Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-10
0 ThE MARRIAGE OF
' &|RCAPIAlNKETTLE
II Romance Mhe Sea
Bv CUTCuFFE HYNE


at the moment over the amount OF
spoil it would take to construct GER
tain ILL.," and Mr.. Kettle arrived in the
office just in time to perform the func-
ton of whipping-bo
But the mariner was taking no
chances.
I'D been aching for weeks" he ex-
planned pathetically afterward. "for
chance to spread that engineers nose
across his face, and send him home
with his eye in a sling, and he knew
1t, and I make no doubt had taken his
dirty precautions. I should have had
time to have sewn him up all right,
but the police would have been in by
the end of the scrap and I couldn't
afford to waste minute, much less
risk day. So I let him off; but.
please the Lord, I'll meet him some
where else, and attend to him in full"
So leaving his work entailed dis
missal, and when once more he arrived
at the Mason's Arms (this time with
small portmanteau). he was again in
his previous condition Of being out OF
employ. .,.
Miss Dubbs leaned across the top OF
the bar and shook his hand with her
best air. II was all of twitter to
think you wouldn't be able to get away.
It's Sir George who offers the job. and
he'll wait for no man. Bring your
skipper up to the scratch at six
o'clock tonight says he. and I'll look
him over But If he isn't here by then
he needn't come, because I shall run
up to Liverpool after that, and get one
Of the proper shipping people to find
me MASTER" ,.. A-. -.
well. I'm here, miss, and my certi.
ficates are all that an owner can ask
for. You didn't happen to hear what
the ship was. ond where she was for
Not that it matters. I'd command a
floating dock bound for the North Pole
yes. and guarantee to take her there,
too, If an owner would sign me in for
the job. But If you could give me a
pointer on 'ahead. it might help in
negotiations"
"The trouble is. can't Captain. You
know that Sir George is-short; ard
brisk, and snappy. They'd been hav.
ing political meeting UP in the coffee
room, and he came in here as usual
for a word with pa-with the guv'nor.
that Is. You know he's our landlord
he's landlord OF half the countryside,
for that matter. Well. pa asked him
about the flower show: would he be
president again this year? And Sir
George laughed, and said he expected
he'd be in Morocco about flower show
time If he could find a skipper for his
boat. But shippers. they tell me. are
hard to get at the moment says he,
lust, I suppose, because I happen to
want one
"'Excuse me. Sir George says 7.
but if that's all your trouble, | can
find you perfect captain pin.
"Ah.' says he, that sounds like
business. And why's he out Of q
billet? Drunk
steadiest young man know
says T.
"'Any other qualifications? he asks
"'Theres no captain can work a
ship safer or more comfortable /
SAYS; and though I've never been at
sea with you Captain, I'm sure that's
right. And then added something
about your skill in music I said moth
ing about what you told me about
poetry, because thought that wouldn't
help. But the music fetched him.
The accordion is quite thel finishing
touch. he says. Send your man
along he says, and I'll interview him
"And that's the lot. Captain. The
agent came and fetched him then be-
fore could get in another word, and
perhaps as we'll" u .....
miss" said the sailor, 81 don't
know how to thank you for what
you've DONE" -...
"Then don't do it. suppose lady
may do what she likes for her own
particular friends. and never heard
any law as to why she mayn't have
men friends as we'll as the usual lady
friends" w.
"You might tell me who Sir George
is
"Why. bless me. yes. thought you
knew. He's the big man round here,
and tiptop good sort. Head of every
thing, from the cricket club down to
the county council; member Of parlia-
ment for the division, and a real popu-
lar landlord, in spite Of the fact that
he owns half the countryside They
say he vets his pound Of flesh all right
in rents; but II any one meets with q
lump OF udTO LUCK, duu van pey oAAu
Sir George hears about It, it's always.
MY good man, don't let your bit OF
debt to me spoil your sleep. Wine 1t
of. and try and do better next half
year. Tell your misses I'm sending
her down couple of brace OF
pheasants! -, &
Sounds a good sort"
$50 you'd think. So I do think.
He's the incest great gentleman i
know, and you'll find no one in Foston
to give him a bad word. But there's
one, they say, can't get on with him
or else it's him that can't stand her"
Trouble with his wife?'
Captain, l don't talk scandal But
this is business matter, and as I am
a business lady, and have put you on to
It, I think it's right you should know.
Her ladyship is Sir Georges little
cross; and II she can't get on with a
man like that, my opinion of her is
that she's no better than she ought to
be. But there's no getting over the
fact that she leads him dogs life Of
It when she's down here at the Hall;
and when she's in London by what one