The Weiser semi-weekly signal. (Weiser, Washington Co., Idaho) 1904-1911, 1905-02-25
The Value
Of Experience
torigin.i.l

ocean ON WnallnB voyage, u1FhhS ic
Gently lost his wife, resolved to take
their only child. a daughter barely
seventeen years old, with him in his
ship Harpoon. Irene Tarr was love
ly girl In face, figure and disposition,
and her father adored Der. He hal
not yet begun to trouble himself lest
any, young man should take her away
from him.
Captain Tnrr had spent all his sailor
life whaling on the Atlantic ocean, but
now that the stock Of whales was run
ming Low there be was obliged to turn
I his attention to field with which be
was not familiar. In looking about
for a man who had had experience
there he hit upon Frank Bristol,
young fellow who had gone out before
the mast six years before and made
two voyages on the Pacific. Since he
was but twenty, the captain gave him
no higher berth than third mate, but
he was the only officer aboard the
Harpoon that had had any considera-
BILE experience in the Pacific ocean
There is love that comes from long
association and love that comes with
single glance of eyes. The latter was
the case with Frank Bristol and Irene
Tarr. She saw young ssllow in sail
or trousers and pea jacket, with light
step, a head of curly hair, a fearless
blue eye, and succumbed. He saw
girl with that shade of auburn hair
that is called Titan, or golden, with
contrasting dark brown eyes, and he
bent the knee During the voyage the
two met occasionally, but Bristol saw
no more Of her than did his brother
officers Nevertheless the sputtering
flame that had been kindled grew to a
consuming fire.
Meanwhile Captain Tarr walked the
quarter deck oblivious to the fact that
q sailor without cent and with onlya
daughter, on whom every advantage
had been lavished and who would in
herit 100000 he had accumulated in
whale grease.
The Harpoon had sailed as far as the
Hawaiian Islands, then turned south
ward, touching at the Marquesas, from
which she bent her course eastward.
Captain Tarr was thus far we'll pleas
ed with his voyage. He had on board
a goodly supply Of whale oil, and one
feature he had somewhat dreaded-his
inexperience as to wind and weather
in the Pacific-had not troubled him at
all
"Talk about winds In particular wa
ters," he said after being out a couple
of months. my opinion is that a man
who has learned to sail ship in one
ocean should know how to sail her In
any ocean. l find no difficulty here"
That same evening Frank Bristol
had the watch while Captain Tarr was
pacing the deck Suddenly the cap
, tain was surprised to hear Bristol give
the order:
Man the weather braces"
what do you mean by giving such
: an order as that, Mr.. Bristol? Have
you lost your sensesY
wind coming" was the laconic re-
: ply,
The captain walked to leeward and
[ leaning over the rail, scanned the sea
and the sky from east to west.
There's no change coming that car
see Drop the braces men"
"Hold the Braces say" said Bris
toll, with all the firmness Of an admi
raj of the navy.
r us this mutiny?" reared the captain
"You young rascal, I'll teach you thai
l haven't been a sailor for twenty
years for nothing, and l command thi.
ship. Men, drop the braces"
The men, overawed by the superio
authority Of the captain, let go tn,
braces, or, rather, they were about t
do so when Bristol cried out defiantly
l Don't man of you drop rope 70
an instant as you value your livesg'
He had scarcely spoken the word
q when there was a sudden drop In til
wind. The sails hung listless, onl,
Tapping as the vessel rolled. At tn
moment Irene came on deck. Her CON
= ing was fortunate, for her father wa
fiustered with the INSTRUMENTATION o
:. his mate and puzzled at the droppin
of the wind.
Haul Haul taut! Every ma
haul" cried Bristol.
The yards swung round to meet win
that must come out of the opposit
:, quarter to the one from which it ha
q been blowing. They wereno sooner inpC
9 sition than the water darkened, the dis
70 turbance coming with lightning spee(
% and a mighty wind struck the shin
n The Harpoon shuddered, bent over [
J. the leeward till the tip ends of III
. yards almost touched the water. the
~ with bound leaped forward.
!, Irene Tarr was blown into her I,
= TIERS arms, and he took her down int
- the cabin. When he returned III
l. worst was over. and the ship was scus
., ding along safe and sound. The cal
II tain stood on the quarter deck an
called for Bristol 10 come aft II
men watched the mate, wonderiu
what reception he would receive. The
"A could not hear what was said, but the
saw tie captain QrneD the matola han