The Washington herald., 1914-09-06
member Charlie Bradbury, don't you

Billie"
Surely" said Rawson.
Well" said Hartman, Bradbury
has a class here every summer. Ht
teaches the young idea how to shoe
, paint. and he does it well. | went tc
the annual exhibition OF his pupils tht
other day, and in these days OF Cubitis
and the Matteawan School of Art, il
was a relief to note the wholesome
sanity of every blessed picture on the
studio wall, the product of his sixty
pupils"
That is a particularly interesting fig
use over there" said Rawson. pointing
to a canvas representing an old fisher,
man bending over his nets. lit
seems too real to be a mere picture"
Doesn't ii 4" said Hartman. That's
why | have hung it so well. I'm glad
You feel that way about it, Rawson-
its my favorite."
Life of course" said Rawson
studying the picture closely, and with
strange expression in his eye, the old
expression that | knew so well, as rec
| ognizable as the quiver of the nose OF
hound just getting on the scent of
something.
"Surest thing you know" Hartman
replied, He's one OF our local celeb
rities-old Captain Jim"
Captain Jim who" asked Rawson.
Captain Jim nothing" said Harri-
man. Just plain Captain Jim. | sup
/ pose he has got last name-or has
had-but nobody around here knows
what it is"
Not a native then" said Rawson.
| No said Hartman. lust an &C.
centric old chap who came ashore here
FIVE years ago in a fishing boat in a
storm, Where he came from nobody
knows. He Just blew in Fact is, he
was found lying on the beach uncon-
scious with his battered old boat turned
upside down beside him, after a vicious
old nor r'easter that played hob around
here in November, 1909. He was such
pitiable object that | took him in, in
way | gave him an old fish house of
mine down by the cove, and he pays
rent for it by supplying me with FISH
and Holsters. He was a dazed old boy
when he FIRST came here. and | don't
think he's quite got over it yet. | asked
him his name and all he seemed able
10 say was Capn Jim. Cap'n Jim, and
Captain Jim he has remained ever since.
Victim OF aphasia, perhaps l sug-
gested.
Very likely" said Hartman. AT
any rate he's wistful old fellow, and
everybody around here loves him. |
don't suppose there IS a farmers wife
within a radius of ten miles OF the
Captains shack who hasn't at one time
or another sent the Captain half doz-
en- pies. and enough New England
doughnuts to sink battleship. And
now / guess he makes as much as a
hundred dollars every summer by pos
ing for these amateur artists That
himself. and | want 70 tell you that
when | offered Bradbury TWO hundred
dollars for it the terms on which he
sold it were that every penny OF that
two hundred should be expended in
making the old captain comfortable"
"kingly ine OF Bradbury" said
Rawson I'd like to see the captain
some time"
Well. you'll have plenty OF oppor-
tunity if you follow Bradbury's pupils
they're all crazy TO paint him. and al
most every afternoon you'll find him
somewhere along the shore posing for
somebody"
And there the matter was dropped
ior the moment, but only for the mo-
ment. for later in the afternoon we
look over the work OF his pupils on eX-
libition there. and there were at least
d dozen more pictures OF Captain Jim
on the line
he
links said Rawson. as he and | stood
alone for few minutes in one corner
OF the studio while Hartman convers-
ed with one or two Of the art students
who ''happened' to be present But
I'm not at all surprised. ! knew the
minute you turned up this morning
that something was going to happen"
l turned on him and gazed into his
eyes.
What is it. Billie" | asked eagerly
q don't know yet" said Rawson,
with d perpleNed shake OF his head.
Captain Jim battles me Just now, but
| think I'm on the trail of-well. some
thing. | thought he reminded me Of !
somebody when | first saw that picture |
on Harriman's wall There's a turn
OF the head, a curious twist OF the |
shoulder. a something in the eye OF |
that picture that Stirs some memory in |
my >ubconscious mind. And the same |
are in every one of those !
other pictures-so it wasn't chance. |
There something there, and it's the |
real thing. Captain Jim is somebody !
who"
Here Rawson paused and shook his
head.
Somebody who what" I questioned
Somebody who is wanted some
WHEREOF at least has been missing
from somewhere for some little time"
said Rawson.
But who-who do you think he is:"
pleaded
That" said Rawson, studying one of
the larger canvases closely, that is
what | am trying to think out"
That evening after dinner Rawson
came over again to Harriman's house,
and in as much as a heavy fog had
come in from the sea, we passed few
hours indoors. The night was chilly,
and the great fireplace in Harriman's
living-room glowed with the light of
three kissing. spluttering logs that
blazed cheerfully away upon the hearth.
After considerable chat on various
topics we reverted once more to the
subject OF Captain Jim. Rawson him
self began it.