The Lamar register., 1920-09-22
John Hansen,
Crew
Copyright
By FREEMAN PUTNEY. JR.


Hansen. crew of the Mary H.. had
gone below TO look for the shippers
pocket-knlfe.
The skipper himself had stepped
from the sloppy fishingsloop to the ad-
joining wharf. while the lowered gaff
on which he had been working lay in
a disorder of canvas on the deck.
He walked along the wharf 10 The
schooner In the next berth. and asked
a man sitting In the shadow of the
fOrecastle for a bit of spun yarn.
my fore speaks gin out on me- he
explained.
bis newspaper. stood up. spat over the
rail. and remarked that II was sun
day. From the fishing-sloop. the crew.
John Hansen. now resting on his ell
bows half out OF the cabin. grinned
under his thin. corn-silk mustache.
The man on the schooner dropped
below 10 look In his stores, and the
skipper waited, putting on his pipe.
The man on the schooner came on
-teck again, shakirg his head and
tossed the skipper a handful OF tan
gled cord
"They got no spun yarn. John"
hailed the skipper. 'Will marlIne
dor"
"Ee-yah.' returned John.
Thank ye," grunted the skipper TO
the schOoner's man. Sorry We amt
got any spun yarn"
"All right" Inumbled the other. re-
suming colored supplement where
he had left on.
The skipper returned to his slOop.
John Hansen did the repairing. and
the skipper assisted. Before long the
Iron was rewound. the ropes strength
ened. and The halyards rebent.
"Now." said the skipper. "ye can
90 ashore. Wen sail alrly In the
mornin' so ye better sleep aboard Ye
Eoin' up to see Christina this after
noonY'
John grinned.
"Ee-ysh," he drswled Il tank
90 see her"
She's a mighty stanch gal. Chris
tina admired the skipper. You an
she goin' ter git spliced soonf'
The crew blushed.
- amt asked her yet. but tank
That's right" approved the skip
per. Don't ask her TIL ye're sure.
right an tight
"Ee-yah," corrected John. Il tank
one ting can break It, Suppose the
girl 60 awayr'
What dye mean;''
Il tank ! got promised TO marry u
.N-l q arlf fs...
trip. and when ! come back the girl
han gone away"
"A gal at homer
mo. q girl named Fannie. here,
when ! first came TO Hardyport. She
went away. tank ! amt promised
TO her longer. ehf'
The skipper thought rapidly. For
two years John Hansen had served
as lone hand on the shore fishing boat.
Working on shares, his portion OF the
proceeds had given him a good bal
ance In the savings bank uptown, but
The skipper knew that the balance
should have been many dollars more.
John had trusted the skipper'-
arithmetic and without question taken
what was given him each settling day.
A watchful wife would end this. He
would encourage anything that might
delay this marriage.
'Ye sartain got ter marry Fannie
II ye said ye would he began.
John looked perplexed.
Il don't tank So" he considered
slowly. "She ban gone to New York
her cousins they told me. What make
II she don't write me q letter If she
want me;"
"oh. ye never can tell about WON
en- folks" generallzed the skipper
easily. "She may be breakin' her lit
tie heart waitin'. fur all ye know"
With troubled face. John washed
his hands and face and changed his
clothes In the cabin. Then. going on
deck. he conbed his hair before
fragment Of mirror stuck In a mast
hoop.
81 tank" he announced finally. Il go
up an see the parson at the Bethel
got to be honest, an II I ban fool
to get promised to little Fannie long
time before saw Christina. maybe
have to pay for II. Only | hope"
he added brokeniy-"l hope Christina
she don't care-much
THAT'S right" approved the skip