Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-10
CHAPTER VII Continued.

CHAPTER VII Continued.
The landlord, as was natural, was
skeptical at first; talked of accordion
players he had known who were equal
to Padriwhiskey and Mahryall;" and
spoke Of the risk and strain to his
voice in singing to an inefficient ac-
companist. But Mr.. Kettle had the
instrument in hand by this, had run
was playing such a soothing impro
visation to the little mans recitative
that presently the monologue stopped,
and the small fist ratified the glasses
on the table. ....
"By Jings, Captain, you're take-in.
I thought you were tin-pot amytoor.
Why, you're bloomin' pro. I see
what we're in for, and that's an even
ing Of 'armony. Miss Dubbs, kindly
take the captains order. Mines the
usual. And ma will have red port
wine. And now, Captain. II you'll
kindly do what you can with the Bay
of Blscay, key Of e fiat, I'll supply the
rest"
The concert took place in the inside
private parlor, in an atmosphere that
was entirely unventiiated. and rich
with the mingled doors Of tobacco
smoke and toasted cheese, and as the
glass door into the Snug was hospi-
tably left open, that latter apartment
was crowded with an appreciative
audience who raped approval Of each
successive item with sticks, feet, and
tumblers. Miss Dubbs pumped beer,
and drew whisky till her strong right
arm was wearied and when eleven
o'clock and turning-out time arrived.
there was a unanimous vote against
any government that laid down arbi-
trary laws as to when gentleman
should leave enjoyment and 60 home to
bed.
'By iings." said the landlord hoarse-
ly, as he locked the front door on the
last customers heels, and kept the
rest of the atmosphere from escaping;
"by jings! I've not had such night
since we opened here This has got
to be repeated. The customers will ex-
pect it. Miss Dubbs. We'll take a
Dock and Joris, and I daresav you'd
like cream de mint yourself. Cap
tain, as we say in the lodge, here's
Round the Neck!'"
Captain Kettle stayed In free quar-
tiers at the Mason's Arms for a week.
and It the end of that period found a
job as timekeeper on a. railroad extern
sion works. The camp was some con-
siderable number Of miles away, and
the employment was thoroughly dis.
tasteful to him. He ached to be back
again at sea: but with scandal Gas
he was convinced). awaiting him in
Liverpool, he chose the safer part, and
prepared to lie low till the air cleared
again.
On Saturday midday he was Off cial-
" free. but in effect had to spend all
the afternoon, and most of the evening,
writing up books: and on alternate
Sundays some of the gangs worked
overtime. and he had to be on watch
to check the hours to be paid for. His
predecessor in the post. being a high
minded British workman. had decided
he would be no mans slave and had
handed in his resignation in man
f1er that insured it's instant acceptance.
But to Mr.. Kettle the hours were light
enough When engaged In his own
profession. as a, modern mate, he had
taken 1t for granted that he had to
work seven days week, whether in
harbor or at sea- and for most Of the
twenty-fonr hours Of each OF those
days. so that with a training like that
at his back any shore duty was likely
to come light enough. His main trou.
bile was that the distance and these
long, hours made 1t practically limos.
sible for him to slip away and see Miss
Dubbs at Foston.
Save on his pay he could not. He
was not extravagant. He liked his
glass Of beer ard his pipe OF tobacco
a..d though these were practically his
only Injuries, it took practically every
penny he earned barely to live. The
reason was simple. He had spent all
his grown life at sea. where food and
lodging are provided as part Of the
scheme Of life. and he had none Of a
landsman's training in buying these
things for himself.
Moreover. and this was very typical
holding a masters certificate, and was
verv sensitive about living in any
style which he conceived to be below
a shipmasters dignity. There are very
strict .snmptuary laws about these mat.
tiers: and even IL he had felt any in.
clination TO give way on small points
of etiquette. owing to force of exist.
ing circ,m stances. the thought Of Miss
Emily Dubbs in the background al.
WAYS kent him up to the most exact
ing letter Of the sea rubric.
Miss Dubbs had swelled out her
chest when she laid down the law on
the matter. and had spoken with no
uncertain voice. IT was an officer
said she. "1'd be an officer. II knew
II was captain, and was down on nv
luck, and I went into house Of call,
starving, and they asked ME kindly to
step into the kitchen and take my meal
there. dye think I'd do It? Not me-!
I'd starve first Why 1t would be
like asking bar lady to carry Goals
to bedroom, or wheel out visitors
children in perambulator."
It was Miss Dubbs, in fact, who
rescued Mr.. Kettle from the railway
extension. and sent him to sea again !;
and the first news Of her move was
conveyed to the poor stranded sailor
geographically.
urro KottIo Railway works LAND