The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-06-30
THE CAPTAINS LOVE

| III my tinie- III tell you ABOUT 1--WE
who exercised a powerful influence
over me, but whether for good or evi
you shall hear presently.
1t was in the fall of 1872, just wher
on the eve of sailing, that an old gen
tleman stepped on board and hurriedly
| approached me. He was a tall, spare
man, with iron gray hair and had {
slight stoop at the shoulders.
Good day, captain" said lie. "a
only heard this morning that you were
sailing for England, and hastened
down to ascertain if you could find
accommodation for myself and daught
er at SO short notice"
Certainly" replied in my hearty
way. al shall be only too pleased tC
take you. AS it happens, there are
onlythrce passengers booked this trip,
and they are class, so you can have the
saloon pretty much TO yourselves"
He thanked me effusively and dis
appeared into the saloon. l marveled
at his precipitancy and wondered
where the daughter was to come from,
for she was not visible anywhere.
gave instructions TO the appren-
tlces 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 l
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 | 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 Drowned paw, and,
looking 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 charming colonial
accent, and from that moment was
her most devoted, humble servant,
slave, anything you like. | went head
over ears in love with her at sight.
You may smile; but, recollect, / was a
comparatively young man then.
Leaving them to arrange their cab
ins To their own satisfaction, i ascend
ed the companion steps and went on
deck. 1t certainly occupied them
considerable time, for neither father
nor daughter appeared on deck until
the ship was well 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, delighting me with the admira-
ton she expressed for my handsome
three Inasted clipper and the child like
naivete of her questions. i used to
pace the quarter deck in the morning,
impatient for lie: first appearance. On
the dullest or dirtiest day it was like
ray of sunshine suddenly bursting forth
from lowering sky to see her emerge
from the companion hatch, looking as
fresh as daisy and a 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 coldness.
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 Oh a settec 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,
1. was heaven while it lasted.
| have scarcely mentioned her father
yet. The fact is L was so engrossed
with his beautiful daughter that
didn't pay SO much attention to him
as perhaps | ought. At the best he
was a saturnine, unsociable sort of per-
son, 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 COM
mitied a crime the remembrance OF
which was weighing heavily on his
| was destined soon to
learn more about him.
One evening, when about nine weeks
out, was sitting in the chart-house
alone with my idol. The second mate
was stepping the planks outside, old
Jobson was at the wheel away behind
us. and the watch on deck were loung-
ing about forward. Some days previ-
Gus to this had had the temerity TO
confess my love for her and asked her
to be my wife. She had made me in
expressibly happy by promising, sub
ject to my obtaining her fathers con-
sent. This, after some demur, he had
granted, and that night the future APP
peared very bright for me.
We had been sitting silent for some
time, too happy for words, gazing ON
the setting sun as it disappeared into
glowing mass of golden trimmed clouds
on the horizon, when, to my infinite
amazement, she suddenly burst into
tears.
"Darling, what is the natter" l ex-
claimed in an agony of apprehension.
"Oh, Alfred, have just heard such
a dreadful story from my father.
shall never be happy again. We can
never be married now"
"Neyer be marriedr' l calculated,
aghast. "Why?"
because my father is "a criminal.
nh I feel so miserable think I shall