Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-26


yention of the weak There are no SUCH
things.
"oh. rot Bob. According to that there's
nothing to prevent a man doing anything
he chooses
Nothing on earth. Arthur, If he's made
I'D his mind to do it and goes about 1t man
fashion
Bob | believe the ease with which you
took your masters certificate has actually
made you conceited. l suppose you won't
look at a fellow after this unless he calls
you Captain Why, if a man could
Never mind arguing now. Arthur. There
she comes The one with the pink parasol.
just passing under the big oak. Look at
her we'll she goes by. She's the most
lovely creature in the world
Arthur Moreton, smiling at his friends
enthusiasm, directed his attention to the
owner of the pink parasol, who was walk
ing slowly along the broad walk accom-
panied by a demure little woman IN black.
She was Il tall, fair beauty, with the figure
of a Juno and the carriage of a queen. AS
she passed she turned and caught the look
III Munro's eyes. 1t evidently Disconnected
her for she colored slightly and lowered
her sunshade.
why. that's Miss Armstrong. the Lam
cashre beauty, as they call her, whis-
pered Moreton.
Miss who?, asked his sailor friend.
"Armstrong-daught of old ninety nine
ship-Armstrong, the millionaire. Didn't you
know"
No: how should II" said Munro.
''She isn't the girl you brought me here
to see-the one you said you'd fallen in
love WITH
''Of course. she is, you oakum head. Don't
expect anything better, do your
No; but don't be quite a blatherng idiot.
Bob. What on earth do you suppose you
are going to do?'
Dol" CALCULATED the young captain. I'm
hay-
Moreton shook the seat silently for a
few moments, then burst into the most up
roarious laughter. Bob he said later,
81 see now why you don't believe in OBJ
stacles. Well, / wish you luck. If good
looks and determination will win a woman
you do it, but for the life Of me
can't see how you can ever get an intro
duction to Miss Armstrong"
Mo- replied Munro; nevertheless 1
shall marry her
whats that you say, Mr.. Calker, a
stowaway?" said Captain Pugley testify,
as he leaned over the poop rail.
Yes, sir, replied the mate. looking up
from the deck below. We found him in
the forepeak, slowed among the pork bar
rels.''
We'll. well, send him aft, Mr.. Calker.
and let him. And in the meantime
keep a sharp lookout for a o'th'ard bound
vessel We may get a chance to ship the
beggar back
Capt Pugley was furious. After all his
care and anxiety that things should run
smoothly on this trip of all trips, here was
one of those unfortunate bitches for winch
-, the layman sees no excuse, and which,
therefore, create false Impressions. Under
ordinary circumstances the discovery OF an
extra mouth to feed would not nave
aroused the little captains ire. stow
away the third day out is usually turn
ed to- and accepted. with philosophy
born to the knowledge that though DIS
agreeable he is an Interchangeable fact.
hi ha afa'S
sinner as an extra hand. In this case, how
ever, things were a little out OF the ord-
nary-a little strained, perhaps uncomfort-
able-the reason for which will be readily
understood when l explain that that awful
and powerful parsonage, alike to shlpmas-
ter and mates. the owner, was aboard.
AS Capt. Pugley stamped savagely back
and forth at the break OF the poop, the
stowawly, with the boatswain behind him,
came slouching aft He stopped at the
after hatch, and stood, cap in hand, shuf-
fling his feet like an embarrassed schooi-
boy, looking down at the deck A tail,
souarely built fellow he was, with an al
most shaver head and weeks growth of
black stubbie upon his upper lip and chin
A faded brown overcoat, with the collar
turned up. and much too small, was put
toned tightly across his chest, while below
it hung pair of patched and greasy DUN
garee trousers. His four days soJourn IN
the dark bowels of the forepeak. amid the
coal the tar barrels, the brine-oozing salt
horse casks ana all the rust and sweat
of that sailors corner cupboard, had ap-
parently affected him very little, except
that he had gathered souvenirs of them
ALL and was, in consequence. besmudged
and dirty.
This is the man. SORT" said the gruff-
voiced boatswain.
The captain abruptly ended his walk and
danced down the poop ladder like man
on wires.
"You d-d-dam scoundrel!' he cried. shak-
ing his fist under the dirty ones nose.
'How dare you stow away aboard my yes
sell you skulking lubber? How dare you. l
say. What do you mean by sneaking
aboard to eat honest mems food and give
nothing in return, you thief! You jailbird.
You-you-"
Beg pardon sir. but I amt afryd to
work. sir protested the stowaway, meekly.
Don't talk back to me. you hulking loaf
er, or I'll put you in irons" snapped the
skipper. And you can make up your mind
that. if ! don't send you back before. you'll
get three months hard labor when we
reach Adelaide.
Whats your Nance"
"'Awkins. sir
Ever been to sea?'
mo. sir: l can't rightly sly as I've been
to sea sir, but I've knocked abaht the
river quite bit; and I've been as far as
Margit once. sir.
The boatswain grinned broadly at this:
even the captain could not forbear smil-
well" he said. put him to work.
bos'n' and the green hand went forward
''slush bucket and the 'soogey- moogey"
can.
Unfortunately. as the captain put 1t. no
homeward-bound vessels were sighted until
It too late to think of returning the
stowaway. h was. therefore. taken into
the mates watch as dirty work man, where
he showed remarkable aptnes5 for some
things and a marvellous stupidity about
others In most matters pertaining to sea-
manship he was hopeless. He seemed in
capable of learning the names positions
of ropes. sails spars. and neither curses
nor ropes ends could coax him farther aloft
than the ridge pole. On the other hand
he proved himself a model paint and brass
work cleaner 1t was discovered moreover
that the man could steer. For these reas-
ons no sooner did the Dupbarton run into
warm weather than "Awkins'' was
relieved of his watch and watch" and
turned into an "ider"
From that time he worked all day and
slept all night He trimmed the lamps
cleaned the brasswork. helped the steward
took innumerable wheels" tended the pas
ecDgers and was looked upon as the general
poop factotum.
The Dunbarton, like many Australian
clippers. carried limited number of cabin
passengers On this trip she had six a
young married couple named Sweeting n
Frenchman by The name of De Montpar-
nasse. Mr.. Angus. a South Australian horse