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

Z
Ing more important than the Cape Cod
came to hand look that a suspicious
person might have deemed expressive
of hope began to appear in his face.
Captain Perez, on the contrary, grew
more and more Disguised with the de-
lay. He spent a good deal Of time
wondering why there We're no replies,
and he even went so far as to suggest
writing to the editor of the Chime. He
was disposed to lay the blame upon
Captain Eri's advert cement and hint
ed that the latter was not "catchy"
enough
The first batch Of answers from the
Chime came by an evening mail. Cap
tain Fri happened to be at the post
office that right and brought them
home himself They filled three of his
pockets to overlooking, and he dumped
| them by kandfuls on the dining table
under the nose of the pallid Jerry.
What did 1 tell you, Jerry?' he
crowed 81 knew they was on the
way. What have you got to say about
my advertisement now, Perez"
i There We're twentys.x letters alto
gether. 1t was surprising how many
women were willing, even anxious, to
ally themselves with San cx-seafaring
man Of steady habits" But most OF
the applicants were of unsatisfactory
/ types. AS Captain Perez expressed it,
There's too many Of them everlastin'
blends and things"
There was one note, however. that
even Captain Fri was disposed to con-
slider seriously. 1t was postmarked
Nantucket, was written on half sheet
Of blue lined paper and read as fol
lows:
/, Mr.. Skipper:
Sri saw your advertisement in the
paper and think perhaps you might suit
me. Please answer these questions by
! return mail: What is your religious be-
lief? Do you drink liquor? Are you
profanc man? If you want to, you might
/ send me your real name and photo
! graph. If 1 think you will suit maybe we
! might sign articles. Yours truly,
4, MARTHA B. SNOW.
Nantucket, Mass
"What I like about That is the ship
shape way she puts it." commented
Captain Perez she don't say that she
Jest adores the ocean,
She's mighty handy about takin
hold and bossin' things, there amt no
doubt of that" said Captain Fri. No
tice it's US that's got to suit her, not
her lis. kind Of like that 'signin' arti-
cles too"
81 b'lieve she's jest the kind we
want" said Captain Perez, with con-
viction.
What do you say. Jerry?" asked
Captain Fri. You're goin' to be the
lucky man, You know"
'eOh, don't know. What's the use of
hurryin'? Moren likely the next lot of
letters III have somethin' better yit.'
Now, that's jest like you, Jerry Bur-
gessw exclaimed Perez disgustcdly.
Want to put off and put off and put
off, And the house gittin' more like the
fo'castlc on cattle boat every day"
81 don't b'lleve myself you'd do much
better, Jerry" said Captain Fri seri-
ously. II like that letter somehow.
Seems to me it's worth try"
ooh, all right. Have it your own
way. OF course amt got nothin' to
say. I'm only the fool that's got to git
married and keep boarders, that's all I
am don't care what you do. Go
ahead and write to her if you want to,
only l give you fair warnin' l amt
goin' to have her if she don't suit.
amt goin' to marry no scarecrow."
Between them and With much diplo-
macy they soothed the indignant can
: didate for matrimony until he agreed
to sign his name to letter to the Nan
tucllet lady. Then Captain Perez said:
:.But, 1 say, Jerry, she wants your
picture. Have you got one to send
herr"
"I've got that daguerreotype I had
took when was married afore."
He rulnmaged it out Of his chest and
displayed it rather proudly. 1t showed
him as a short, sandy haired youth
whose sunburned face beamed from,
the depths Of an enormous choker and
whose head was crowned with tall
fat brimmed silk hat Of forgotten
style.
The daguerreotype, carefully wrap.
ped, was mailed the next morning, &C
companied by brief biographical
sketch Of the original and his avowed
adherence to the Baptist creed and the
Good Templars' abstinence.
81 hope she'll hurry up and answer,
said the impatient Captain Perez. 81
want to git this thing settled one way
or another Don't you, Jerry?"
yes" was the hesitating reply
Zone way or another"
Captain Err had seen John Baxter
several times since the evening of thu
"Come Cutters +" meeting. The old mar
was calner apparently and was dis
posed to take the billiard saloon mat
ter less seriously, particularly as it wa:
reported that the town selectnen wer'
to hold a special meeting to conside
the question of allowing Mr.. Saundera
to continue in business. The last nam
ed gentleman had given what he wa
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