The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1902-06-18
A VICTIM OF REFORr1.
How the Captain Of the Was Undone.
BY John Fleming Wilson.


tiful or shapely. but-prohtable. So
profitable, indeed. that she was now
being painted and her skipper had gone
East to get married.
To the friends of Captain Van Olin-
da the two facts were indicative OF a
revolution. To think that the grimy
San Anton should glory in fresh col
orsl To think that her stiff-legged.
heavy-handed, hoarse-voiced tyrant
should take a wife! Now that the day
approached when the bridal pair were
expected. the mate and engineer grew
strangely uneasy. II don't like II
bit" said the mate. IL tell you, Ben,
when SCARED OLD rutfian like the
skipper gets wife, there's trouble
brewing. Why, he can't even get along
with us"
Ben Harris. the chief engineer. grunt-
ed amiably, "Oh, you take 1t toe hard,
Sam. One 'ud think 1t was you, in
stead of Van. that was getting spliced.
II won't make any such tremendous
difference TO you and me. Well just
work on twenty-four hours day, same
n little more, may lat the mess-boy a
little oftener, but l reckon Wen make
about the same number of revolutions
per minute. Nothing makes much diff
ference 70 me, s. long as have boilers
made of tomato-tins. | horrify to
think what'll happen some day when
they get really het up"
~, ort,r,s nlad tho rpota. sfyO1l
sit around in any old weather and
watch your stew-psns, and run that
egg-beater engine of yours. while I'm
trying to tell by the color of the wa
ter where we're at, and hanging old
clothes on a rotten clothes-line to try
and claw off q lee-shore. And then,
when the old man finds we've gone
back twenty miles instead OF fetching
fifty. he blnmes me-"
$50 he does, so he does And l
s'pose you'll be pretty sore when they
Oe two of 'em to cuss you. Likely
enough the new missus is ten feet long,
and has an arm as heavy as packing
case. But she can't fool with me. II
she does, III accidentally rock up
against the main-steam anc scald her to
death. Say Sam, have ye got some
good, stiff patty? The donkey-boiler's
got a hole in it, and I'd like to patch
IL. I've used up all the oilers shoes
already on that hole. Somehow, leath-
er won't hold"
The Mate gave no response to this
pleasantry, and went forward to hit
q deck-hand who was over-anxiously
Tightening fast
II was on fine February afternoon
that Captain and Mrs. Van Olinda were
met at the gangway of the San Antonio
by the mate.
Hello, Sam!" shouted the skipper.
''How's every thing?'
'First-rate, sir" alswered d the mate.
with one eye on the 'missus."
''Sah, this is my wife, Mrs. Van
Olinda." said the captain, proudly.
Mrs. Van, this is Mr. Twizzle, my
mate"
''Mr. Twizzlc, I'm glad tc meet you,"
responded the lady.
'So'm J." said the mate, after pause
Of desperation. For the lady, into
Who'll esome, clear-eyed matron of per-
haps thirty-five-the opposite of all he
had fancied. The husband did not no.
tice his mates embarrassment, but in
stentorian notes he was calling: Ben.
Ben Harris! Hang you. Ben, where
do you keep yourself?'
The engineer rose out of the engine
room depths and walked steadily up
with outstretched hand. Glad to see
you back, sir. Congratulations-com
: pliments"--this last to the lady.
T%'ar. Harris, I'm pleased to make
your acquaintance" said Mrs. Van
Olinda. without waiting for her hus-
band.
Hope you'll never regret it," an
swered the chief. politely. He, too,
was surprised, but he plumed himself
On never showing his feelings.
II was late that evening before the
San Antonio reached her new place
On San Francisco waterfront. When
all was fast for the night, the mate and
engineer washed away the most of the
CRIME and went aft to dinner. The lit
:. tie saloon was spick and span in new
white paint, and, to the mates dis
gust, an inadvertent placing of his
hand on the bulkhead left a smut un-
mistakable. ''And l just washed it,
he muttered to the engineer.
''P'raps it was the other one," sug-
gested the chief.
This did not mend matters, and they
dev0ured their meal in silence. But
$ with full stomach there usually steals
over the normal man a sense of the
completeness of life. and a vague ap-
probation of blessing. Both the Off
cers OF the San Antonio yielded to this,
and over their pipes they sought each
the others opinion on the new mistress
uf their ship.
'She's too good for him." said Har-
ris. finally.
I'm not sc sure of that" replied
Twizzle. 1T doesn't lower any wo-
anau to marry good. sldllful seaman.