Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1897-05-01

4 time I've been to sea-a matter
of over forty years. But I've carried
some queer passengers in my time.
I'll tell you about two who exercised
n powerful influence over me; Dut
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 buried
Nv approached me. He was n tail,
spare man, with iron gray hair, and
had 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 ana
daughter at so short notice
"Certanly," | replied. Il shall he
only too pleased to take you. AS 1t
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. | 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 superintended 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 loneliness
that ever frightened my saloon
MY daughter-Captain Harnott,
said Mr.. Brandon, introducing us.
was so taken aback by her exceed
Ing beauty that | awllWardly 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 | was her
most devoted, humble servant, slave,
anything you like. l went head over
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. | assembled
the companion steps and went on deck.
1t certainly occupied them constdera-
bic time. for neither father nor daugh-
ter appeared on deck until the ship was
well outside the Heads" and the tug
bad returned to port.
That voyage look back upon as the
happiest and saddest / ever made. Hiss
Brandon was a 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-
cd clipper, and the childlike naivete
of her questions. | used to pace the
quarter deck in the morning, impatient
for her first appearance. On the dull
est or drtiest day it was like ray of
sunshine suddenly bursting forth from
n lowering sky to see her emerge from
the companion hatch, looking rs fresh
as daisy, and thousand times more
lovely.
OF course, it 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 | 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; it
was heaven while it lasted.
have scarcely mentioned her father
yet. The fact is, | was so engrossed
with his beautiful daughter that |
didn't pay so much attention to him
rs perhaps | ought. AT the best he was
IN 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 deepin thought,
in the waist of the ship. Sometimes,
when standing idly at the break of the
poop, | have caught myself wondering
If no hod aver committed n crime the
remembrance OF which was weighing
on his conscience. l was destined soon
TO learn more about him.
One evening, when about nine weeks
out, | was sitting in the charthouse