The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-03
Jennie
Hatch's
Secret
Only One Other
Person Shared 1t
BY ESTHER VANDEVEER

Jennie Hatch was a sea captain's
daughter and lived In New Bedford IL
the whaling days when ships went of
on long voyages for oil. Jennie grew
up almost as good sailor as her ia
ther. When she was ten years old She
could handle pair Of oars as well a.
her strength would permit and when
she was fourteen would be seen any
time In the bay on which she lived
sailing little boat with a leg-o'-mut
ton sail, skimming the water like Il
bird. She didn't seem to mind 1t when
the wind was quite fresh and the
waves were rather large for so small q
boat.
True, on one occasion she was cap
sized by her main sheet getting caught
In the tiller. but she chung to the boat
till she was rescued and laughed at heI
rescuers rs though she considered her
ducking a good joke.
1t was that CHEEKY disposition and
absence Of fear which made her popu-
lar with her neighbors. who were all
amphibious, and. as for the few young
fellows who were not at sea, they were
all In love with her. to say nothing OF
those who were at sea and came ashore
for short periods When she came to
"A manageable age her father wished
that his frst mate, David Larraway,
should get the prize. Possibly David
might have won her had he passed
more Of his time ashore. But a man
who Is gone on two or three years
voyage. as sailors were In those days.
was not very we'll situated to make
love to a girl ashore.
Besides, David was thirty when Jen
ME was seventeen. matter Of fact
chap, steady as a rock and not at all
demonstrative. Captain Hatch had
been On the same ship with him for
eight years and during that time had
learned that he was as reliable In foul
as fair weather. And that was the
reason why he wished Jennie to be his
wife.
Jennie at this time was of an age
IN which a girl has not yet let go
of boys to care for the attentions of
men.
One day when the captain and his
FIRST mate were on their why back from
q three years. cruise Hatch intimated
to Larraway that IL he could win Jen-
ME 1t would be relief to her parents
They feared she might take up with
some worthless fellow who would make
her miserable Dave confessed to the
captain that he had loved Jennie ever
since she was passing from sirlhood
to womanh6od. He had Intended to
speak to her az lover before they had
sailed from New Bedford. but some
how he couldn't get out what he had
to say. The captain laughed at him
and told him to ''heave the lead" when
they returned.
But when they brought the ship into
port and went ashore they found a
great change in Jennie. She was not
only three years Older. but all that
sprightliness that had made her 70 str
tracti%s had gone ont Of her. Some
thing had happened during their alb
sence. What was III Nh enc except
herself seensd 70 know, and she told
no one.
Soon after hsr fathsr had gone 70 sea
on this voyage from which, hs was r.
turning Z young sailor named Baker
had coma lat0 p&rt and remained thars.
several weeks while his ship was un-
loading Asr carge and Loading for an
other voyage. Hs was Landscape
chap. With { dsvii-rnAy-cafe way about
him that was especially attractive to
ycnzx giris. But 10 was dissslpassd--
at -lsast dufing his stay ashore and
when he sGilsd Lest 4 Number Of AN
peiA asceuas bsAasA ~. nsetiy Ter
Agu0e.
M Hah9, ~ $50 - r