The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1899-04-20
THE CONSPIRATORS.

Captain Hanson, having TeUuIueu
from long voyage to find himself
widower, had sacrificed his fondness for
seafaring life to the needs of his only
daughter, Lucy. and had settled in
thriving coast city, where he could live
comfortably upon the modest fortune
he had accumulated.
A good man was the captain, rough
in his ways, but tender hearted, irasci-
BILE, but forgiving, and deeply devoted
to his "little girl, as he continued to
call Lucy even after she took to long
gowns and began to receive calls from
eligible young men.
1t was rather slow in dawring upon
the captains mind that Lucy might
some day like to marry. He never took
her company seriously, for most of
the young men who called and whom
he admitted, for lie habitualE answered
the doorbell. were of a type with which,
to put it mildly. lie was not familiar
That Lucy should cherish genuine in
terest in young man who knew moth
ing Of the sea never occurred to him
until son Of one Of his former. ship
mates proposed for Lucy's hand Then
there was rude awakening
The suitor, Jack Darrow, was him
self sailor, and the old captain had
found great comfort in his calls. In
fact, the ancient mariner had enter
tained the notion that Jack called to
see him, and it was quite a shock when
Jack, finding the captain alone one
evening, rrsadeg has gaIlrIaf,se Sfear. .--.
Have ye signaled h'z. Jaek1'' he7
asked
Haven't boisted rag. replied the
young sailor sheepishly4 ''f it's all
right. cap, you speak to her She'll do
anything you say.
Dunno, dunno. returned the cap
tain obviously. "but Ill heave the lead,
Jack, and let you know il the channels
clear.
That satisfied Jack, and, true to his
word, the captain "heaved the lead
that very night.
Lucy" he said. 'Jack Darrow
wants to splice with ye"
Cant be done. papa, she answered
at once. "Jack's good fellow. but l
don't love him. .
The captain knew not whether to re-
joice or regret. He was sorry for Jack.
but glad for himself
CANS we'll. he said after a mo-
ment. Il III not asking ye to love him,
Lucy You shant marry anybody ye
don love.
81 knew you'd say so, para, just as l
knew you won't object to my marrying
the man 30 love. .
'LhY Steady thorel Do ye mean
ye've get somebody in mind 2
Lucy blGshcd and lcci.td at the floor
"Who is he?" asked the captain anx-
iously
cts Henry Whitman. papa. He ask
ed me this evening"
"What! That dude2"
"PapaI
Lucys eyes blazed as she addressed
her father in sharper tones than she had
ever used, She looked at him steadily
for q moment and then went to her
room
The captain drew long breath, sank
into a chair and fumbled for his pipe.
Under its soothing influence he became
comforted. Whitman dressed stylishly.
but that might not be against him lie
could afford his apparent extravaganza,
for he was clerk 10 a bank. Everybody
spoke well of him too Poor Jack Oar
rowl
After time the captain knocked the
ashes from his pipe and. going to Lucy's
room. spoke = to her through the closed
door.
"It's all right, little girl, he said in
a shaking voice ''If ye want young
Whitman. ye shall have him, and God
bless ye both.
Whereupon Lucy arose, went to the
door, opened it and threw her arms
around her fathers neck
Next day Captain Hanson reported
his soundings to Jack and told him
plainly that he'd have to sheer Off. Per-
haps the captain failed to couch his in
formation in terms that suggested his
disappointment and kindly feelings
Jack did not - nifest his i'll will
then. but little 81 b, devised way
to wreak vengeaI, ON MS successful
rival He chancl- of learn that Whit
man was 10 taxi cy - a theater on
a certain evening be an to rain that
afternoon, a dep !ng ceaseless drlz-
zle. This was Jat opportunity, and
he arranged his with great care.