Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-06-30
THE ALABATR0s.


OF lowly birth and with scarcely any
education, he had succeeded in working
his way from the bottom rung Of life's
ladder until, at the age of 40, he was
known at Lloyds as the owner Of a sub
stantial fleet of merchant vessels doing
business in many waters. Yet his golden
rule was the very ancient and simple one
practiced by our primitive progcnitors,
let him take who has the power; let him
keep who can.
There was only one person in all the
world upon whom Sparshott ever wasted
tender thought
His reason for marrying was simply
that he required a housekeeper, and the
simple regret he felt at his wifes death
was because it neccssitated his engaging
paid assistance to superintend the house
hold arrangements and look after the well
being Of his only child, Grace. Nothing
that wealth could procure was denied to
her, and as she bl0ssomcd into bright and
pleasing womanhOod she became more
and more precious to him.
So much was this the case that the very
love he bore or became the cause of much
suffering to The girl. Handsome and of
sweet disposition. Grace Sparshott was re-
Rartlcd as valuable prize in the matri-
monial lottery. Suitors swarmcd around
her in abundance, and for long she was
quite content to allow her father to dis
pose Of their pretcnsions in that curt, I'M
bending manner of which he was an adept
AT length. however, her virgin heart was
besicged and captured bya youth who was
of far sterncr mettlc than his predecessors
Richard Sparshott tried his usual con-
temptuous refusal. This failing. he storm
oil NJ ,.atr nl s l..
10 marry a civil engineer who had between
him and pauperism nothing but "a few
shares in some shady African diamond
mine; Was it likely that any parent
would consent to see his dclicatcly nur-
tured child cartcd out Of the country by
the first young fool of an emigrant who
came along:
Leonard Harrison allowed the elder
man To rave on until he was exhausted
then courtcously but firmly explained
that his property was not "a myth, that he
had no intention of residing in south
Africa after the next year, and. further,
that as the future happiness of both Grace
and himself depended upon their union, he
would not take a refusal.
The boy obstinacy would not have dis
concerted the shipowner much were it not
for the fact that Grace was equally per
s4SttHt l'dAll ettltS vi lnlldll0n
were enacted between them. 1t was after
an extra violent explosion of this nature
that Sparshott. rushing from the house to
avoid the sight of his daughters tears, re-
membered he had an important engage
ment in the city.
Captain Winch, who awaited the owner.
was an unyarnished and weather stained
replica of his master Cruelty seemed to
Turk in his shifty green eyes. and there
was a strange similarity between the
mouths of the twain as they sat confront
! ing one another
After making final arrangements for the
sailing of the Albatross. which was start
! ing from Liverpool to Cape Town with a
cargo of cotton goods that evening, spar
shott became more expansive.
you're getting old, Winch" he re-
marked iocularly. Il suppose you will
soon be thinking of laying mp. -
Dunno, sir, replied the captain Il
reckon there's more voyaging left in me
than there is in the old Albatross. -
She's well insured"
further glance was exchanged between
the two worthless
After pause, during which each tried
to read the thoughts of the other, Spar
shott continued:
Look here Winch! You're a bit too old
to stand the work of one of these sailing
tramps. You have been faithful servant
TO me, and think the time has come 10
! pension you off. l shan't run the Alba
tross after this trip. If you like to settle
down in your old age, could allow YOU
say n hundred year"
Their eyes again met
'Where?" at length said the CAPTAIN.
Many good ship has broken her back
OIL Ushant, unused the shipowner. You
must be careful-very careful, Winch. l
should have all the boats swung in readi-
ness in case of accidents, you know"
by this time the two rascals fully under
stood each other and, having nothing fur
ther to discuss, the captain left to catch
the Liverpool express.
When Richard Sparshott reached his res
idence, he was in genial mood After
all, Harrison was we'll set up fellow
such lad as any one would be proud of
AS the young witch had set her mind unon
1t, perhaps IL would be better to gracefully
capltulate rather than have his life made
constant burden to him. OF course. he
could not allow him to leave the country.
he would act the benefcent parent and
take young Leonard into his office. with a
possible partnership in the dim future.
Yesl He would dine at the Travellers,
club, where he was nearly sure to meet the
boy. 1t would not be necessary to give i'm
all at once. He could come down grace
tully, and already he pictured to himself
the extravaganza gratitude of the young
couple '-4s
Miss Grace was out, the butler informed
him. So, leaving a message that he wonId
be detained late and that she was not 10
SIT up for him, the indulgent father sailed
forth upon his mission.
! Unfortunately he did not run his ouor,.v
to earth, but he managed to spend a ouiet
evening in the company of several me-
quaintances and stopped with them until
Ihe early hours of the following mornins
Rising at late hour, Sparshott was
horrlied at the news that his daughter
had not returned from her shopping ex-
curslon on the previous afternoon
=. She said you knew all about il. " sohhod
the maid in response to his angry oueries
as TO why he was not informed ''4
! Finding that no intelligence could be