Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-21


tain's cheerfulness We're too plainly as
sumed to be convincing and they
passed down the hall in silence. AT the
open door of the sickroom Captain Fri
paused.
Hes asleep" he whispered, land,
remember, if he wakes up and doesn't
know you you needn't feel bad"
Elsie slipped bys him and knelt by
the bed, looking into the white. old
face on the pillow. Somehow the harsh
lines had faded out of it, and it looked
only old and pitiful.
The captain watched the tableau for
moment or two and then tiptoed into
the room and placed the lamp on the
bureau.
Now, think likely he said in
rather husky whisper, that you'd like
to stay with your grandpa for little
while, so I'll go downstairs and see
about supper. No, no, no. he added,
holding up his hand as the girl spoke
some words of protest, you amt goin
nowheres to supper. You're goin' to
stay right here. If you want me, jest
speak"
And he hurried downstairs and into
the kitchen, clearing his throat with
vigor and making a great to do over
the scratching Of match
Mrs. Snow returned a few minutes
later, and to her the news of the arriv-
al was told, as it was also to Perez and
Jerry when they came Mrs Snow took
charge Of the supper arrangements.
When the meal was ready she said to
Captain Eri
"Now I'll 60 upstairs and tell her
to come down. I'll stay with Cap'n
Baxter till you're through, and then
p'raps If one of you'll take my place
III eat my supper and wash the dishes.
You needn't come up now. I'll intro
duce myself"
Some few minutes passed before
Miss Preston came down. When she
did so her eyes were wet, but her man
ner was cheerful, and the unaffected
way in which she greeted Captain Pc
rez and Captain Jerry when these two
rather bashful mariners were intro
duced by Fri won them at once.
The supper was a great success. 1t
was Saturday night, and a Saturday
night supper to the average New Eng
lander means baked beans. The cap
talns had long ago given up this be-
loved dish because, although each had
tried his hand tat preparing it, none
had wholly succeeded, and the caustic
criticisms Of the other two had pre-
vented further trials. But Mrs Shows
baked beans were triumph. So also
was the brown bread.
AS they rose from the table the young
lady asked q question concerning the
location of the hotel The captain
made no answer at the time, but after
a short consultation with the remain
der of the triumvirate he came to her
as she stood by the window and, laying
his hand on her shoulder, said:
''Now, Elsie-I hope you don't mind
my calm you Elsie, but I've been
.chums with your grandpa so long
seems if you must be a sort of relation
of lnine-Elsie, you amt goin' to no
hetel-that is, unless you're real set on
1T. Your grandpa's here, and we're
here, and there's room enough. Iden't
want to say too much, but I'd like to
have you hlieve that me and Perez
and Jerry want you to stay right in
this house jest as longs you stop In
Orham. Now you will, won't your
And so it was settled, and Captain
Perez harnessed Daniel and went to
the station for the trunk.
That evening Just before going to
bed the captains stood by the door OF
the sickroom watching Elsie and the
lady from Nantucket as they sat be.
side John Baxter's bed Mrs. Snow
was knitting and Elsie was reading.
Later as Captain Fri peered out of the
dining room window to take a final
look at the sky in order to get line
on the weather he said slowly:
''Fellers do you know what 1 was
thinkln' when l see them two women
in there with John? / was thinkin' that
it must be a mighty pleasant thing to
know that if you're took sick somebody
like thatll take care of you"
Perez nodded. 81 think SO, too," he
said.
But if this was meant to influence
the betrothed one it didn't succeed, APP.
parently, for all Captain Jerry said
was:
"Humph! 'Twould take more than
that to make me banker after stroke
of palsy
And with the coming of Elsie Preston
and Mrs. Snow life in the little house |
by the shore took on decided change.
The Nantucket lady, having satisfied
herself that John Bakers illness was
likely to be long one, wrote several
letters to persons in her native town,
which letters, although she did not say
SO, We're, supposed by the captains to
deal with the care Of her property
while she was away. Having apparent.
ly relieved her mind by this method |
and evidently considering the marriage
question postponed for the present, she