The sun., 1899-07-16
J1CKASS SiTIG4TIOH.
skipper Austin II. Raynor Redccms the
Fanily'a Damaged Prestige.

EAST MoRIcaEs. L. l.. July 1.-THE honor OF
the great tribe OF South side Raynors has been
retrieved. Clark and Wallace sunk it low into
the depths last week when they were scared
by tho submarine appearance OF q cook stove
into the belief that 1t was new and particu-
larly terrible sort of sea serpent. But Austin
b.. the most bewhiskered il not the oldest of
the whole Raynor tribe. has made the ua me
respected once again. Cap Austin is 80
years old. During tho civil war he the
mate OF Federal transport He holds
pilots license fer this district and has fire.
qusntly piloted steam craft. Just at present
he is running a twenty-ioot catboat from the
shore to the beach, across the bay.
1t was thick Tuesday and tho surf was ugly.
But for some reason folks wanted to 90 over to
Will RObnson's. On days otherwise dull II is
always worth while to get into earshot Of VIII.
Summer. boarders who don't know him. and
who are deceived by the meek and doubling
answers he returns to. simple questions, are
constantly wandering into the full blast Of his
sarcasm. to retire withered and forlorn.
OF such. for instance, was tho potroniaing
young man who led six young women up TO
Will. I've often heard you speak Of using
SCOOTER in winter Now. vii. You please tell
Nil rubbed his chin in his hands and
garded the exrectalU faces OF the young wo-
men and the broad showman-like smile on the
face OF the young man for q minute and
drawled. still rubbing his ehin:
WE'LL | tell yer. ltS boat that looks
kinder like u horse. tail gong west His
voice rose louder and the words came faster,
ashe continual. And l,Ne got all can tend to
At any rate, Tuesday there. was a great
crowd oil women iolk who wanted skipper Ray
nor to take them over tbs pav. The skipper
eyed the foe. and said he Kind "t guessed
antec, that they woud ,ge1, back much i any
time befote midnight The fog grew thicker
and thicker. Sounds from all around be-
caho strangely distinct as they will. some
times. in fog. The thicker il grew the surer
the Captain was that he could make WI lob.
inson's -Four or Ave cottagers set sail into
They had barely showed of before they lost
The Cartain steered. smiling and, cuntented.
lutu the mist. In minute ur two there came
y son9rous trumnet CAL as 7 from the SKY;
Tho contcntmeat ot Can Austin continued to
increase. He shirped his helm little and
the blindness OF the fog made the m.ySsment
of the boat seem slower; The city folks on
board became convinced that for once Cap
Austin han lost his he"fin!s ana:dldn,t know
minds that his ,smtItng confidence was tho
stealthily made bets that the skipper would
own up 10 his confusion in half hour or an
hour, Every little while came that trumret
THAT donkey is laughing at you. Can Aus
tin one Of them ventured to say after q
"Humph." said the skipper and grinned
THAT lackass is one OF the best friends We
got | can understand what he's saying
There was q lOns pause. The folks aboard
have known Skipper kayhor for a good many
seasons and they have learned not to eXpOso
themselves TO his hre reck!essly. He didn't
wait for them long.
I'm glad that lackass Is on shore. he said
"A thing rs being overloaded. He's better OF
where he is"
The passengers nudgel each other in de-
light. Hes getting cross. they whispered.
He's going to give in
The JackaIs brayed again louder than ever.
nnG the skipper shifted his helm hairs
breadth. Out Of the gray blanket loomcd up
the beach wharf; the cathoat scraped into no.
siton. and the Captain let his sheet run out
with n rattle His passengers were too much
aston he'd to get out of tho hoat. They pep.
pered him with questions. They in-inuated
that he had "A lot of buoys set across the bay /;
thnt'he had made.secret use oT comnass. and
marvclled at his ancient dunlicity. The Cap
hIssed around. nakinE things shIp.hape. he
nut cred every little while:
Hes Gettu' cross. He's Coin' ter give in.
He HeI' Thsy followed him up tho sand
dune TO viii Robinson 5.
'Hev. Austin said Will. how'd you come
over"
"Dll." said the an ncisnt one. that ,jackass
Of yours II beat any lighthouse or bell buoy on
the coast. That voice o. his shined through
tho fog ike a lsctric light ] couldn't have
missed the dock if Id a tried"