The St. Louis Republic., 1900-12-09

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC
Going along River street, you may never
| have CHARGED to see in among the barracks
OF the tui,kshops and old furniturs men.
| the ship chandleries and sail lofts. running
down the ancient wharves. a tiny. gray
house hidden In its color and its shadows
| behind gnarled apple tree. The path
| slopes from the road. where the drays ani
the cars 30 by. and II looks out on the busy
| lower town like broodng bird safe In OBJ
scurity.
When you DO see It. you are surprised at
the rufncd curtains. nj the windows full Of
| blOssomirg e plants. at the charming neatness
OF the whole thing. You would lie more
| surprised II you saw the pretty creature
who presides over this nest, the house
which Captain Billy built when he ex-
changed his coasting life from Race To
Matapan for the fishery in iories down the
hay.
II is no use trying 10 picture Kate. She
was prettier than words can paint her At
| least Johnny Jarvis thought so: and YOU
| might, too. II you saw her bustlins about
with broom and duster or with her arms
| In the froth end foam Of the suds. or sitting
| at the window with her sewing. often with
John beside her. with her smooth, light
brown hair and long-lashed gray eyes her
skin like peaches. her teeth like seed corn,
her trim shape. her light foot her quick
laugh. Perhaps her temper was as quick
as her laugh. ITS a fash in the pan, that
temper o hern.' said her father IT'S
over before It's on
"A fash in the pan can do a sight o.
harm. Cap'n Billy" answered Johnny Jar
Wis. whose own temper was not SO soon
over
There had been a flash IN the pan that
morning. For. as Captain Ned Aubin said.
Captain Billy was trife near"
Not. SOS to say. trifle, neither" said
Captain Ned. "It comes hard his money:
and II amt a-goin' easy. He kerries his
bank books in his inside pockets And ef
that gal o his'n wasn't as smart as a steel
trap she'd be wearin Eunny bags .nstid O.
pink calikers an wite musings. I tell my
gals ef Kate can do Cap'n Blly's cockia'
an cle"Hin' and arm enough besides to buy
her fitns. they'd orter be sinain' small
But they's diffrunce In dar,ers." said the
old man. Johnny Jarvis sees It. He amt
no use for anybody but Kate. He sets his
eyes by her. He wants ter leave the sea
and build shop onto the side o the house:
an the old man ses he'll he blowed from
Halifax to Georgy afore he'll hev any med
dim 18th what's his'n. An he won't let
Johnny come in. an he won't let Kate go
out. He's an obstacle. Cap'n Billy is An
she's riled 18th him for opposin' Johnny an
her. an riled with Johnny fer stickin' to II.
Queer. amt it?''
Captain Ned was right. II was onIy that
morning. taking heart because II was the
day before Christmas that Kate asked her
father for some money. mo" said Cap
tain Billy. "ef you think I'm gcin' ter fix
you out. Christmas or no Christmas. for
marryin' that feller. sost he won't hev ter
spend his money on his own wife, you're
just's mistaken's ef you'd lost your hatr'
But. pa. 1t amt respectable for mo to
60 without proper
II guess 1 know wots respcctablei Your
ma hadn't but two gowns to her back wen
took her. an you've got half a dozen"'
The color flashed up Kate's cheek and
the fire to her eye. II earned 'em myselft.'
said she.
"Wal. 60 on arnin'. Of you want more. I