St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1901-01-12
FEW minutes before the steam

A FEW minutes before the steam
n ship Pontic left San Francisco a
Soang woman, followed by porter
carrying two satchels, hurried up the
gang-plank. She proceeded at once to
she purser's Office and said in an anx-
Sous but business-like tone:
You got my telegram-Miss Percy
Hartwell, of Denver?"
Yes" he replied.
'Then you have stateroom for me 2"
"Yes," he answered again, "but you
Enow this ship is making round trip
to Honolulu and does not 60 to Japan p
THAT will be all right" she said, as
she paid her fare. By the time the
gang-plank was hauled in and the ship
had cast off she was safely quartered in
her stateroom.
The indescribable journey through
the Golden Gate. with all the glorious
play of color and contrast and scene.
seemed to have no attraction for her.
lyot until the ship with the happy
crowd of travellers was well out to sea
did she make her appearance on deck.
She was of medium height, we'll built
and perfectly dressed. Even the dust
and WEAKNESS of long railroad ride
had not dulled the beauty of her blue
eyes nor paled the glow of her fine COM
plexion.
: 1t takes several days to find out that
fhe captain of a ship is not an informa-
tion bureau, and after that sensible
people leave him to his uncommunica-
tive ways.
Miss Percy Hartwell began where
she others left of. She did not ask
Capt. Wheelton questions. In some
way which made the others jealous she
compelled him to seek her. In sun
shine and in storm she was equally in
evidence, and after awhile the grizzled
old captain began to admire her sea-
worthy qualities. She was cheerful,
she was interesting, and she was full
Of vigor and common sense. Like every
good diplomatist, she did not force
the point until she reached It. and then
with smile, which would have won
she confidence of any man who had
a spark of feeling left, she said in a
calm voice that had in it an under
tone of pleading which even a steam
ship captain could feel:
,.'Captain, want to be perfectly
course. that this is an excursion to
Hawaii and return. Now, do not like
excursions at all. and few days ago
j had no more idea of coming on this
trip than of going up in balloon. Ny
reason in coming was the hope that
ycu might overtake the transport
David. which sailed "a hours ahead of
ycu. There is some one on that ship
Shat l must see and thought there
was possibility of overtaking the YES
sci before we reached Honolulu. Now,
] svant to ask you frankly if you think
it can be done? She is slower than
you are"
The captain looked at her with his
weather eve opened wider than usual,
and she continued:
do not give me one of your excur-
sion replies, but think over it and figure
it out
well, well, well!" he exclaimed, but
before he could answer a call took him
away.
Miss Percy Hartwell's next efforts
were exerted upon the chief engineer.
whom she managed to meet, and whose |
engine room she visited, distributing |
well balanced praise that pleased the |
old Scotsman nightly. The result was
that in the course of IS hours she had |
these two worthless Of the ship calculat-
ing for her benefit, and when she final
" drew from them the points that
they might overtake the David some
hours before they reached Honolulu.
she expressed her satisfaction, and
then the captain let her into IN of6cial
You must not mention IL, /" he said,
ehut we have important dispatches
from the government which We must
deliver to the David if possible"
Then Miss Percy Hartwell did very
surprising thing. She jumped up.
elapped her hands. and exclaimed:
esNurrah!"