The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-20

I - N--eA44tAO1A lay bl llc sue O 4
( Geek N the river, with { lumber yard
! behind her and an empty hold below
you saw the young fellow who was just
I talking with ne?''
The fellow with the speckIed suit2'
Just went over the side
! Ihat the chap. Talk about luck. Tom
] wilson was born with IL. He used 10 be
I sbin boy or this boat, and now he is the
/ owner Of Nfreighter that goes hack 20
Buffalo loaded with grain and under her
own steam He had his romance, and that
vas lucky, too.
/ AS 1 said, he came 70 work on the Mary
( Ann as cabin boy, and I want to say he
+ was as green as they grow and he couldn't
1 take the motion Of the vessel any more
I tban ne could take the Thousand Islands
l would have got rid OF him after the first
( voyage II 1t hadn't been for the pleadings
. OF his mother. After that trip he seemed
I 70 be changed Il may be he was more
used 70 sailing. or We may have grown
/ used TO him. Things went smooth again.
and we forgot him as we big people have
q habit OF doing
He went from the cabin 10 the deck
/ and then before the mast. and finally
was slapped in as third mate. And then
IN year or two he had the job Of first
mate, and was spoken TO as mister II
was one Of the mates duties then with
emphasis on the then and the mate IL
the rugging said -Surei''-~to Go all he
could to get a load for the schooner. Bus
hess had taken Us over TO ST. Joseph,
Mich, and while we lay in the harbor
there blew up storm severe enough 10
Eold Us for three days.
This Was right in the middle Of the
peach season, and the fruit WAS piled up
/ in the docks to the roof OF one OF the
sheds. and yet the covered wagons came
ia and put their piles alongside the dock
and went back again for another load.
Nj Wilson came To me one eyening-the
night before we did sail-and told me he
had big load OF peaches for Chicago.
and if I were willing. he'd put them
| aboard and We could sail as soon as the
( weather would let Us. OF course I was
willing. The fruit men were SO anxious to
get into the market they We're willing TO
pay good price for transportation. All
night long stevedores staggered down into
the hold with bushel baskets on their
shoulders. At daylight they We're still
marching. Shortly after daylight Mr.
Wilson battered down the companion way
and pulled in the gang plank 10 the deck
lie came up to the cabin and saluted me-
as ] stood before the wheel:
=" We're ready TO sail, sir
All right, sir [ said. Cast off the
lines. Signal a tug. And stand by 10 set
under way I yelled. Mr.. Wilson saluted
$500
Into the lake. We went down teh river,
and when we got out into the outer har
Dor we stood out west by northwest and
caught the wind on a nOrthWard tack,
where we held till we got out of the way
o. the steamer course. The lake was full
of whitecaps and good heavy sea was
pounding under the bows and lifted the
Mary Ann like baby in a washtub. As
for the Mary Ann she was going steadily
on, and we We're all satisfied with her
progress. Mr.. Wilson went off and tore
u the battening of the companion way
and let himself into the hold.
When I wen. back the cook had runs
the dinner bell Mr.. Wilson was still in
the hold. I could hear him talking TO some
one and using his usual profanity or start
ing to- for he never got through with the
sentence. ] passed on into the cabin and
sat down TO the table.
Where's Mr.. Wilson, 1 asked of the
cabin boy.
Talking with a stowaway,' the boy
said
Tell him to come here and bring him.
ana l had visions of a cleaner scullery
floor And soapstone on deck. The boy
said: It's a she oh, said I. Well, tell
him anyway This time he went out and
dewn the companion way. Presently
heard Mr.. Wilson come into the cabin
and behind him, as the true ethics Of the
ship demanded, was The stowaway.
Well, says I, what do you make
cut?'
She was in the hold sir. Her name
Is Helen Pickard. So she says.
THE girl stepped cut from behind Mr..
Wilson. Comely enough, with good
bright face. and fair 10 look upon. only
she was the worse for not having made
ker toilet.
Where did you come from? said l.
Originally. CT just now
Both l said kindly, and kinder than
I ever spoke before.
Ny people were on a steamer that was
wrecked on the Michigan shore, and 1 was
carried up on the sands by the waves and
piece of wreckage. [ don't know any
mere about my people than that. Ny
name / got from a little book in my pooh
ct. l was found by man who took me
home and gave me TO his wife. I don't
suppose I was over 3 years Old then. They
set me pulling the weeds from the onions
acres OF them, and when berries were
ripe they made me pick them. and later
in the year I climbed the stepladder and
picked peaches. So years went by. In
the winter time 7 went 10 school ana
learned 10 read and write and figure.
When 1 grew older I had 70 milk and
churn and get the breakfast by daylight,
and all day I worked in the garden ana
until / came 20 the town and had saw
the ships and climbed down into this one
and hid far away in the dark behind the
oaskets-and then ] was found
What Go you expect 70 doF / said,
locking at her.
To work And I wiH not have 60 slave
as ! have been doing. she said.
New Judge said Dir. Wilson. stand
ing beside the girl. you turn her over 10
me and I Win send her u one o. The
houses OF refuge as soon as we get into
Chicago.
SIT down and eat your dinner said
T. and then We VIII talk some more about
the thing
SO it transpired that the girl sailed With
us % Chicago and hxed up that cabin as
il had never been dNed before. ard aug
up peaches and made dumplirgs with su-
gar sauce. and We lived as sailors never
lived before. when we got 80 Chicago
Mr. wilson sent the Eiri 70 q hotel and
then took her TO his mothers Some along
Ciyhourn avenue. and before we sailed OK
of this harlcr "a gain he married her. Then
III went 10 work to end out WHO she was
She STAYED behind and helped airs Wilson
while NE went - Buffalo. That was tho
Last trip Mr. wilson ever mode with rs
That eiri was the dauchter ~ a famous
house. and she was lost WIKI her mother /
ift the Wrscking - The MABEL years ar4
vhen lake travel was rare No trace 80
her could De found. huf her iderdtv was /
fulig established bv the little book thar /
she has zers aii these sgears- As soon 81 4
her people learned = her wherea hagts 11a (
heard ~ tie sfary q har escape they /
opened th,dr house and their hearts q !
Tern wilson Aad. sn5ong ctcer t.l.1Es. 4
gave hius neTe money shan ~ Rad err
drearriea 81 getting. ana r. aad wife 4
WITH plrrtF az sense evel sre l.1 nler 4
sslrts phen she slowed away.
IN the Tire to Gene.