Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-02-14
+ A Pleasure Voyage !
: By Lynn Roby Meekins. !
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Copyright 1900 by Daily Story Pub. Co.,

| A FEW minutes before the steam
| ~ ship Pontic left San Francisco a
young woman, followed by porter
carrying two satchels, hurried up the
gang-plank. She proceeded at once to
| the purser's office and said in an anN-
ious 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, sbut you
know this ship is making round trip
to Honolulu and does not go to JAPAN
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 CHARTERED 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.
Not 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, well 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.
the captain of a ship is not an informa-
ton bureau, and after that sensible
people leave him to his uncommunica-
tive ways.
Miss Percy HartweH began where
the others left off. 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 III
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
the confidence of any man who had
spark of feeling left, she said in
calm voice that had in it an under
tone of pleading which even steam
ship captain could feel:
Captain, want to be perfectly
frank with you. I understand. of
course, that this is an excursion to
Hawaii and return. Now, do not like
excursions at all, and few days ago
had no more idea of coming on this
trip than of going up in a balloon. My
reason in coming was the hope that
you might overtake the transport
David, which sailed "a hours ahead Of
you. There is some one on that ship
that / must see and thought there
was possibility Of overtaking the ves-
sci before we reached Honolulu. Now.
/ want 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 eye 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"
We'll, well, WE'LL" he exclaimed. but
before he could answer 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 4S 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 an official
confidence.
"You must not mention ii" he said,
"but 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,
clapped her hands, and exclaimed:
"Hurrah!"
The voyage went on pleasantly and
swiftly and Miss Hartwell laughed and
joked with the captain and the chief
engineer, urging them to push the ship
little faster.
Finally there came fine gray morn
ing, when there was blur on the hori-
zon in front, and Miss Hartwen cared
for neither breakfast nor luncheon.
While the chase was going on the blur
was growing into the distinctness of
great steel hull freighted with human
beings.
1t was afternoon when the ships
came within haiIing distance. Just be-
fore signaling the captain approached
Miss Hartwell and asked:
''What is his name and what do you
want me to do?"
Lieut.. Edward Ledman," she re-.
piled, land want you to either bring
him over to me or to send me over to
him" and the signaling began.
Government dispatches for the
David, and, if you please, send Lieut..
Edward Ledman."
Soon boat put out from the other