Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1904-03-31
CHAPTER II.
ChAP l NR III.
A FRUIT-BAsKET AND 4 FRIEND

lnQule-aSeu EngllShman or a falr eS
tate, In the island Of Barbados. He
had been an officer In the army, was
well educated and intelligent and now,
I vigorous middle life, had become a
'onfrmed country gentleman His
nerds and his crops were, to him, the
principal things on earth, with the ex-
eepion of his daughter; for, although
ne had married for the second time
there were good many things which
he valued more tl<n his wife And 1t
had therefore occasioned a good deal OF
surprise, and more or less small talk
among his neighbors. that Maj. Bonnet
should want to buy ship. But he had
been a soldier in his youth, and sol
diers are very apt to change their man
ner of living, and so, If Maj Bonnet
had grown tired of his farm and had
determined to go into commercial en-
terprfses, 1t was not, perhaps, very
amazing thing that military man
who had turned planter should now
turn to be something else.
Madam Bonnet had heard of the
ship, although she had not been told
anything about her step-daughter talk
ing trip in her, and II she had heard
she might not have objected, She had
regarded, in an apparently careless
manner, her husbands desire to navi-
gate the sea; for, no matter to what
point he might happen to sail. his ship
would take him away from Barbados,
and that would very well suit her. She
was getting tired of Maj Bonnet, She
did not believe he had ever been q
very good soldier; she was positively
sure that he was not q good farmer;
and she had the strongest kind of
doubt as to his ability as a commercial
man. But as this new business would
free her from him, at least for time.
she was we'll content; and, although
she should feel herself somewhat han
dicapped by the presence of Kate she
did not intend to allow that young
lady to interfere with her plans and
purposes during the absence of the
head of the house. SO she went her
way, saying nothing derisive about the
nautical life, except what she consid-
cred ii necessary for her to do, In order
to maintain her superior position in
the household.
Maj. Bonpet was now very much en-
gagged and good deal disturbed, for ne
found that projected sailing, even In
ones own craft, Is not always smooth
sailing. He was putting his vessel in
excellent order, and was fitting her out
generously In the way of stores and all
manner Of nautical needfuls, not for
getting the guns necessary for de-
fence in these somewhat disordered
times, and his latest endeavors were
towards the shipping of suitable
crew. Seafaring men we're not scarce
in the port of Bridgetown, but Maj.
Bonnet, now entitled to be called
captain" was very particular about
his crew. and it took him a long tina
to collect suitable men.
AS he was most truly landsman,
knowing nothing about the sea or the
| various intricate methods of navigat-
| Ing a vessel thereupon, he was COM
PEELED to secure real captain--one
who would be able to take charge Of
the vessel and crew, and who would
do, and have done, in thoroughly sea-
manllke manner, what his nominal
skipper should desire and ordain.
ThIc oil eDInfp1ty
had been secured almost as soon as the
vessel had been purchased, before any
Of the rest of the crew had signed
ships articles; and it was under his
general supervision that the storing
and equipment had been carried on
His name was Sam Lotus. He was a
big man with a great readiness OF
speech. There were, perhaps some
things he could not do, but there
seemed to be nothing that he was not
able to talk about. AS has been said,
the rest of the crew came in slowly, but
they did come and Maj Bonnet told
his daughter that when he had secured
four more men, 1t was his intention to
leave port.
"And sail for Jamaican" she ex-
claimed.
"Oh, yes" he said with an affection
ate smile, land will leave you with
your Uncle Deoplaine, where you can
stay while I make some little cruises
here and there
"And so | ain really to go? she ex'
claimed, her eyes sparkling,
Really to co. said he
She was very happy, and she
laughed
Yours will be an easily laden ship"
said she, "foT sea I'll e in with you Nc
great store Of goods FOR traffic. But
suppose you design to pick UP your
largo among the islands whore you
,ruise, and at less cost, perchance,
than it could be procured here?'
Yes, yes he sald you have hit
It fairly, my little girl, you have hit II
| tairly."
New annoyances now began to beset
| Maj. Bonnet. What his daughter had
| remarked In pleasantly, the people o.
he town began to talk about unpleas
lntly. Here was a goodsized Graf
about to set sail, with little or 10 car
20, but with a crew apparently much
| larger than her requirements, but MT
large enough for the desires Of hsI
owner. To be sure, as Maj Bonnet Gld
rot know anything about shiEs, he "a
ound to do something edd when ae
fought one and set forth to sail upon
1er but there were some odd things
which ought to be looked into; and
here were people wlro advised that the
attention OF the colonial authorities
mould be drawn to this ship Of their
tarmer townsman. Maj. Bonnet had
ueh a high reputation as q good cid