The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-08-12
The Story Of Jess TivertOn

there when they bent her ribs in place. ,
81 want the best job you've done" he
told Benton, a strange catch in his voice.
ct won't be sailing Of her long and I
want the finest fishing boat in the feet
for the one who takes her over"
He never left the shipyard till she slid
down the ways one raw March day when
it seemed that spring must never come.
George Suttle was there at the launch
ing. And Tripper Tarboy. They were near
enough to Jess TO hear him say: ct chris
ten you III McKelvie. Good luck and
a bundle of fish and God be with you"
So they painted Ruth McKelvie" along
her boys and across her stern in fine gold
letters. Then they stepped a mainmast
into her and later a foremost and bent
on her bleached new canvas sails.
A white, eager gull she went own to
Georges early in May on her maiden trip,
as pretty and able a fishing schooner as
ever left the Highland Light to stern.
Ieorge Suttle was her mate. Tripper
Tarboy squatted at her wtndward rail-
and painted white numbers on the trail
tubs. Two or three other vessels who had
been with Jess Tiverton on n Blue
Belle were also along; the remainder long
since had shipped on other vessels, for a
; fisherman cannot allow sentiment to in
terfere with the appetite Of his family.
They had ten days OF Tair nsn1ng n
iced upwards OF one hundred thousand
pounds before bad weather struck lii.
hen it blew three days steadily out OF
/ the northeast and the sun failed to break
through the low lying, driving clouds.
On the afternoon of the third day it fell
a fat calm for an hour and a new breeze
followed, out Of the southwest.
Jess had been below the greater part
) of the afternoon, but he came on deck
, before the wind shifted. Mark h he
said to Suttle.
; We've been talking it over down be-
: low and we think it's going to come a
blow. Let's get for home"
Talking it over" Suttle began. Who
r you been =" He stopped suddenly.
' Something in Jess Tiverton's eyes held
his tongue.
= The mate went forward and passed the
r word. Not until they were laying on for
S Boston did he seek old Tripper out. =
"He said they'd been talking it over
and had decided it was going to blow.
What do you think Of that, now? Who'd
: lie been talking it over with?"
No man to intrude, Tripper; the years
t had taught him discretion,
. Its none o. my business and little o
yours" he answered. You let Jess De-
He's missin' that boy some"
r you should have seen his eyes when
d he told me to get sail up" Suttle pro-
e tested. at was like I wasn't there"
Maybe you wasn't. Maybe you wasn't
g there. For him, anyway: Wen do as
g we're told and leave Jess be-"
Q An hour later it became apparent thai
he from whom Jess Tiverton took advice
a had displayed good sense. 1t blew {
d screaming late May gale out OF the
q east all night, but the storm found the
10 Ruth McKelvie in deep water. A Glou'
i cester ship went on the shoals that nigh
and four men were drowned; a Gay HeaC
: fourteen tonner lost her single mast anC
d helmsman; other vessels came to grief II
lesser degree.
The Ruth made heavy weather but he
% reefs were in and her dories slowed anC
she ran of the blow like geese hytnI
down wind from the futile guns. Jes
Tiverton sailed her himself; he held he
19 wheel in water sometimes to his waist.
- sail her, sonny, sail herI' he cr1et
~ above the noise of wind and sea.
y Once he turned his head to where SUIT
- tie stood lust at his elbow. Tell George,
~ shouted, Just as if George wasn't there
Tell George he better spike In his ~
70 or the sea1l carry it out. What do 20
% think?"
y George Suttle knew better than to an
swer. That question was not meant 10
him. 1t was Old Jess at the wheel, Youn
- Jess by his side.
81 That voyage marked the beginning O
as queer a story as ever was repeated i
~ the North Atlantic fishing fleet, the stor
- of Jess Tiverton and his mate, Youn
"a Jess, who had drowned on his first trip t
. sea. George Suttle continued to sa
- aboard the Ruth McKelvie, mate n nam
~ ~ only, because there had grown in hi
IN heart over a long period of years a gres
, and a sure love for this captain whor
sorrow had claimed. He continued t
% occupy the cabin with Jess, although b
~ knew that for the Ruth's master anothe
,ir slept there also.
- Never following that maiden voyage {
the nth McKelvie did Jess Tiverton &C
of dress an order directly to Subtle. d
:" spoke always to an unseen third person
Winds laying of and we got ballas
Don't you think you better get George
49, shake a reef? Garry it, can't we?"
to And George Suttle would wait a res
sonable length Of time and pass the o.
der along.
Tt came, as it was sure to come whel
~ such a situation eXisted-misgiving
place of trust, doubt dispelling conf
dence, incredulity displacing stoicisr
III Aboard his own ship they began talktI
.o3 about Jess Tiverton. Young fellows WI
- had no understanding Of the cross ]
~ was bearing.
ME? I think the old fellows nutty,
~ you ask me. Mumblin' all the time
81 himself n never speakin' outright
~ his mate. What's he got a mate for, an
" way?"
it if I was in Suttle's boots. No sir, n
me-"
They went on thus, but when wrinkle
err Tripper Tarboy was around they Ike
er- their mouths closed.
I'd Put a lock On your tongue, your
8CAACLg ~ 80 $500 @A~
threaten them. And they would, too, I
re- the old mans fists had lost none Of the
Id. weight and speed.
. But though old Tripper's threats serv
Too the purpose when he was about, tn
could not hope to put an end to the ia
,ou altogether, and the story was not sic
in travelling. Crews visit while ashol
the word was spoken among other boa
Men Of the feet who had known JIG
since long before the Blue Belle met b
her fate expressed sympathy for the ms
There were others who saw in the stu
. ton an opportunity for unkind, sacl
ligious jest.
he One day at the wharf Jess was hail
7yo. by Torrey Lamberts, a New Bedford m
arIy tor swordfsherman.
rite Lamberts called: 81 hear you got t
mates aboard that vessel Of yours, Tive
ga ton. How's to lend me one? I need
good man."
gg. There was no reply forthcoming fro
1cn the Ruth's master. But he went chal
eadT3st- white and his fingers clenched. A mon
later Jess Tiverton took his new o