The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-03-26

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-, - k'4ss'st - the least discern.
ing. even II he
had not taken
care to proclaim
Il at an times aud seasons.
And, ia truth, Richard Spershott
was a man to marvel at OF lowly
birth, aud with scarcely any educa-
ton, he had succeeded in working his
way from the bottom rung Of life's
ladder, until, at the age Of forty, he
was known at Lloyd's at the owner Of
a substantial heet Of merchant vessels
doing business in many waters
There was only one person in all
the world upon whom Sparshott ever
wasted q tender thought
His reason for marrying was simply
that he required a housekeeper, aud
the simple regret he felt at his wifes
death was because it necessitated his
engaging paid assistance to superin-
tend the household arrangements and
look after the we'll being Of his only
child, Grace.
Nothing that wealth could procure
was denied to her, aud as she bios.
somed into womanhood she became
more aud more precious to him.
Handsome, aud Of a sweet disposi-
ton, Grace Sparshott was regarded
as q valuable prize in the matrimonial
lottery. Snilors swarmed around her
in abundance, and for long she was
quite content TO allow her father to
dispose Of their pretensions in that
curt, unbending manner OF which he
was an adept.
At length, however. her virgin
heart was besieged aud captured by
q youth who was Of far sterner metal
than his predecessors.
Richard Sparshott tried his usual
contemptuous refusal; this falling, be
stormed and ragged. What Allow
his daughter to marry civil engineer
who had between him and pauperism
nothing but a few shares in some
shady diamond mine?
Leonard Harrison allowed the elder
man to rave on until he was ex-
hausted then courteously, but firmly,
explained that his property was
myth, that he had no intention of re-
siding in South Africa after the next
year, and, further, that as the future
happiness Of both Grace and himself
depended on their union, he would
not take a refusal.
The boys obstinacy would not
have disconnected the ship owner
much were it not for the fact that
Grace was equally persistent Daily
scenes OF recrimination were enacted
between them.
4 1t was after an extra violent ex-
plosion Of this nature that Sparshott.
rushing from the house to avoid the
sight Of his daughters tears, re-
membered he had an important en-
gagement in the city.
CAPTAIN Winch, who awaited the
owner, was an unyarnished and
weather-stained replica Of his master.
Cruelty seemed to lurk in his shifty
green ewes. aud there was a strange
similarity between the mouths of the
twain as they sat confronting one an
other.
After making fnai arrangements for
the sailing Of the Albatross' which
vas starting from Liverpool to Cape
Town with a cargo Of cotton goods
that evening, Sparshott became more
expansive.
you're getting old, Winch, he re-
marked iocularly. 81 suppose you
will soon be thinking Of laying up.
Dunno. sir, /" replied the captain.
81 reckon there's more voyaging left
n me than there is in the old Albat-
ross.
she's well insured.
After pause. during which each
tried 70 read the thoughts OF the
other. sparsnott continued.
Look here. Winch, you're a bit
too old 10 stand the work of one Of
these sailing tramps. You have been
faithful servant to me, and I think
fhe time has come TO pension you OF.
r eban't run the Albatross after. tint
trip. II you like 10 settle down II
vour old age, I could allow you, say
$500 q year.
Their eyes again met.
.sWhere2p at length said the cap
MANY a good ship has broken ne
.ack OF Ushani. unused the ship
e~ner ssYou must be carefui--ver.
c.reful Winch. 7 should have a.
tbe boats swung IN readiness IN cas-
81 accidents. you know
when Richard sparshost reaehe