The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1897-04-23

a 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
teman stepped on board, and hurried
ly approached me. He was a tall,
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
ind accommodation for myself and
daughter at SO short notice.
Certainly" L replied. Il shall be
only too pleased tc take you. AS it
happens there are only three passer-
gers booked this trip, and they are see
ond-ciaSs. 50 you can have the saloon
pretty much to yourselves
He thanked me effusiyely and disap-
pcared into the saloon. | marveled AT
his precipitancy. ana wondered where
the daughter was to come from, as she
was not visible anywhere.
gave instructions to the apprentices
board, and myself superntended 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 MIR. Brandon, Introducing US.
was so taken aback by her exceed
ing beauty that l awkwardly touched
my cap. and. with the wind clean tax ~
out Of my sails, stammcred:
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 Il charming colonial
accent: from that moment l was hcr
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 u 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 Il considera-
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 l 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 chldlike navete
OF her questions. | used 70 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
a lowering sky to see her emerge from
the companion hatch, looking as fresh
as a 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 cold
ness. Her smiles We're all reserved
for me. and she lavished them upon
me i'll no niggardly manner
There was a piano in the saloon, and
often in the long evenings she would
sing and play for my sole delecta ton,
while | would sit on scttee alongside
and gaze rapturously into her pretty
face. The song | liked best was TON
Bowling" and she infused such an
amount of pathos into her expression
that the tears would sometimes trickle
down my Wcather-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 I
didn't pay so much attention to him
as perhaps l 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 deepin 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 a crime the
remembrance of which was weighing
on his conscience. ! was destined soon
to learn more about him.
One evening. when about nine weeks
OUT, | was sitting in the charthouse
alone with. my idol. The second mate
was stepping the planks outside. old
.Iobson was at the wheel away behind
us, and the watch on deck was loung-
ing about forward Some days pre-
vious 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 ap-
peared very bright for me.
We had been sitting silent for some
time. too happy for words, gazing on
the setting sun rs il disappeared into a
glowing mass Of golden-rmmed clouds