Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1921-10-20

tdceu. Snaggle-t0Otned anu tut''cs
with a low cunning that sometimes
passed for great Intelligence, ocraggs'
character Is best described IN home
~ American word. He was "ornery.
A native Of San Francisco, he had
grown up around the docks and Ind
developed from niessbOy on a river
steamer 10 muster Of bay and river
steamboats,. although II Is not OF rec
ord that he ever commanded such
craft. DESPITE his "ticket" there was
none so foolish as 10 trust him with
one--a condition of affairs which had
tended to sour disposition not nat
| urally sweet. The yearning TO COM
mind steamboat gradually had de.
veloped Into an obsession. Result
the fast and coplmodl0us s. ). Mag
gle as the United States marshal
had had the nudacity TO advertise her.
In the beginning, Captain Scraggs
had planned to do hay and river tow
ing with the Maggie. Alas! The
first time the unfortunate Scraggs at
| tempted to tow a heavily laden barge
up river. light fog had come down.
necessitating the frequent blowing OF
the whistle. Following the sixth long
blast. MIR. McGuffey had whlstled
Scraggs on the engine-room bowler:
swearing horribly, he had demanded
| TO be informed why in this and that
| the skipper didn't leave that d0d-gast.
| ed whistle alone. II was using up his
steam faster than he could mannmc-
ture Il Thereafter. Scraggs had used
q patent fnghorn. and when the hon
est McGuffcy had once more succeed
"a lii conserving sufficient steam to
crawl up river. the tide had turned
and the Mhggie could not buck the
ebh. McGuirey declared few new
tubes In the boiler would do the trick.
but on the other hand, Mr.. Gibney
pointed out that the old craft was
| practically punk aft and stiff tow
would jerk the tail off the old rirl. In
| despair. therefore Captain Seraggs
had abandonrd bay and river towing
and was prepared to jump overheard
and end nil. when an opportunity Of
fered for the freighting OF garden
truck md dairy produce from Half
moon l,ny to San Francisco.
Bun now difficulty arose. The new
run was an ''outside" one salt water
al the way. Under the ruling OF the
inspectors, the Maggie would be run
| ming scuastwise the instant she en-
gagged IN the green-pea and sfrlng-hean
trade, and Captain Scraggs' license
provided for % such contingency. Ills
ticker entitled him to act as master
on the waters Of San Francisco bay
and tiie waters tributary thereto. and
although Scraggs argued that the I'a
cific 0cean constituted waters ''trihu-
fary thereto.s If he understood the
English Language. the inspectors were
obdurafe. AYhasif the distance was
less thtln Seanty-fsve miles? they
pointed .auf. The voyage was unae-
niahlx. roastwise and carried with Il
I'LL tirlsk 81 wind and wave. And
In ORDER 10 impress upon Captain
Scraggs .fIr weight of their authority.
the Inspectors suspended for six
months Captain scraggs' hay and
river license for having dared to me-
sotiate two coastwise voyages without
consulting them. Furthermore. they
warned bin that the next fine he did
TT they would condemn the fast and
commMlious Maggie.
In this extremity. Fate had sent to
Captain sScraggs large. imposing
capable. but socially Indifferent per-
son who responded to the name Of
AdeIbert r Chimney Mr.. Chimney had
spent part of an adventurous life In
1.-THE United Suites navy. where he had
applied himself md acquired a fnir
-sinatterng Of navigation. Prior TO en-
tering the navy he had heen fore
mast hand IN clipper ships and had
held a second mates berth Follow
ing his discharge from the navy he
! had sailed coustwise on steam schoon-
ers and after attending a navigation
school for two months. had procured
Al license as chief mate of steam. any
ocean and any tonnage.
/ Unfortunately for Mr.. Chimney. he
had a failing. Most of US have. The
most genial fellow In the world. he
was cursed with too much brains and
imagination and thirst which re-
| qrired qnenching around pay day.
Also. he had that heastiy habit Of
command which Is inse7arahle from a
| born lender: when he held first
mates berth, he was wont to try to
run the ship and. on occasions.
| ladle out suggestions to his skipper,
| Thus. in time. he acquired repnta.
tton for being unreliable and wind-
| bag. with the result that shippers
were chary OF engaging him Not to