Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-07-10
The Daily Short Story
A Sailors Superstition.

| name Is Rebecca Champernown. She
Is the last descendant of very ancient
| and famous family. whose pride is
| almost her only Inheritance.
No one could have believed that she
! would fan in love with a fisherman,
least of all her mother. But so it has
happened. she loves Reuben Gage.
captain OF the fishing schooner Anna
Sheafe.
As Reuben and Rebecca walk along
the road they do not appear to talk
much. Yet in some way, perhaps by
her womanly intuitions, she has dis
covered his great. manly, affectionate
nature.
Reuben has often been on the point
OF speaking. but the right words failed
him. and something arose in his throat
that choked utterance. and Rebecca
has waited. eager. little impatient at
times and at others almost tempted to
speak out herself.
Reuben is equally perpleXed in his
simple mind. He is sure of only one
thing-that is, the state of his own feel
ings-but he is not yet able to decide
whether Rebecca loves him. He would
like a sign, something, however slight,
that would show him where he stood.
or late lie has been unlucky o. his
fishing trips in the Anna Sheafe, n
small vessel which he commands and
of which he owns one-quarter. He met
Rebecca less and less often. Somehow,
without money in his pocket, he could
not enjoy so much being with her, felt
less n man and an inequality he could
not explain.
Reuben did not recover his usual
spirits. His good old mother insisted
that he was not well and needed Rhys-
ic. Reuben took the medicine, being Il
good deal of n child under his mothers
roof.
Mother" said he. 1T does me no
good. but 1 will take it to please YOU"
My son, You just wait. You've been
behindhand some time. and it will take
awhile to get you beforehand again.
These herbs never failed in my expert
ence. and I've had a good deal in sick
ness of one sort or another
Reuben grew thin and nervous in
spite of the medicine. but he went
about preparations for the winter cruis-
ing. Bad luck continued to follow
him: small fares and failing prices dis
couraged him more and more.
But the greater his depression the
more his mind dwelt upon Rebecca. In
some curious involved way he had
come to connect his ill luck with her.
His brother fishermen, however,
thought it was all on account of his
not wearing white mittens when he set
and handled his trawl lines. it being in
that region OF fishing villages the uni
versal belief of superstition that white
mittens must he worn to insure good
luck in winter TRAVELLING.
But Reuben paid no attention to
what lie thought was a mere fancy.
He determined to see her again and
arranged to see her when her mother
was absent.
Il have come to see You once more"
lie said on meeting her, but perhaps
had better not come again"
WHY" said Rebecca. Are you not
always welcome. Captain Gage:"
Yes; we never quarrel. and we never
get any further along from one time TO
another"
This was more than he had ever been
able to say before in regard to their
personal relation, and lie was frigthen-
ed at himself. So he began again from
what he thought was another point:
yet, as ont of the fullness of the heart
the mouth speaketh, lie could betray-
ing his true feelings.
I'm not getting OH very well now
no luck, no money. and the Anna
Sheafe getting in debt. 1 thought
would tell you. though 1 do not know
that you will care"
Yes, | do care, very much, Captain
Gage. l knew something was the mat
ter. and heard from one of the village
gossips ii was because you neglected or
sneered at the custom of wearing white
mittens. as the other fishermen do when
setting their travis. Do you think it is
silly superstition"
Yes. I do, in the main."
$50 do 1 when / reason. At other
times l half believe in il. There is
something at the bottom of all common
customs and beliefs which, when
harmless. it is just as we'll to accept.
Our little village would he very dull
and embarrassing without them"
Il have no particular objection to
white mittens," Reuben replied, "only
did not happen TO have any
II thought as much. You would wear
them il you had them
why, yes, should
Rebecca disappeared for a moment
and returned holding out a pair of
snow white mittens.
There. I made them for you. / had
to guess at the size. Most girls would
not have who have-brothers," she
said archly. Let me try them on
And she pulled one over Reuben's
hand. but before she could adjust the
other his hands in some manner had
become inextricably intwined about
her waist. Then they sat down and
completed the trying ON again and
again.
They fitted, but Reuben never wore
tI,1,-r, nct......-.,...I -.