The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1905-06-01


Mary Ann depended on her wings
alone. In this matter both Elisha and
Nancy We're agreed.
Gums and powder and ball cost mon.
ey," was the way the captain put 1t,
"while wind don't cost nothin'."
Even II we could fight and lick one
of them British men-of.war we could
never bring her into port with our sew
en- men," was the argument used by
the wife.
After heading straight out to sea un.
til he believed he was clear of any of
the blockaders Captain Elisha laid his
southern course. Now and then a dis
tant sail was sighted, but nothing hap
pened TO cause alarm until the brig
was well down toward Cape Hatteras.
Then one evening as fair progress was
being made and all was going well
Nancy looked up from her sewing at
Elisha as he came saunterlng down
into the cabin and said:
elisha, you know how my feet allus
| burn at sea when we're goln' to have a
calm? Well lose the wind before 10
! O'clock"
by Josh, but l don't like IT," he ex-
claimed, with considerable vigor. Were
sllppin' right along to git around the
cape by sunup, and we can't have no
calms."
"Got to have, Elisha, and it won't do
no good to talk about IT,"
| In less than two hours the breeze had
p "A. - 4 q,
| Ann lay tossing on the ground swell.
| The cargo was one to be got into the
hands of the southern patriots without
delay, and ut least portion of 1t was
something 10 skipper cared to have
aboard any longer than he could make
port As the calm came Captain
Elisha HOpcwcll frcttcd and fumed
and wondered If 1t would be his undo
ing. The British still held Charleston,
AMI from that port they patrolled the
southern coast. Nothing had been in
sight when night closed in, but morn
ing and breeze might find friSate in
his wake or coming up the coast. At
the end of IN hour and as he was still
pacing the deck Nancy Joined him and
quietly said:
ELISHA, you may git ready fur
thunderstorm"
"N-o-aw he fairly shouted as he flung
up his arms.
ITS comm, Elisha. I can smell a
thunderstorm ten miles off. as you very
we'll know"
"But the powder, NNncy-the hun.
drcd bar'ls Of powder! We shall be
struck by lghtnn' and blowed to mlnce
meatw
"Mebbc we shall, but we can't help
ourselves, That's all Jest now, Elisha.
Better change your clothes and git
ready fur the rain"
Five minutes later there came a flash
of lightning, followed by the rumble Of
thunder. and within n quarter of an
hour there was terrific downpour OF
rain which lasted for full hour. At
every flash Of lightning the crew Of the
brig shivcrcd and trcmblcd, and they
were n frightened and humbled lot
The breeze did not come up as the
heavens cleared, and then every sailor
knew that the calm would hold until
sunrise. Midnight came and the cap
tain was just leaving the deck in
charge Of his mate when Nancy, who
had declared her intention OF going to
bed half an hour before, suddenly ap.
pcarcd on deck and began smiling and
shutting ut the air.
as the wind a-cOmin'?" asked the
captain, with considerable interest
mo wind, Elisha" she answered
but I'll tell you what's what. / don't
know what's become of all your noses
that you can't smell n whale close by"
"a whalew shouted the captain. "But
by Josh, then, your nose must have got
twist in It! If there was n whale
within five miles Of u.s.
"Whale almost alongside OF u.s. sir
interrupted a voice from the bows OF
the brig And there was a hurrying
forward to confirm the announcement.
A whale fully sixty feet long had rls
en- to the surface so quietly that NJ
wash of the sea betrayed his presence
He was lying head and tail with the
brig and almost rubbing her starboart
side, and every man wondered that thu
odor Of the levathan had not betrayed
his presence long before.
II said whale, Elisha" observed
Nancy as she looked over the rail up
J on the great bulk, land l calkerlat,
D you'll acknowledge I'm right"
But what we goin' to do with him?'
;. asked the captain in bewlldered way
n "Nothln' t all. Jest let him be. He
d old enough and big enough to take car
d of himself"
e "But IL he slaves In the brig he'll
q stave in the powder"
t. Cant be helped. You can't argu
= with whale We'd better all koeI
It still and see If he won't go away"
o The suggestion was followed, but tn
y lcyiathan did not take his departure