The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-05-20
A Strange
ElOpernent.

Copyright, 1905 by T. c. McClure.1
I was mate of the American brig
Homer Lee, commanded by Captain
the pool at London for forty days to
get a cargo for some port In the Unit
ed States The captain was the sole
owner Of the brig. and as he was not
a wealthy man and as the preceding
voyages had been without profit 1t be-
gan to look us IL It were the end of
his mercantile career On the fortieth
day, when things seemed to have
reached their worst, a waterman row.
ed gentleman out to the craft,
We spotted the man to be a gentle
man and some one not at all interested
In shipping as soon as he came aboard.
l believe to this day that he was a
man of title and wealth, though l
| haven't the faintest idea of his name.
He asked to look the craft over, and
our first idea was that he was looking
to buy ship, The Lee had fine
cabin and staterooms, having once
been. passenger packet to South
American ports, and after an investi-
cation the stranger, who gave the
name of Montgomery and who was a
man about forty years old, announced
| himself as satisfied and then desired
to charter the brig for New York. The
story he told was that his wife was in
poor health and that the doctor had
recommended slow sea voyage. He
did not want other passengers aboard.
nor did he want to walt for cargo. He
offered a much higher price for the
passage of the two than we could have
got from an average cargo and would
furnish all the cabin stores in addi-
ton. One of the stipulations made was
that we were to engage a cook above
the ordinary and carry a steward. An
other was that the two were to dine
by themselves.
We began engaging a crew and TAX
Ing stores aboard the next day, and In
four days we were ready. No mer-
chantman sailing the seas ever took
such cabin stores aboard. The wines
alone would have lasted half u dozen
people for voyage of sixty days,
while the provisions were what any
rich man would have ordered for his
pantry. Montgomery himself came
aboard at least an hour before the lady
did. She waited for darkness, and as
soon as ever her feet touched the deck
she went to the cabin. and a tug took
our line and started down the river.
1t was at breakfast next morning.
and we were well down the channel and
had cast Off the tug, when there was u
row in the cabin. We could catch
nothing that Montgomery said. but the
voice of the lady could be heard
through the open skylight to the fore
mast. She surely had tongue on her.
AS n matter of fact. she swore like a
trooper, and the man could not quiet
her. She called him rascal. a rogue.
a liar and many other things and
ended up by throwing crockery at him.
The captain and | heard 1t all and
were amazed. For a sick wife the lady
seemed very vigorous. 1t was not for
us to interfere. however. In about half
an hour Montgomery came on deck for
a smoke and promenade. He seemed
to think some explanation due. and he
said that his wife was quick tenn
pered woman and was blaming hin,
that mail had not been provided for
her. She did not show herself during
the day, and we heard no more rows
That night we had something of a gale
that remained with us for three days
and brought her seasickness, and none
of us heard anything from her. Mont
gomery attended her and had very lit
tie to say.
leaving London and we were well out
ON the Atlantic when Captain Saun
ders was called into the cabin by the
woman. TO his great surprise. he
found her a person at least fifty years
old. She was not even commonly good
looking. On the contrary, she would
have been called homely anywhere
her age. She began abusing Mont
gomery as II he had been pickpocket
She called him hard names. and she
swore. She declared that she would
go no farther In his company ant
must be transferred to the first Graf
bound for London. Montgomery a
first tried to soothe her, but she yelled
and screamed and finally would hay,
used her nails on his face had not the
captain interposed. The woman de
MED that she was his wife and sale
that he had grossly deceived her int
the situation, and she offered Captain
Saunders 500 to transfer her tina
day. Montgomery finally told her L
go II she so desired. and that settled
It, Within an hour we raised lum
Der vessel coming from the Ameri
can coast. The woman was informed
as to what sort Of craft 1t was anC
that the accommodations would b,
very meager. but she insisted on belni
transferred. She offered the other cap
tain 500 to receive her and was dul!
landed on the lumber laden decks
Neither she nor Montgomery had ha,
a word IN farewell. OF all her bag
gage she would take only one singh
trunk. telling Captain Saunders tina
he could have the rest for his wife.
Montgomery made no explanation
affQr the ahina M rtad Indaad n ~,