The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-07-31
The Captain S
Daughter

Brown. She clenched her elderly fists
herself to the purser's Office.
There's woman in my stateroom,"
she announced acridly, IAN you can
jest put her somewheres else. I don't
want to have a stranger in the room
with me-
I'm sorry, madam but it can't be
helped. The boat is so crowded" said
the purser.
II wouldn't of come at all eff had
a-known I'd have some other horrid
passenger in the room with me"
sulked the wizened little woman.
ooh, she isn't horrid passenger"
soothed the purser good naturedly.
you'll like her when you know her"
think so?" shifted Miss Belts sar-
castically. "You don't know me-"
"Perhaps not" responded the purser,
who knew Miss Browns father. "But
there are few ladies who could help
liking the captains daughter"
"The captains daughter" exclaim-
ed Miss Belts, somewhat notified
1T might be an advantage to know
the captains daughter"
1T will be great advantage" said
the purser confidently.
She'll sit at the captains table, OF
course, an she'll know all the ships
officers, l s'pose. An maybe she'll
take me round an show me the whole
ship an l never was through a ship
in my life" remarked Miss Belts, mus
ingly. oh, we'll, guess she can
stay" concluded the little woman,
now completely restored to good
humor.
Then she bobbed away with her lit
tie mincing steps and returning to her
stateroom made herself pleasant In
her own peculiar way to Miss Ph1ll1s
Brown, whom she found sitting on the
edge of the lower berth, cropping In
her handbag for box Of candy. It'll
be real nice to have company" re-
marked Miss Belts overwhelmingly. Il
s'pose you won't mind taking the up
per berth. I amt so spry as l was"
IT won't mind at ALL" assented Miss
Brown.
do you think your father'd approve
of your eatin' that candy Just before
putin out to sea-"
II don't think he'd mind" replied
Miss Brown. won't you have some?"
ooh, Lor', no! I'd be sick as two
cats eff I was to eat it. Does your
father ever git seasick?"
II believe he does sometimes" re-
sponded the young lady, looking cur
iously at Miss Belts. "Why do you
ask"
ooh, nothin'. I just wanted to
know" said Miss Belts. II s'pose
you have the run of the whole ship
she continued
mo more than any one else," re-
pudiated Miss Brown, again looking
curiously at her new acquaintance.
Miss Belts raised her already highly
arched eyebrows, til they were almost
lost among the roots Of her sparse
hair, but she merely said: "Well, any
way, mebbe you'll be able to take me
round and show me the interestin'
parts of the ship. The galleys an the
bridge an the ingine ROOM she con-
cluded vaguely.
Yes, indeed" responded Miss
Brown, It'll show you all can" Later
on she kept her word nobly and pa
tiently walked the little. old woman
about the ship, telling her all she
knew of ships in general and of this
ship in particular.
But her explanations did not appar-
emily satisfy Miss Belts, for that
night, as they were retiring, she re-
marked, II should although your pa
would a-taught you all there was to
know about ships
"He has told me a lot about them"
replied Miss Brown.
We'll, there was lots of things you
couldn't tell me about this one an
seems to me you might Of. An down
to the saloon, when we was at dim
ner, we didn't sit at the captains Ia
BILE at ALL.
Were you going to-" asked Miss
Brown.
WAS I goin' to? or course was
goin' to. l though that was one of
the privileges Of roomin' with the
captains daughter. That's what I un-
derstood. l should think your father
would want to have you sit with him
at table an should think he'd intro
duce you to all the ships officers"
I'm sure don't know what you're
talking about" returned Miss Brown,
with a bewildered look. my father
doesn't know any of the officers"
well, he's funny captain, then,
not to know the officers of his own
ship!"
Il think you must be dreaming,
Miss Betts!" exclaimed the girl. my
father has nothing to do with this
ship nor its officers nor with seating
the passengers at table. My father
happens to have served in the Span
ish war and held the rank Of captain.