Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-08-06
EVENING STORY
CAPTAIN coee,s COOK.
BY Temple Bailey.
Copyright, 1912, by Associated Liter.
airy Press p

Copyright, 1912, by Associated Liter
airy Press.)
Women" said Capt. Cobb, ARE not
wanted here"
But you advertised" timidly, for
a cook"
81 did" said the captain, "but
stated, specifically, man cook"
But thought-maybe-"
"You thought wrong" said the cap
tain.
He shut the door, and the woman
with sigh sat down on the step.
Presently the captain opened the door.
He had on his hat and carried cane.
He stopped short at the sight OF the
dropping figure in front Of him.
Whats the matter?" he demanded.
"Well, I'm tired-I-' the little
white face under the round brown hat
grew suddenly blank. The woman on
the step had tainted!
AS he picked her up, the captain
shouted for his next door neighbor,
Sarah Tucker who came running.
She was stout. good-natured Great
ure, very much out Of breath as she
bent over the tiny bit of feminity
WHICH tu< CtAptdlu udu laIu III IHO
sofa in his sitting-room.
"Why. she don't seem nothing but
a child" said Miss Tucker, pityingly;
IF 1t wasn't for her gray hair and a
few wrinkles you'd say she wasn't
more'n twenty"
What am going to do with herr"
the captain demanded. Il cant have
her here"
Miss Tucker Strengthened up and
looked at him with whitening scorn.
"You amt going to turn her out right
now, are you-a starvin' creature like
she is?'
The captain stared. "starving?"
Sarah TOUGHER one of the thin
hands. "It's like birds claw" she
said softly. People don't get hands
| like that when they have enough to
eat"
She bent to her task Of reviving
the sick woman, and the captain ran
to the kitchen. He came back with
an assortment Of provisions. There
were lobster, two sea biscuits and a
bottle Of milk.
well, of all the combinations"
said Miss Tucker. what she needs
Is something hot: You run right over
to my house, captain, and you'll find
some beef boilin' on the stove, and
you get her cup Of broth"
The captain ran. When he came
back with the steaming cup in his
hands the invalid was sitting up. Her
soft, curly gray hair was down and
her Lead was against Miss fuckers
broad shoulder. You're very kind"
she said as the captain handed her
the cup.
mo, I'm not" the captain said has
tily. TITS Miss Tucker.,A If you're
well enough you'd better go right over
and stay with her tonight"
A frightened look came into the
faded blue eyes. Il am all right"
the pale lips faltered. Il can go on
presently" "a ..
Miss Tucker looked at the captain
in scorn. OF course you're coming
over to stay with me-" she said. I'm
going to put you to bed, and you shall
have a nice long rest. I'll bet you've
walked all the way from Salem"
eyes," the wayfarer whispered.
'Tm-1'm tired"
Capt. Cobb, watching, felt a lump
in his throat. He felt himself some
thing OF brute, too.
"Could you stay here tonight,
sarah?" he asked, obviously. Per
haps, she oughtn't to be moved"
mo, can't" said Sarah Tucker,
shortly. "She's goin home with me-"
AS the captain watched the two
women walk slowly across the lawn,
he was seized with sense Of des-
perate loneliness. The wayfarer had
left him without word of gratitude
Sarah had flounced out with her
nose in the air
He cooked a lonely supper, then
went over to inquire about the In
valid. He found her sitting on Sarah's
porch. She looked even more frail
than he had remembered, but there
was pink flush In her cheeks and
she had on one of Sarah's pink wrap
pers.
her health, and made sort OF awk-
ward apology
"You see I'd advertised for man
cook. wanted some one to help
me with the boats, renting them to
people and all that, and woman
couldn't do it,
She nodded. isn't Miss Tucker
lovely?" she said.
The captains eyes rested on Sarah's
Her smooth brown hair was parted
over a serene forehead. her eyes were
sparkling She had on white shirt
waist and a white linen skirt, and a
white apron was tied about her ex-
pansive waist
awhv yes" he said. as one who has
suddenly walked. Il guess she's real
pretty"
"She's asked me to stay here with
her" said the invalid, "and help-till
Il can get something else to do"
1t came to be common thing after
that for Capt Cobb to call on Sarah,
and Violet Dean-for that was the In
ualid,e mama Tor vearg he had lived