Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-24

What sort Of eyes have you got? l
couldn't tell whether she had flag or
not at this distance. How do you do
| It"
"Cordin' to how you're brought up,
as the goat said bout eatin' Single
nails" replied Captain Fri. when
you're at sea you've. Jest got to git
used to seem things a good ways off
and KNOWN 'em when you see 'em
too"
This set the captains going, and they
told sea stories until they came to the
ROAD mat led down to the beach be-
meath the lighthouse bluff. The life
saving station was in plain sight now,
but on the outer beach, and that was
separated from them by a 200 yard
stretch of water.
Well" observed Captain Eri ''herc's
where we take Adams bridge"
adams bridge?" queried Elsie, puz-
lied.
Eyes. The only kind he had, cal-
late. Git dap, Daniel! What are you
waitin' for! Left your bathin' suit to
+, home"
Then as Daniel stepped rather GIN
gerry Into the clear water he explained
that at q time ranging from three
hours before low tide to three hours
after one may reach the outer beach at
this point by driving over in an or
binary vehicle. The life savers add
to this time limit by using specially
built wagon, with large wheels and u
body considerably elevated.
We'll, there nowp exclaimed the la
dy from Nantucket as Daniel splashing
emerged on the other side. II thought
I'd done about everything body could
do with salt water, but I never went
ridtn' in it afore'
The remainder Of the way to the sta
ZION was covered by Daniel at walk.
SoE tne wneefs OF rne neavy curryul:
sank two inches or more in the coarss
sand as they turned.
The little brown life saving station
was huddled between two sand hills.
There were a small stable and a hen
house and yard just behind 1t. Cap
tain Luther Davis, rawboned and
brown faced, waved a welcome to
them from the side door.
"Spied you comm. Err" he said in :.
curiously mild voice, that sounded odd
comirg from such deep chest. SIN
mighty glad to see you too. Jump
down and come right in. Pashy IL be
out in minute. Here she is now"
Miss Patience Davis was as plump
as her brother was tall. She impressed
one as comfortable sort of person.
Captain Err did the honors and every
one shook hands. Then they went Into
the living room of the station.
What particularly struck Mrs. Snow
was the neatness of everything The
brass on the pump in the sink shone
like fire as the sunlight from the win
dow struck it. The floor was white
from securing. There were shelves on
the walls, and on these, arranged in
orderly piles, were canned goods of all
with figured oilcloth.
Two or three men, members Of the
crew, were seated In the wooden
chairs along the wall, but rose as the
party came in. Captain Davis intro
duced them one after the other. Per-
haps the most striking characteristic of
these men was the quiet, almost bash
full way in which they spoke. They
seemed like big boys as much as any
thing, and yet the Oldest was nearly
fifty.
Ever been in life saving station
8fore2n asked Cantain Eri
Elsie had not. Ralph had, and SO had
Mrs. Show, but not for years.
This is where we keep the boat and
the rest of the gear" said Captain Da-
Wis, opening a door and leading the
way into large, low studded room.
"Them's the spare oars on the wall.
The regular ones are In the boat"
The boat itself was on it's carriage in
the middle Of the room. Along the walls
on hooks hung the mems suits of oil
skins and their sou'westers. The cap
tain pointed out one thing after an
other-the cork jackets and life pre-
servers, the gun for shooting the life
line across stranded vessel, the life
car hanging from the roof and tho
'breeches buoy"
Il don't b'lieye you'd ever git me into
that thing" said the Nantucket lady
decidedly, referring to the buoy. II
don't know but I'd bout as liefs be
drownded as make sech show Of my
SELF"
TOOK off bigger woman than you
one time" said Captain Davis. "Wife
of Portland skipper, she was, and he
was on his fust wage in a brand new
schooner jest off the stocks. Struck on
the Hogs Back off here and then drift
ed close in and struck again. We got
'em all, the woman fust. That was the
only time we've used the buoy sence
I've been at the station. Most of the
wrecks are too fur off shore, and we
have to git out the boat"
He took them upstairs to the mems
sleeping rooms and then up to the little
cupola on the roof.
With the telescope in the cupola they
could see for miles up and down the
peach and ont t0 f,,rp