The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-11
The EVENING STORY
The Christmas Ship.

/ IOWmen- The captain had always
been a crusty fellow, even in his youth.
+ had been a sensitive soul. and, strange
as it may seem, the captains failure to
+ do good had been matter of ignor-
ance rather than of evil intent.
The men on his ship never COM
planned of the captains crustiness!
I To them he was a fair and just Off
1 Ger, giving every man his due, and
having hard words for none of them.
/ But, to the outside world, Captain
Amos Bruce showed prickles like a
porcupine.
/ When he fell in love with Miss Pris-
ella everything was changed. The
captain, in spite of his forty-five years,
had never been in love before, and at
once his head became as full of
dreams as boy.
Il just want the whole world to
know haw happy I am" he said to
the little lady, who was thirty-five
and had no lack of lovers, but who had
found no one to her liking until the
dun captain had given her one day
a glimpse of his tender manly inner
self, and in the joy of that discovery
she had accepted him.
Il want the whole world to know
how happy I am the captain repeat
ed, and Miss Priscilla laughed softly.
and said, then the way to do it, is to
make the world happy
The captain rubbed his gray hair
until it stood UP like a spiky crown.
But how?" he demanded.
"Oh, I've thought of something"
said Priscilla. Il believe our special
mission is to lovers-there are so
many unhappy ones"
But how in the world ?' asked the
astoniShed captain.
Well" said Miss Priscilla, who had
tie manner, there's Jack Dobbs, for
example. He's in love with Amelia
Marston, ard she won't have a thing
to do with him, and then there's Mary
Macy, who is growing thin and pale
because Arthur Green is too dense to
know that he really cares for her. Now
what I propose to do, is for you to fit
out a Christmas ship and ask them to
take a voyage with u.s.
IN do anything you say, Priscilla
he said, adoringly.
"Of course Miss Priscilla said,
doubtfully, there's the trouble about
doing a thing of that kind at this time
of the year. I'm not sure that Mary
Macy is a good sailor
The capt ain thought It over. why
go outside of the harbor, my dear?'
he asked. We can anchor the Wan
derer just inside and have a house
party
THERE knew you'd think of some
thing, Amos" said Miss Priscilla.
The captain and Miss Priscilla were
married in November. They came back
from their honeymoon on Christmas
eve, and the next day the whole town
was startled to see ship riding at
anchor IN the quiet harbor, with red
flag flying on which in white letters
was the greeting, "a Merry Christmas
The four young unsuspecting young
people were welcomed on board by
the captain and his WIFE
''It was such a jolly idea" said Jack
Dobbs ito think of having us on your
Christmas ship" and little Mary Macy
gloWed and sparkled as she echoed,
"Oh it was a lovely idea, Capt. Amos
you can thank the first mate, said
II L. n
his radiant bride, shes got it in her
head that because we are happy, she's
got to make a lot of other people
He stopped, for his wife was winl rig
and nodding at him.
at will never do" she told him
afterward, ito have them think we are
trying to marry them off Just as sure
as they suspect, they'll get self-con- |
scious and then everything will be
spoiled.
1t looked that night as if things had |
gone wrong. Mary Macy sat detected
Jack Dobbs. while Amelia Marston
firted with Arthur Green.
'sYou don't suppose said the cap
tain that night as he came in from
walk on deck with Arthur Green, you
don't suppose they'll pair off wrong,
do you? Arthur seems to be taken
nightly with that little Marston girl
arthur is in love with Mary Macy.
said Mrs. Priscilla decidedly only
he's got to be walked up to the fact,
and I don't know who's going to do
it.
you leave it to me- said Capt
Amos. This ship isn't called a
Christmas ship for nothing. If that
little Mary Macy wants Arthur she
shall have him, Priscilla And you
know when I say that, that l mean IT,
a man of my word"
The next morning the captain hung
a great bunch of mistIetoe in the main
cabin. Arthur strolled up and watch
ed him.
st suppose" he said, loftily, that
you expect me to kiss somebody under
hat. captain Well, I'm not sentiment
-aI-so you needn't be setting any
traps"
The captain peered at him over the
big bow of red ribbon. your" he
questioned, I'm not setting my traps
sor you. It's Jack that will jump at
he chance
what chance?"
ITO kiss Mary Macy"
For a moment Arthur was silent.
Then he asked with some effort, do
you mean to say that Jack Dobbs is
n love with Mary Macy?"
Looks like it," said the captain.
'But-Mary isn't in love with him,
securely.
"She isn't?" the captain demanded.
Why. where are your eyes, my boy?"
Arthur stared at him. "But-buti"
lie stammered. MARY
'Mary's like all other girls" said
he captain, decidedly, when she
Knows that q man worships her, she
likes it. No girl is going to waste her
owe on a man who doesn't take any
,ains to keep it."
Meantime Mrs. Priscilla was help
ng the plot along. Just before DIM
Ter she carried a bunch of crimson
carnations to Mary. when you go in
o the dining ROOM" she said, you ,
lin one of these on Jacks coat"
"Jack's?" asked Mary doubtfuIly.