The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1906-05-10
When Captain Jack
Came Home
BY ETA W. PIERCE.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
Copyright. by Joseph B. Bowles)

of its wooden benches Sometimes W,
studied from the same dog-eaTed spell
ing book. She was all pink and white
like Mayhowers under the pine needles
in spring. Her brown hair curled thick
about her shoulders. and her eyes were
dark like the sea in storm. ! WASH
ten years old when | fell in love will
Elizabeth. My head is white now, but
! love her memory still.
Besides keeping the village store, my
father made fish lines and sold them
at different places along Cape Cod
where, naturally, they were in demand
One day lot of new scoop bonnets
were spread out for sale in our store
window, and that same day Capt. Jack
Rolfe came home from sea.
Perhaps you don't see the connection
betwixt the bonnets and the captain.
But my father saw 1t, when all the mar
riageable girls In town came hurrying
to our store for the latest fashion in
scoops.
1t was of Friday, remember, and
the rush for the bonnets continued till
the last one was sold. My sister, Lu-
cinda, had the first choice She took
a black and white straw. and loaded IL
with flowers and ribbons till it looked
like nothing earthly
When he was last in Manomet," said
she, Jack Rolfe used to see me home
regularly from singing school; and
when he went away he promised to bring
me present from Greenland"
About noon the door of our store
opened again, and a new customer fiut-
tered in. 1t was Elizabeth, painting
hard. and grasping silver piece in her
hand. Father was at dinner, so he sent
me behind the counter to serve Eliza
beth and | were of the same age-16--
but her shining head stood an inch or
two higher than mine.
Joey" she said, breathlessly, ~
want to buy one of the new bonnets."
They're all gone" answered.
Mother sold the last before the clock
struck r."
Her face fell
ooh, Joey, are you sure? Haven't you
one left?"
l made a pretense of rummaging
through the window, though knew no
bonnet was there.
Mother can't afford me many new
things" she explained in a trembling
voice. "but this time she said should,
for once, be like the other girls. My
old hat is very shabby-not fit for Sun
day wear any longer. Oh, l suppose
you haven't overlooked one bonnet in
some corner, Joey?"
She was awfully disappointed.
Never mind" she tried to say, thank
you, Joey" But she choked up sud-
denly, and hurried out of the store.
looked through the window, and, as she
went down the street, ! saw that she
was crying. | waited till heard Ciudy
rafting the dinner things in the kitchen,
and then | sneaked out to her.
Say, Cindy, what price did father
put on them Cape Cod bonnets?"
"a dollar each, said Cindy.
'1've got two silver dollars, and some
tame rabbits, and an old gun-I'll give
the whole business for that coal scuttle
of yours, Cindy."
The dish cloth dropped from her hand.
"The boy is clean crazy!" said she.
"Oh, come now!" | urged, you'll
never get another offer like 1.-TWO dol
lars in money, and the rabbits, and the
gun"
Cindy skipped to a cupboard and. be-
fore | was aware, whipped out her new
headgear, and pumped it squarely on
my shock head, tying the ribbons tight
lnder my chin. was brawny, freckled
ad, and there was cause, no doubt, for
her shrieks of laughter as she danced
around me-
"Oh, Joey, you are a show," she cried.
Would you like to go to church in it
Sunday morning? You must have nv |
petticoat, too, and my new mantle. and
ny turkey tail fan! Father, father"
'aising her voice to a terrible pitch
come quick, and see our Joey!"
This was too much. The kitchen door
stood open-with leap gained the |
garden. My first thought was to strike
|. Decline for the Miller house and give
ny prize openly to Elizabeth, but Cindy |
vas close on my heels. AS | lodged
through the currant bushes and bean
'oles, and trampled mothers sage bed.
found that pesky girl gaining on me.
tugged at her Internal bonnet, but the
ibbons were in knot and couldn't
Dose them.
At the foot of the garden was an old
Iisused well that father had partly COW
red. The curb was gone, and the mouth
Mostly concealed in brushwood. In nv
aste forgot the thing, and blundered
traight into 1t. The water was like
ce, and | gave yell as / went down.
riking knees and elbows on the mossv
tones. Cindy flew for a rope and a pole
nd fished me out of the well, and when
he had taken off the scoop and rolled
he on the grass she cufTed me hand
omely.
Hang your bonnet" said l. 'In its
resent state, Cindy l wouldn't give
lore than the gun for it,"
Cindy scurried back to the house n
ry the scoop, and was forced TO aban-
IN all f,tTtba ottaD,t,t d ,,,,,1.-.t- -,