The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-03-06
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- Copyright. 1905 by A. S. Barnes {. Co.
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pair walked briskly across the city to
the elevated railway station Then
they rode uptown. had a six course
dinner in marvellous restaurant.
where an orchestra played while you
ate. and then went to the theater to
see play called 1.-THE Great Metrop-
oils" 1t was all real to Bradley, and
he thrilled wept and laughed alter
nately.
On the by down in the elevated he
said. with a. whimsical smile. Brad.
I caYlate if the old maids knew took
you to the theater they'd think YOU
was slidin' a creased pole to perdition.
wouldn't they"
Bradley smiled also as he answered:
mo. sir. guess they'd think if you
did it twas all right
Captain Titcomb grinned. but he
made no comment on the reply. All
he said was: "Well. Orham's Orham.
and New York's New York. and the
way things looks depends considerable
on which end of the spyglass Won
squirt through. Anyhow. p'r'aps you'd
better not put this cruise down in the
log"
But Bradley did put it down in the
log-that is to say, he wrote full ac-
count of this the greatest evening of
his life. in his next letter to the Sis
ters His habit Of scrupulous honesty
still chung to him, and he did not evade
or cover up. If he did thing it was
done because he thought it right, and
other considerations counted for little
Occasions like the theater trip were
few and far apart For the most part
Captain Titcomb was skipper and
Bradley was the hand" With every
voyage. sometimes to Portland, to
Portsmouth, to Boston, and. of course.
to New York. the boy learned new
things about his chief officer and to
understand him better
He learned why it was that the cap
tain received so many presents and
was considered such Il slick article"
His acquaintance among seafaring
men and shipowners was large, and
he was always ready to do little IA
vors' Sometimes Il captain just in
from a foreign cruise had hidden away
two or three pieces of silk or jewelry
or even, in one case, a piano. that We're
intended for gifts to the folks at home
and to the cost of which the custom
house duty would be an uncomfortable
addition. Then Captain Titcomb visit
ed that ship, purely as a social func-
ton, and when he came away the
jewelry or silk came with him. In the
piano affair it was bribery pure and
simple, with the addition of little bull
lying of an inspector who had made
few slips before that the captain knew
of. Petty smuggling like this Captain
Titcomb did not consider a sin worth
worrying about. There was smack
of adventure in it and the fun of TAX
ing chances"
Then, as a bargainer and a driver OF
sharp trades with shipping merchants
and others the captain was an expert
He liked, as he said, to "dicker," and,
besides he was always on the lookout
to further the interests of his owners
Looking out for the owners was his
hobby and explained in Il measure why
w w
him more than they paid their other
shippers.
He was driver with his crews,
and every particle that was in the
rickety Thomas Doane he cot out Of
her. He was easy so long as a man
obeyed orders, but at the slightest hint
of mutiny things happened.
The Thomas Doane passed and re
passed Cape Cod on her short VOYAGES.
and Bradley. with every trip, learned
more of the sea and the Seaman's fife
At the end Of his three months he went
home for a weeks stay, but he had ell
ready made up his mind TO return to
the schooner again. Captain Titcomb
had said that he was pleased with him
and limited at steady rise in wages
and promotion later on. He was earn
ing his living now-it cost little to live
and he sent home a few dollars to
the old maids every now and then.
His first home coming was a great
event. The supper that first night was
almost equal in the amount of food on
the table to his dinner with the captain
at the New York restaurant. In fact,
Bradley, released from salt Junk and
fo'castle grub, ate so much that he sui
fered with the nightmare and groaned
so diSmally that the alarmed sisters
pounded on his chamber door. and Miss
Tempy insisted that what he needle
was dose of ''Old DR.. Thomas Di>.
covery''-her newest patent medicine
and nice hot cup of pepper tea
There was no music during the meal
but the old maids talked continuously.
The hemming and the shawl Industry
We're bringing in some money. though
not yet what Miss Tempy anticipated,
and they had had windfall in the
shape of a contribution from the Samp.
son fund,
'We're all the children father had.
said the older sister. THE letter said
that there was money due IS from the
fund and that we was entitled to So
much every wear, most a bl,ndrad Joj \