The Bozeman courier., 1927-08-05

for any man, for that matter They |
sailed her that night with no reef in any |
sail while Jess stood his deck with |
neither food nor sleep. 1t blew moder- |
ate gale, and Jess Tiverton, who no long |
er whistled and said kind words, cursed |
his crew to greater efforts. 1t was an |
all hands job with life lines rtgged fore |
and aft, for nearly every sea was breach |
and no man slept. The wonder of it is |
she carried through without mishap Of
any kind.
That crew asked no questions, received
no information. The men knew only
that they must get home, that Jess Tiv-
erton was in a hurry.
The Blue Belle beat up past the Graves
at daybreak of as nasty a winter morn
ing as you'd care to see. When she swung
alongside T-Wharf, Jess was the first man
off.
Some say he reached home before his
wife died, that he was with her at the
end, his strong, brown hands clasping
hers. Others tell you Ruth died during
that night. Jess himself never said.
There was a baby who could not live,
the doctor predicted. Jess Ttverton
thought otherwise. For three months he
did not go to sea; when he sailed again,
Young Jess was as healthy as any young
ster Of his age, well cared for in the
home OF the captains sister.
1t early became apparent, following
Jess Tiverton's return to his vessel, that
his whole heart and soul were centered
/ in his boy. The love and the alteration
which had belonged to the woman with
whom he had found happiness were
transferred to Young Jess.
Never once aboard the Blue Belle did
Jess make reference to the loss Of his
wife. Nor did he ever speak Of that
driving trip home in a gale of wind from
Browns Bank.
How had Jess Tiverton known that his
wife needed him that day? The men Of
hi nNmf annr~ kHr.wm
themselves, not of Jess. And the answer
to it was ever a mooted one, although
most agreed it could be traced to a pre-
monition inspired by knowledge OF her
not have answered differently.
The stody Of that trip got around, as
such stories are bound to get around
after a fashion, and it was told on other
vessels out Of Boston. All who heard had
occasion some years later to recall it.
The Blue Bellies captain became a
counterpart Of his old self in the days
before he had known Ruth McKelvte.
Gone the whistling and singing; gone
also the willingness to fraternize to such
an extent with the members Of his crew.
A good skipper he remained. And a
good FIN" man. Which covers the neces-
sary qualities Of leader in the Banks
fleet.
/ 1t was when his boy was about year
7 old that Jess first began to speak OF him
to George Suttle.
} 81 got a fellar growing up to home
who's going to push you for your Job
, some day" he told the mate one trip.
well, now, wonder" George retorted
"Got sea legs yet? And a sense OF hsh?"
> Got big blue eyes hke-like- Sea
: legs, hell Wait till he'E growed, man.
} That was the nearest he ever came to
] mentioning his wife's name In Euttle'f
presence. But reference to the boy ba-
came an almost daily occurrence after
that.
4 Getting big" he'd say. Ought to heft
r him now"
Times on voyage he would conversS
i with Tripper Tarboy, an old man whC
had sailed with him for years.
r Have to come up to the house ard SEE
o him when we get home, Trip. Most 81
Y big as q trawl tub now. And strong a
: gale Of wind on Provincetown."
Old Tripper, who was lank and browK
as an ancient mast and had lower jav
shaped like the bow Of q clipper ship
would nod his grizz1ed head in sympa,
thetic understanding.
When the boy was six years old old Je8
Tiverton bought 9o1 him one Of those lit
tie model sailboats which are the deltgh
Of every child. The next trip he was o1
Suttle's ear with an account o. the hap
pening.
HELD that boat In his hands Just look