The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-01-26
Only Woman Skipper Takes First Command
Her Only Home
Is Afloat on
Ocean
BY JOSEPHINE VAN DE GRIT
On. r. A. Service staff Writer

ia JOSHiltlNE VAN lie 0lkIf'l
tN. h. A. Service staff Writer
DERTH AMBoY. N. J. Jan. 20.
Il Tho spell OF tho sea woyo
itself into the hoarta OF "A boy
ana glrl and set them looking
out over the horizon with name.
loaa longlngs. IL took posses.
sion OF the lives OF man and a
woman and called them away
from hearth and kindred. it
sent them ndyenturIng into
strange ports. II broke them. II
hurt Thorn. Il tossed them. but
stili Il calls them.
And that's doubtless why tho
cabin OF tho Jennie Croker
looks 80 much like home. It's
tho only home that Capt. Mel.
SON Croker and Capt Jennie
croekor know.
once they tried fixing UP a
little homo In Cliftondalo. Mass.
II was soven.room house. and
there was a place 10 raise chick,
ems and n little bed OF panalcs.
They tried Il six weeks and save
up.
Tho sea called them back. A
Torrent sign appeared on tho
Hevcn.room house.
Now there arc carpets on tho
floor OF tho cabin OF tho Jennie
Croker and draporiea NJ tho
doors. a phonograph is In tho
corner. and on the table.
serewed TO the floor 10 keep Il
from sliding. u a grass haske,
with n hi, OF embroidery.
For Capt. Nelson Croker and
Capt Jennie Croker have CIV.
ca up. They're no, going 10
leave tho sea any more.
That's why Capt. Jennie
Croekcr took out her papers, the
other day. tina, made her tho
only woman captain on the soy.
en- seas.
Doubtless she could have TAX.
en- them out mos, any tims dur
inE tho 20 years sho was sail.
iuE as helpmaie and chief mate
with Capt Nelson crockcr.
her husband.
For once. when they were
coming back from little ~. ooo.
mile expedition down 70 Africa,
there were 20 days when Capt.
Nelson Croker was delirions
with fever. And during oil that
time Jennie crockcr navirated
the chip. gave tho courses. took
tho aightlnKs and doctorcd her
husband ~ night time sho re.
iicvcd tho black man who was
tanning him.
And once. when they wero
coming back from Portugal.
gale from tho Azorca drove
them about heiplcasly for 81
hours. Jennie Croker stayed
down In the cabin that time. but
II was because her husband
boarded her up and mado her
utay there.
Yes Jennie Croker could
have taken out her papers most
any time. and when abe finally
did take the examination. tho
other day. an examination last.
ing a day and thrco.quartcrs.
grizxied veterans from tho Gus.
toms house cafno over and beg.
gcd 20 shake her by the hand.
Now. Capt. Jennie Croker ia
getting ready 10 command her
first expedite, n It's n iittls
jauni down and around 81. JOG.
Fla. after lumber. Nelson
Crocker's going IN chief mate.
But whether either OF them
goes along as captain or an
chief mate. neither OF them n
going 10 leave tho sea any
more.
Maybe tho sea has brought
unhapplness TO some. 20 us IL
has brought only happiness"
says Capt. Jennie. Nelson and
I loved Il when wo wero little
children. 6 years old. We've
loved II the 20 years we've been
Mailing together.
Tho sea lifts you above petty
things and Il makes you bo-
lieve In God II teaches you
team work and sacrifice. and
dependence on one another.
Those arc things TINT make
good sailors. and those aro tho
things that make happy mar.
riaRea."