The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-08-02
How She
Proposed
By F. A. Mitchell

"Wimmen are a queer lot" said the
old fisherman. "They remind me most
Of crab. If you expect woman to
move forard she goes back; if you ex-
pect her to so back she goes for'ard
And if you don't know which way
she's goin' she moves sideways.
Anyway, the only gal was ever
stuck ON went that sort Of a gait as
long as knew her as gal. She was
the daughter Of man who owned one
of the best farms ten miles back OF the
coast and with a lot O money In bank
Phoebe was the only child Of her par
ents, and it was ginerally suspicioned
that when the old man died she'd git
it all.
II was a husky young feller in those
days and was in my element when In
my boat. She was single sticker
with a jib. and reckon knew how to
sail her.
II was fishin' in those days, but in
midsummer we was shut OF from
takin' Holsters, and the mackerel are
hard to get. Now and then l got a
chance to take out sailin' parties.
When Phoebe came down she always
had money her dad had given her for
spendin' and she used to invite sailin'
parties to 90 out with her. My boat
seemed to be her favorite, though my
reputation for sailin in fog or at
night might have had somethin' to do
with it. At any rate, Phoebe always
took my boat when she could get 1t.
"She was mighty fond O the water
Phoebe was, and when she had nothin
else to do would come down to the
dock and just loaf around. One morn
in she came down when l was startin
out to place my nets.
II you'd like to 60 with me to the
fishin' grounds, said, you're well
come. I'm comm back after placin
the nets, and I'll bring you right here
"She looked doubtful, but mighty
sudden she jumps down on to the deck.
/ lOosed the painter and pushed Of.
There was good breeze, and we sailed
along in the sunlight.
maybe wasn't happy younker.
Talk about work, it want work at all.
although it was maxim livin'. Phoebe
was gay and pert as little red squir-
rel. took her out to the fishin'
grounds to the lee of Black island and
brought her back In time for noon din
ner. and she seemed to have enjoyed
herself better'n when we had saiin
parties aboard
After that Phoebe used to 20 out
with me good deal. The bay was al
ways full o. boats, and she often hailed
friends O. hers. Sometimes they tried
to persuade her to leave me and go
with them, but she wouldn't. She told
me she liked 1t better to have the
whole run Of the boat than sittin' bolt
upright in crowd ranged around the
gunwale.
when we went out in the mornin'
the bay was usually quiet, but If we
came back in the afternoon there was
apt to be stiff wind that kicked a
Portable. One morning Phoebe came
down to the dock with lunch box and
asked If ! was goin to the fishin'
grounds. knew by the box that she
calculated to make day of 1t. SO I
said was goin and wouldn't come
back till afternoon. That suited her
She got aboard. and we sailed away.
That afternoon the wind came ON to
blow fnrcer than | had ever known il
except In regular storm. In order to
make IA straight course for home we
mad to take the wind and sea on the
| forard quarter, which wasn't comfort
able. seem that the boat soon was
half full q water and we was botl
wet as drowneded rats. But this WASH,
/ the wust Of it. 1t blowed harder ant
harder, and after awhile l almost won
dered ii so small boat would live IL
such gale
phoebe sat down, backed by tn
cabin, watchin' me- There's somep'l
for woman to look at in q husky mai
hghtin' wind and waves, and / coul,
see admiration in Phoebe's face. Sh
didn't seem a bit afraid, so long as
was at the tiler.
when l luffed up to the pier an,
saw Phoebe jump up on to 1t felt
big relief. She stood up there, smilir
at me, and she says
That's sail as is sail. Not on
OF your little pleasure excursions 70
wimmin and children
Just so.' says 1, hopin' Id neve
git caught ag'in in such a blow with
gal aboard, especially that gal.
by this time was desprit In low
with Phoebe, and l was miserable, 70
1t warn't to be expected that woul
ever speak the word to rich farmer
daughter, l bein' nothin' but fisher
man, maxim little or nothin'.
September was comm on. Phoeb
tole me to come up to the house, wher
she was, and she would settle some ac
counts there was between us. 1 wen,
and she had it all figured out that sh
owed me S1.3T.
She went upstairs to git the money
and she stayed so long that at last
looked around for somep'n to interes
me. l got up and walked about tn
room. There was a partly finished 10,