The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-16
When Captain
Jack Came Home
By ETA w. PIERCE.

Miller pew, and seeing this, the late
conner coolly stepped inside 1t, and
seated himself by Elizabeth.
The girls bega1Ato stare and wills Is
per, and turn their bsilowere ID a aaa
mother, and dropped our Bibles with
disgraceful noise. But Captain Rolfe
seemed unaware Of the sensation he
was creating. He listened soberly to
the minister in tho high pulpit, found
all the hymns for Elizabeth. and join
when tho congregation sang AS soon 6
as the benediction was pronounced, !
leaned over to speak to the Millers,
but Rolfe was ahead OF me--ho already,
had Elizabeth by the handy
DO you remember the morning
went away?" I heard him ask.
Yes" answered Elizabeth, and she u
colored beautifully. II stood at the
| gate and waved you good-by as you
walked down the street
you did" said he; "and you wish
ed me good luck-you, a little thing.
the pickcts Of the fence! And good
luck followed me throughout the voy- Ii
age. Elizabeth, I think I owe it all to 4
YOU"
clndy was bursting with wrath and
envy. 4f
7 Dld you ever see INC peat OF stndt .5f
said she. as we pursued our home
ward way together. and Elizabeth
Miller was the only girl In church
who didn't wear a new bonnet"
i and who didn't need one" ans.
swercd gloomily The rest Of you /
can't hold a tallow dip to Elizabeth"
That night Cindy returned from
prayer meeting, and told us that Rolfe
had been sitting again in the Miller I
pew, and that he had zone home
through the moonlight with Elizabeth. !
My heart burned like hot coal. For
& hours tossed sleeplessly, thinking OF /
that whaleman. The next morning
. white bearskin on the counter before
4 Cindy.
II promised you present from
Greenland. you remember" said he,
"and here 1t Isl
bore my torment for awhile, then
I took the old gun that I had offered
Cindy as part payment for her bon-
ret, and started for tho beach. where.
the sea- faring folk were usually to be
found. 5
AS went plunging through the
y wood, I stumbled against a man who.
was cutting letters on the trunk Of a.
f tree and singing softly to himself as
. he worked.
Hello. Joey!"t he called. gay as q
. lark Looking for squirrels?'
At once felt like fool. I tried
to slip the old gun into tho bushes.
, ], of course" answered. glibly.;
. "have you seen any hereabouts?
: NO." said the captain. He finished
s the last letter with q flourish. shut
. his jackknife and put 1t in his pocket
sdled up to the tree. and 10! he
!, had hacked Elizabeths initials in the
: green bark.
Come down to the beach, joey.
! G y IA m n 81
: With mo. There's no wind stirring,
! but Ill whistle for capful.,'
. And whistle he did. as we strobe
down the path-the sweetest, clearest
! notes I ever heard. And presently
! something RULED the water, the little
: waves began to leap; a cool murmur
: came up, as it seemed, from the heart
a of tho sea; the captain made the boat
: ready and we jumped In.
AS he trimmed the sail he fell to
]. telling me about his voyages in9the
i South Pacific and the awful white
9 North: Of doubling the black preci-
). pieces Of Cape Horn, with floating Ice
/ side. I forgot 'Lizbeth and the old
r gun. and when I trudged homo my
I head was full OF whaling stations, and
a bIubber. and big fish, and sharp. clin-
r ker-built boats. and I acknowledged in
my heart that Jack Rolfe was the
q
d But presently tho spell which lie
: lad thrown upon mo passed. away
t and my jealousy revived. Though
no longer wished to harm the captain
r saw that I must. steal @ march upon
him. At nightfall I went to Elizabeth's
;. house, and found her leaning on the
II gate. She wore a muslin gown that
o looked like a white cloud, and some
q blush roses were dying in her bosom
81 Was 1t here you stood" asked
l, sulkily. when you wished Captain
II Rclfe good luck, as he started on his
J. voyage?" Il
n Eyes. joey" she answered. in a
=, dreamy voice; "just here
g "Elizabeth." I said, st want you tc
p promise to marry mo when / grow
up"
o She opened wide her beautiful eyes
u THAT Is n long time ahead, joey
" only five, years" urged. "Yo,
:: and are Of the same ago You ough,
u to be willing to walt for me FIVE
80 years for l love You tremendously
Elizabeth
-, Somebody came up to us on tn.
- other side of tho gate. and, leaning
so over, put an arm around my compan
90 ion,
Is. Here Is another person that love
nj Elizabeth tremendously" said Captain
cd Rofe. with laughter in his voice, "an,
1y as no is already grown up. she nee,
err rot wait to marry him. Joey. All, m,
re lad, you arc too ate-Elizabeth i
promised to me. But, cheer up! yol
nm shall dance at her wedding" EaH
u There is no moro to tell. He watn'
nd the man to let grass grow under hi
h shoes. He married Elizabeth and car
lg. ried her off to tho other side OF til
he world. And the morning they left tn
eli village wished Cindy had never fish
nd cd me out of the old we'll Even /
dy this far day my heart thrills to tn
cd name OF Elizabeth.
ad --- - --- -
=" Our Merchant Marine,
In About the severest commentary q
~ our fnilllra q .laValnn n In at mar