The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-03-01
Woman S Game
By M QUAD
Copyright, 1915. by the McCiSre
Newspaper Syndicate.

blehead launched his new brig he
named her the Jane Bebee after his
wife, who had sailed with him Tor
many voyage and was almost as sood
a sailor as he was. The first voyage
of the new brig was TO a certain south
American country, ruled by dictator,
who carried things with high mana
for five or six years and got away Win
a lump Of money just in time to AVOID
the revolution that his corrupt prac-
tices had evoked. The craft arrived
ofter n fine run and was waiting to
haul into the wharf when an official
came aboard and demanded bonus OF
81 600 for permission to land the cargo
This was in addition TO customs dues
and port charges and was directly from
Don Castro 1t was blackmail pure
and simple, and Aunt Jane, as the cap
tain's wife was generally called, said
to her husband:
"Jabez Bebee, we won't pay 1t, ana
Won tell him so straight from the
shoulder. No, not blessed penny!
The captain braced up and became
defiant, and Don Castro's messenger
was sent away with a flea in his ear.
1t was, the general opinion that the dlc-
tator would wilt But thS brig was
held in the harbor for forty-eight
hours on one pretense or another ana
was forbidden to haul into the wharr
or set sail for another port Iheh
Jabez Bebee went ashore prepared to
assert and maintain that the govern
ment represented by the eagle would
stand no trihing with one of its rep
resentatiyes from Marblehead and In
command Of a new brig which had
logged off seven knots an hour with
her yards checked in. He had his
thunder duly prepared and his light
ming handy by, but he struck a snag
almost at once Don Castro was a man
who would not stop to bluff the COM
bined powers of the world If there mad
been $500 in sight for him. The willy
old rascal also thoroughly understood
statecraft and the number OF years
that would slip by while the offended
government was making an official in
yestigation into one of his acts, official
or private.
"Pav me a thousand dollars and you
can land your cargo" was his answer
to Captain Bebee.
Captain Bebee came aboard with
long face, and in reply to his wife's
query he explained what had taken
place ashore. The matter was talked
owe, for an hour, and it was finally
decided that the captain should go
ashore again and try TO buy Don CAS-
tro off for smaller sum. If he plead
ed poverty and INDUCED in no further
bluffs it was hoped that the dictator's
heart rssght be softened into accepting
about 5000 1t was about o'clock
when he was pulled ashore again, aud
two hours later word was sent us by
Don Castro that Captain Bebee was In
iail on the very serious charge of try
inc to bribe the very highest officials
OF the country. When Aunt Jane had
got the situation straight in her mind
she promenaded up and down with her
lips puckered up. At the end OF about
ten minutes she walked up to the mate
with her face ms hard as stone and
said:
Look here, Samuel Davis Smithers,
are you a man or a scarecrowT
IN stand by you in any plan you've
got" replied the mate.
And how about the rest Of 'emT'
They'll follow me TO man"
The crew was called aft, and Aunt
Jane detailed her plan. As a result
they lifted anchor and sailed out OF
the harbor about an hour before sun
down. The brig ran down the coast
fourteen miles and came 20 anchor In
n bay resorted 20 by the dye craft, and
all that night every man Of the crew
was kept hard at work. While the
carpenter cut gun ports in the bull
warks for four guns on side men
went ashore and brought OF eight logs
20 represent cannons. These were
stripped OF their bark, painted black
and rudely mounted, and though the
sailors were bunglers at the business,
they gave the Jane Bebee a man-of-
war look 10 make you thrill. Viewed
from a distance OF half a mile the
Quaker guns looked ready to spout
fame and smoke and round shot as
biz as beer kegs. and Aunt Jane rub
he'd her hands and smiled and said,
Now for the rest of IL
one Of the crew had drum and an.
other a ffe and a third a concertina,
and they were tolled Of as the band
Prom the slop chest and fO'castle they
got enough garments 70 rig up a dozen
dummies and make them fast 20 the
bulwarks here and there. and they sci
sail on their return g the port
Straight up the hnrl,or sailed the Jane
pebee an hour after sunrise. but she
was barely broadside 60 the toWn end
her anchor down before boat pulled
oe from the mob with q Tag u truce
diving Tn that boat Sat Captain Belize.
Who bad been set az liberty with many
apologies.
Jane. sid Captain Belize ~ ne
BRIG cleared the hariIor and The WOOD.
en- guns were tumbled overheard 1eu
are q mighty smart WOMAN. but can I
sust understood it Hoe ~ me name
sfGoshen did you ret re tdea3 J talked
gud threatened rud biusfered End bluh
81. but
bet : saoulsn never hlufs sbe BE-.
- ~. Hrfase 81 rs When e