Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1905-10-26
LEARNING A LESSON.

n HDAb WIN DlbW the CLOUDS ABOVE
our heads across to the hills OF Crete
which lay to the north on our port
beam stood on the starboard side
Of the bridge, and the third officer
came and joined me there.
u had a letter from the owners a.
Glib, George ne said Were to take
o passenger at Port Said She's go
ing out to Singapore as a governess.
she's a bit short OF funds. but het
people have some influence. That's
why | get Instructions 10 take her
aboard. know the sort Of mau
you are, and SO | want You to under
stand this one is under my protec-
ton"
AZ Port Said FIoskins went ashore
for the girl. Her name was Mary
Price a pretty girl with a nice fig
ure and black hair that curled about
her temples and around her ears. All
the way down the Red sea Hoskins
hirtec with her, and. to do her jus
tice. sbe/Wasn't backward. At Perin's
island we slowed down and ran up a
siganl.
What are we waiting for?" cap
tain?"
"A new second engineer" Hoskius
said.
He was an under-s sized, hateful-faced
man. With a word of greeting he
turned off to his quarters. Next time
! saw him he wore a dirty blue shirt
open at the neck and chest, and pair
OF blue trousers turned up above the
knees. He had on a pair of tennis
shoes. He was unshaven, and was
chewing a piece of cotton waste.
spoke to the captain about it. Will
son retOrted rather sharply. AS the
men we're talking Mary Price came
forward. For a moment the three OF
them looked at each other, and then
Wilson spoke.
"Why, Mary" he said
She colored, but didn't look particu-
larry pleased.
M Wilson-Tom," she said.
Funny your coming out on this
ship" he said.
"And your going on it, too" she
answered.
well, he said, now that you are
here, aren't you going to give me a
kiss?"
81 don't think ought to-" she said.
shyiy, with glance at Haskins, "be
fore the captain, l mean"
"Quite right" said Hoskins. firm
ly 81 don't allow my officers to kiss
girls in my presence. Some Of 'em
wouldn't know where to stop"
"1'm off duty" said Wilson, land
this is the girl I'm engaged to. J
haven't seen her for month, and
now I'm going to have kiss. If you
don't like it, captain you'd better turn
your back. l don't want to hurt your
feelings"
NOW, then, Mary" said the en-
gineer, I'm waiting"
She waited a minute, and then mace
a little sort of puckering kiss at him
Then she ran forward and Wilson, as
Il satisfied, turned and went into his
cabin.
George" said Hoskins to me,
there's something wrong here. 'Tain't
in nature for a girl like that to marry
mar that looks as though he was
rag bag struck by lightning. Mark
my words, George, that poor girls
been forced into this engagement by
her cruel parents. But ! won't stand
by and see her sacrificed"
After that he took extra care of her
! She spent more time than ever on
the bridge, and when she wasn't ZIP
there he was down on the lower deck
with her. 1t was exactly as he ex-
pected-at least she told him so. The
engagement had been her parents
making, and she had come to sea not
to escape-she really was very fond
OF Mr.. Wilson-but TO find out whether
her feelings would stand the test OF
time and absence,
Wilson paid no attention to the filrt-
ing of the captain and the girl. At
Singapore they were together on the
bridge Wilson came up the compan-
ion, sbaven and in clean white drill
suit He touched his hat,
What do you want?" the old man
said.
+'Short leave. sir" said the engineer.
81 want to 90 en- shore to get mar
ried.".
IT'D be hard to keep you from that"
he said, you may 60"
Wilson touched his cap again. Nov.
then, Mary" he said, come along"
81 won't" said the girl. Indignantly.
"'The ideal"
Very well" said Wilson, ''but just
listen to me for a minute, my girl
Tn here now. and I'm willing to take
you on shore and marry you before the
consul. If you don't like it, then
SHAH consider myself free again. If
you don't think haven't noticed your
behavior on this ship, you're mis-
taken. A girl like you wants looking
after and when I'm your husband I'm
goins TO do it. AS for the captain
there, if you think he has any idea of
marrying you, you're wrong. He's
not marrying man shall be ready
L