The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-08-10

4
love with Emily Gunter no one could
ever find out. Jack was fine, manly
/ young sailor. and whenever no camo
home from voyage all the girls made
a dead set for him. Emily was the
only girl I'm the village who paid no
attention to him. Perhaps he was
piqued on that account Emily was
fairly good looking. though she had Il
square jaw and tho corners OF her lips
were drawn down, denoting a strong
Will
On one OF his homecomings Jack
sidled up to Emily either from pique
or curiosity or a little of both, and
they We're seen walking together on
the beach or sitting on the dunes.
Their friends observed that Emily
usually had scowl on her face ana
Jack seemed TO be trying to get her
into good humor.
what do you want with that girl,
Jack?" one of his messmates who was
ashore with him said to him one day.
'She seems TO be continually quarrel
ing with you. You're the best natured
man in our ship, so / know it's no
fault of yours. If you marry her
you'll get wasp, take my word for
that"
Il know you're right Billy, but
somehow there's fascination in being
treated as If she didn't care rap for
me and being hammered by her. The
nearest l ever came before TO an In
fatuation was by little Mexican girl
at Vera Cruz who tried 10 stab me.
Singular, isn't it, how we men find n
zest in that kind OF women?"
~ can understand that so long as
you're not married to one of 'em. But
you just put your neck I'm halter and
give Emily Gunter the loose end and
she'll make it hot for you all your
married life.'
"There was Petruchio, who tanned a
shrew"-
"Petruchio be hanged! All imaginary!
No man ever tanned shrew. You can
tame that kind of man, but not that
kind of woman"
But jack Stoughton was too intent
upon tampering with gunpowder to
heed his friends advice. Shortly be-
fore they sailed ne told Billy he had
married Emily, that she seemed very
amiable and that she was so averse to
parting with him that she was bent on
taking the voyage with him.
The Albatross, In which they were
to go to Japan and return, was COM
handed by Captain Larkins. Billy
Anderson was first mate, and Jack
was second mate. Emily went TO Cap
tain Larlilns and induced him 10 let
her go on the voyage with them. He
had never seen her before and thought
q woman on board would have refin-
ing influence on the crew. He had
given his consent before Anderson
told him what kind of woman Mrs.
Stoughton was; but, having given It,
he would not withdraw It
The lady was very pleasant till the
ship was well on her way-indeed, too
far out TO warrant return-then she
began to belabor her husband In no
uncertain tones. What the trouble
was no one knew, but Mrs. Stoughton's
voice could be heard In her stateroom
even in stormy weather above the
whistling Of tho wind In the rigging.
1t was not long before poor Jack
was an object OF pity on the part of
the crew, and not man but con-
demned his wife. Tho captain finally
went to Mrs. Stoughton and besought
her to let up on Jack, but got such a
berating himself that he was glad TO
beat q retreat
1t Is surprising that Captain Larkins. |
who had some twenty men under him,
not one OF whom dared to givo him the |
least back talk, should have been driv- |
en- from the after cabin and up on to |
the poop deck by woman. The day |
this occurred and 1t had been discov-
cred that Mrs. Stoughton wns virtually |
In command Of tho ship each one of |
the crew went about his duties as If |
momentous had happened. |
They had most of them been ut sea
for years. they had encountered hurrl-
canes. some had lived for days on a
raft without food or water some had
been cast upon desert lands, but mono
of them had ever passed through IN
experience like this. Their captain.
whom they respected and feared. had
been downed. They were as much
taken aback as II their rudder had
been put out Of commission.
The captain had become different
man. He walked tho deck with q
look. He gave his orders In
n humble tone, as II he would be much
Obliged IL the men should obey them.
and the men themselves did their du.
ties languidly, as IL some misfortune
hung over the ship. Only one man.
Jack Stoughtor, seemed to have been
improved by the incident. Before it
occurred he had the demeanor of n
whipped cur; now he went about rs IL
he felt himself as good a man MS any
aboard.
Tho crew, sympathizing with their
captain and one another In the pres
ence OF strange misfortune, between
watches consulted as to means OF re-
lief.
Whats the matter with We. We lub-
bers" said Tom Billings, married
m0n s1rha-aso s,,o1oaH. -. -. |