Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-10-14
Copyright. 1903.

in book as he sat in his rocking chair
when the mate came down into the
cabin and said:
jonathan, it's bankin' up in the
west and looks like power O. wind,
Better come on deck and take q
squirt"
But can't, Abner. There has been
mutiny aboard the Nancy Jane, and ]
ain't captain any longer"
"But why did l mutiny?" protested
Abner. IF your wife hadn't talked
about my wife it would hev bin all
right If she'll take back what she
said I'll stop the mutiny."
81 couldn't do it, Abner-couldn't
never do it," replied Mrs. spriggs. "a
didn't say nuthn' agin Marian because
| wanted to tattle or gossip. l jest
said it because felt it my duty. And
didn't say there wasn't sum good
points about her as well as lots of bad
ones. Marian is allus ready In a case
of sickness, and if she hadn't but q
spoonful of -four in the house she'd
lend 1t to naybur,"
"1Iow much will you take back?"
"Wali. femme see! I've heard that
she laid abed till ten o'clock in the
mornin', and that II she got her nose
in novel the house might burn up be
fore she'd move. AS don't know fur
sure, I'll take that much back"
"Then the mutiny is at an end" said
the mate, and Capt. Ssriggs went or
deck with him to take squirt al the
weather.
For two days all went well. Then the
shippers wife said to him:
Look here, Jonathan. | Jest hap
pened to think of sunthin'. Abnei
Jackson's wife told Mrs. Lee that w,
was so stingy that you let your grand
father 60 to the poorhouse. What are
we goin' to do about it?"
''If she told you anything like thai
I'll mutiny agin Abner," replied the
captain, and he went on deck and put
the case to the mate.
"Mebbe she said it, but I dunno
answered Abner.
"But you'd stick up fur her If she
did?"
I'D hev to, of course. A husband
has got to stick to his wife, hain't he p
"But how you goin' to do It? A cap
tain can't muntiy agin his own ship
can he?"
81 guess he kin II he wants to. Yo,
Jest consider that you are prisoner
and don't you dare give no more or
ders til; say sol"
The mate sat down for a smoke anC
a good rest, and the men Of his watcl
followed his example. The "mutiny'
began about nine o'clock in the morn
ing and lasted till noon, the brig mean
while jogging along over smooth SET
end under easy sail. Capt. Spriggs al
ways asked a blessing on every meal
and on this occasion he added some
thing extra about brotherly love be
tween all men.
at amt brotherly love to b,
o-wranglin' and jawin'," said one o
the crew, as the skipper finished.
"Mebbe faint" he replied, with ,
sigh, as he held his knife and forl
aloft. 81 kinder wish we was all jes
as we used to be-"
"If Money Jane hadn't talked abou
Marian we wouldn't had any trubble,
said the mate.
Land o. Twin, but what did I sa,
about Marian TO raise a fuss?" ex
claimed Nancy Jane, as she rolled he,
eyes to the ceiling. ats pity II on,
can't open ones mouth to breathe II
this world. I've lived alongside o
Marian Jackson fur goin on eigh
years, and I'm free to say never hat
a better naybur. The time had lunt
fever | know / should died but fu
her nussin'. She was up day and nigh
with me fur two weeks. Talk abou
Marian! Why, she's the last person oil
airth I'd talk about"
"But you said she borrowed thing
and didn't pay back" protested Abner
"And you said she stood out IN tn,
road barefoot, and read novels, ant
didn't comb her hair, and"
"Mercy on me, but hear him talk
interrupted the woman. what If
did say all that? Was that anything
agin her? And the reason said ii wa
because I'm threatened with jandice
She's talked agin me, too, but IL wen
in one ear and outer the other. No
body ever means anything by SIGH talk
It's Jest woman's way"
81 was goin' to mutiny agin to-mor
rer,' said the mate, "but II you didn'
mean nuthin' then won't. I amt n,
hand to mutiny unless I'm driv to II
Jonathan, you mutinied, too"
"Yaas" replied the captain. "Whel
Nancy told me that Marian was tellin
around how stingy I was, felt tina
I'd got to mutiny and seize the bril-
agin ye. Marian shouldn't hev salt
that, Abner."
"Mebbe she didn't say It,"
"If she did say 1t, will ye make he
take it back?"
81 will if Nancy will take back wha
she said"
"Why, what mani" exclaimed
Nancy. "In the fust place, I ddn'
say nuthln' tall, 'cept that Marian wa
the best woman in Colport, and in tb
next place, If hurt yer feelin's, In
sorry fur It. AS I said, I'm threat
cned with iandice, and jandice peopl
allus talk kinder llght-headed."
wall, I shan't mutiny no more,
said Abner, as his face cleared up.
"And ! shan't, neither" added Capt
spriggs, as he held out his hand TO
shake
"And sumbody pass them 'lasses!
spoke up the sailor at the foot of tn
table; and the Nancy Jane ducked he
bows and bobbed up her stern ant
sailed along with a wake Of brotherl.
4