Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-14

or with a sigh. but there may be
more complications In this than you
think VS. t sS
"You, mean the trips not safe !
There may be trouble with those
tribesmen where the wreck Is lying.
Well. I'm ready to take what comes.
Or. I'll put It this way II you like:
what's good enough for the gentle.
man I'm engaged to Is good enough
for me. Besides, 1t seemed likely to
be my only chance, Of foreign travel.
We must look things in the face.
captain; when we are married it ID
quite possible ]. shall have to stay at
home from then afterward."
Captain Kettle tugged vexedly at his
red torpedo beard. Quite true, my
dear-Quite true. But those aren't the
only complications. Does It occur to
you what ! am on this ship? DO you
understand that the second mate,
who's ffty-hve, II he's day. refers to
me as the old man'-and I'm twenty
seven? Do you know that here on
board ship you'll have to give me re.
spect, and say. Yes, captain and No
captain when you speak to me!
That's discipline
Miss Dubbs rose to the whole Of her
statuesque height. And pray when,
said she, have ever done anything
else?" ~.
mo, quite true" said Kettle ruiser
ably. It'll come easier to you than
It would to most. And, Of course. II
you call It companion and not
'stewardess,' and only sign on ships
articles for shilling month--as Sir
Georges sister must, of course. see
ing that we don't carry passenger
certiflcate-well, lot may be over.
looked. But, In ways that you don't
understand, you really do make 1t re.
markably awkward for me. wish
you'd told me beforehand that you'd
got this in mind"
"And then you'd have headed me
of? I knew the African coast where
you are going to was dangerous
spot" , H.-s &-.-
"Quite So expect 1t is"
Then. as I've said before" replied
Miss Dubbs comfortably, what's good
enough for you. my dear, in that line is
good enough for yours truly. So don't
let us have any more grousing." She
took out hatpin, and stood before
the glass and prinked up her elaborate
black hair. "Of course, some girls
might even have expected you to say
you were pleased to see them"
AYE. but" said Captain Kettle
doggedly, there may be other compli-
cations still You say you are Miss
Chesterman's companion. Did you
travel out together" a'grr. MI
Thank you, know my place. She
went saloon. l., of course, came Sec
ond cabin. and very comfortable and
social, I may; say. 4. found IT, though,
to; be sure. being South African boat,
there we're more Jews than some peo-
pie could have fancied." s. n.
well there you are, my dear.
We've no second cabin here. We
haven't mess room. The engineers
take their meals in the saloon with
Sir George and me- and the mates
and nasty. feeder the chief lis, II ever
I saw one. You've your choice, miss.
between that and the fo'cs'le!' \
Does the cabin steward dine with
the common sailors and flremen?"
."Oh, Il expect he gets his bit In the
pantry, standing up. No one ever
worries as to where stewards mess,
unless It's on a big boat, where they
have proper glory-hole. No need to
trouble about stewards; they keep fat
enough, and never worry about any
board of trade whack." i
.'I shall take. my meals with the
steward captain, and I've no doubt
that if he's gentleman. ell provide
me with an aerated water case to sit
upon" '>''s-g, " s@& T
Its disgusting to think about the
lady I'm going to marry doing this sort
Of thing. miss, while I'm sitting down
getting my meals with Sir George and
his sister," 49, "@ V.
You're different. You're. there, be.
cause you're captain. and head Of the
table on your own ship is your lawful
position. But I know my own place
Just as you know yours, and I'm going
to keep it: and don't you try and make
no alteration. because / won't stand It.
So now, captain, you plainly under
stand. You'll kindly look upon me az
a stewardess, and treat me exactly az
such while 1 am on board here under
your command. And now, my dear
I'll bid you good day for the present
as I'VE to go back ashore again to the
hotel to pack up Miss Chesterman's
trunks" .'... ...~ %-...
49,. CHA PIER X" I
BY an amiablet eccentricity OF the
British shipping laws. vessel which
does not own that expensive luxury, q
passenger certificate, when she does
carry passengers. as so frequently IL
the case, signs them on before shore
officials as members Of her crew
Thus, Sir George Chesterman, NJ. P.
wrote his name to the wholly enron
eous statement that he was a qualified
ships surgeon, and that he was con
tent to serve as such for the entirely
inadequate salary Of one shilling sterl
ing per mensem. J
Miss Violet Chesterman declared
that she assented to certain conditions
OF service as read ont to her and
agreed to conform to- them in all
items, also on the same cheap terms
and bracketed with her name appear
ed the name of Miss Emily Dubbs, as
an indication that she had taken
similar vows. And 80 over all;of them
Captain Kettle, as master, held powers
Of the high justice, the middle and the
u T.