Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-28
ThE MARRIAGE OF
''CAPTAlNKETTLE&
II Romance Mhe Sea
By CUTCuFFE HYNE


decks between two rows of self-blind.
ed Animation deck-hands, who were
kept stiffly in position by a promise
from their savage little skipper that
he personally would cave In the head
of any son-of.a-dog among them who
dared so much as to peep till the
ladies were comfortably slowed away
below.
The brown-beared saint me them
at the foot Of the ladder, and escorted
them up the side and across the deck,
and Miss Chesterman (by Instruction.
received them at the head of the com.
panionway, and Miss Dubbs closed the
door on the party Of them as soon as
the visitors had stepped across the
high threshold. $685..
Once down below, obviously there
would be the difficulty which first
arose round the tower of Babel. But
der for him to be present as inter
prefer. Even in the strictest Moslem
circles and in Berber petty courts 1t
is quite within the law for mother
to unveil before her eldest son.
It was Miss Dubbs who broke the
confidence Cf there was any, and de-
scribed the ladies' appearance and do
ings to Captain Owen Kettle that even
ing in the quiet gloom of the starboard
alleyway. -"
Not a bit black" said she in an.
swer to a question. I'm fact should
be browner myself If I'd been invited
on deck occasionally and not been OBJ
liged to spend all my time at sewing
below. Oh. you needn't start to
apologize, captain. know my place.
thank you. Anemic, in fact, should
call that taller one. But the aston
ishing thing was they were all tat
tooed with blue lines across the top
of their noses and the middle Of their
foreheads. How any woman could
have that done, and on her face, too,
beats me. And their finger nails were
colored red. thought at first 1t must
have been something they'd been
washing, and the dyed come of. But
1t was too regular for that, and they
were all alike. 1t must have been
some stain put on on purpose.
suppose, poor things. they imagine it
becomes them, just like the black
stuff they'd got daubed under their
eyes. You know: the same as act
resses wear on the stage"
Il beg your pardon, Miss Dubbs,"
said her ex-admirer stiffly, but az
theater. I do draw the line some
where" aa
ITS so long since we've been on
friendly terms, that declare I've for.
got your habits, captain. However;
there you are: eyes like actresses, and
powdered cheeks; finger nails mani
cured as I've said, and lips got up till
they were red as postofflce letter
box. But Africans though they were,
flgged up like you hear. there was
nothing common about them. 1t was
the old lady that did the talking. and
she soon put your Miss Violet in her
place, can tell you. And what's
more, I believe Mr.. Bergash toned
down what she was saying lot be-
fore he put it into English. Oh, you
can be sure that old lady thinks she's
queen. and she acts remarkably like
as If she really was one" S..
"You seem impressed" =,
81 am" A little SILVER went
through all Miss Dubbs' generous pro-
portions. I'm not sure I don't wish
was home again, and ont of this"
well, you've nothink to keep you
here"
Nothing. Absolutely nothing and
no one. I've seen the bit of travel
that I came out for. and now ] wish
| was back serving at nice upper
class bar. That old woman made me
feel as if there was a goose walking
over ";y grave don't feel safe
here, and that's fact. ard I've no
one to look after me-"
"Td do my best, if you'd let me-"
"You! How many times have
heard you say that captains duty
is toward his owner first, last, and
all the time? You've Miss Violet TO
look after and I've no desire to tres
pass thank you. Good evening, cap
tain. must get below and tidy up my
ladies' rooms" - ,..
Captain Kettle. with the professional
assistance of the Wangaroo's cook.
who was also butcher, was bargaining
with some coast Moors over FIVE sheep.
The sheep. with their legs tied.
lay In a boat alongside, Kettle stood
at the foot Of the accommodation lad
der, and the cook was in the boat that
sawed up and down at the foot of It..
The cook ran an expert hand over
the animals loins. "All very thin,
sir, except this old ram, and should
say he'll be too tough for the cabin to
eat
do for the fo'c's'le?''
ooh, he'd come sweet enough for
them forrard." The cook turned
angrily to one of the Moors. Give
over paving me, you heather. can
see that's the after end Of the beast
as well as you can. They've got fiat
tails, sir, like beavers, and by the feel
of them the tails are just bladders OF
tallow."
The Moor evidently caught his
meaning, and nodded vehemently both
to the cook, and upward to Captain
Kettle.
That's right, old son. said the
cook. 1--WE eat the sleeps smile.
and when I'm let can dish that up
very appetizing, having Scotch aunt
by marriage. But we've got no use
for his nasty fat waggle." He made
vigorous signs of cutting off the tails
and throwing them into the sea.