlns
lnv back with u kittrnlsh glcc that dcridcd
her mature wears, IN short, she wns nm out.
audout ,ca cat. living hut to unoy llir ON
the Matte Newman,
WtthRl the attention shdwn Mr, arnns. he
had not been aboard many hours hrnic hr
discovered that the principal passenger was,
not he but ballast Sho wuS mnrr She
was
The cook aud the captain bold
And the mplc VI the Nancy hrlg;
The hos'n tight aud the mtd,hlpwltc
Aud the crow or the captHips gig
"Nou'd hcttcr give II ur said the mate one
day Whcn AFTER Naluly attempting to rad.
MIR. nruus laid aside his book hccausc ballast
persisted In ,aktug her slcs,a In hi, lap ut
nlu't no use settling your win against Hal
lasts; she's the hnrihradcdcst cat ever
saw. Il more people wrrv Ike her there
would hc less nlurrs Ia the world, I've
never known her to g,yc Np thing sho'd
once set her mlnd on. -ucVrr 90
IT have noticed that trait. ." replied tho pas
scusrr. II have srvn her watching Tho birds
patiently for hours, trying to catch lhcm.
although AIN. suro she has not been succc,s.
mi mow than once or twice sincc We start
cd"
"Nou lust wait tho man responded; ,thc
birds viii never lrs,Nc Us now until We land
I You srr, white wc arr In the bay, thcy keep
/ nyiug trum the land "a the ship aud back
again; thrrr nrv always SOME that follow a.
We gn out To- syu aud when they start Ia nv
ashore ihcS gri frightened at not seeing land
/ near. aud comc hack tous As they begin Ia
suffer nom hunger they grow holdcr aud
/ boldtr nud then lhlasi has her mulngs,"
I Whom she hrutd her name, Ballast opened
one ryc aud, appearing to understand what
I had been said, slipped down fspm her resting
| place aud nAdv a dash ut the birds Every,
ouc uf them sought safety ln instant nlght.
and nalh,,t uttered peculiar sound iiAc a
grumbllug sculd Then she lty .tllt, watch.
ius. The bird, returned, nhllast Kept har
exc uu SOME vruub, scattered urnr An an.
wary hiId made swuop ut thcm- ballast
| gave IL lively spring.
| shes got ~ cried Mr. nruns.
I HUT she had mott Size had jumped too
| high and. having missed the bird she went
| over the side ~ the vessel
! without moments hesitation tho mate
summoned the crcw. The captain came on
dcc1 The SEA was culm, hut hallnst lay ON
the water, tosscd by the gCutc swell aud
mak tue no nor, 10 swim
| IL isn't like her tn give up without strus.
/ gle said the steward
"shc must have struck something as she
went over rcpIlcd Captain Lovcland; 'sh,
T Is dead"
"shc may not b." mul,crcd onc ot the
mcu
Lower the boat, .ald Captain Loyrlnnd.
"'oWrs the beat" sung out the mate joy.
ously.
IN ~ time at all the boat was In the water
rapld strokes soon brough, the eager crew Z"
/ Rn Hast; u low wave TOSSED her within rrach
aud the mate drew her aboard lnnr wet,
/ llfc'c-s
\, they rowcd back to the ship, not a man
{ spoke Thcy handed her body TO ur cap
tain. Hc WAS 10Th 10 throw her overheard
/ like any ordinary cat
| eve shaIl miss her said he, and laid her
gently on the clean. sunny deck. Tho mcR
went back tn their posts
/ The dinner gong sounded. mud Captain
/ lovcInnd aud Mr. uruus took ihelr seats.
/ Tho captain looked rrsilcssly frum side -
. side ~, ntr without relish, a. iaNt hc said
/ with sigh.
Poor Ballast Mr.. Bruus. thnt eat has
made morr than ninety voyage. with me,
and somehow I've always had luck Do ynu
believe In lucsr"
"Npi IA iucs. exactly; l believe Ia doing
Ike some frog. onrr rad about
"Iiow was that's"
"Uur day. on his way to town. IL milkman
stopped by IA creek to get u pail of wutcr fur
the purpose O( dcluting his milk With the
water he unknowingly scooprd up two frogs
and rnpticd them into the can. Mournmlly
convcrsing, ,thc uufor,unntes kicked and pad
died tn keep from being drowned. AZ last
40, said. i am tired of this sort of thing
We are bound 10 die. Instead Of prolonRinp
the agony am going IA stop kicking and EC
70 the bottom IT does seem hopeless. r.
piled 80 =, but my nature II to 10 ON kick
ing; something may turn up No. ! wnS n'
good ~ his word: he cnscd all efforts ant
was promptly drowned. Not 80 No. . III
Kicked aud kicked aud the frt thing h'
know
"Hcilowl' interrupted the captain what
thise' Tor something had rubbed against hi
shins.
II was Ballast The water had dnlnt-i IRON
her, the wind had dried her, the sun nn,
warmed her--llfc had returned True ~ hnb
II, she was on hand for dinner.
Maybe you think the captain and men wcr
not pleased. and uint Ballast didn't feast III,
n queen? Nevertheless, with II cats rnTacit
aud rccIlcssness It was not an hour until sh
was again lying In wait for birds on In
deck.
Come old girl, I think you have hn'
enough Of thai for awhile" said the passcn
ger.
Ballast looked over her shoulder, knowing
~, and, the captain appearing at TINT mo
mcnt, she left the birds aud crcpt purring Ia
wards him.
He stopped and stroKed her head.
We're good for many day yet aren't VI
Ballast? By-thc.by, Mr. Bruins, what becnm
Of the other frOg?"
NO. 2? We'll, he kept kicking and kckinl
until he churncd the milk and the first thin
he knew he was noaticg around on littl
island Of butter, ~ safe as you please.
THE OBJECTION NOT GOOD.