Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1932-05-27
Counting of Cap'n
Hornepayne
By JAMES PAUX
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NNrO SoTNlCel
HAP'N HORNEPAYNE was worried.
~ He was on his way to see Clarissy
Martin, the schoolma'am, and for a
horny-handed seaman he was facing
a delicate situation. He intended to
pop the fatal question that would
probably take her away from her du-i
ties as school teacher to an obscure
fishing village.
For more times than he cared to re-
member, Cap'n Hornepayne had In;
tended TO pop the question, but every
time he tried to do so, something in
side of him seemed to reach IN ana7
get strangle hold ON his voice. TINS
time, he vowed, was going to be differ
emf. He was carrying a talisman that
had proved itself lucky on other occa-
sions. 1t was small silver horseshoe
that he had won in some long-forgot-
ten contest.
There are great many people who
believe in the lucky properties attrib-
uted to hGrseShoes. Clarissy Martin
belonged to that class. She had
worn horseshoe nailed over her htch-
en- door.
Dusk was setting in rapidly and a
light glowed from front window Of
the schoolma'am's cottage, as Cap'n
Hornepayne come abreast of 1t.
Drawing a deep breath, he knocked
firmly on the door, believing all the
while that his heart was making a
louder echo with Its rapid humping.
A short pause, then the door was
opened wide.
"Evenin', Cap'n Hornepayne."
"Evenin', Miss Martini" replied the
captain, fumbling with his cap.
Giving him a quick, sincere smile
of greeting, the schoolma'am led him
into the tiny parlor. She was, as the
captain would have expressed it, "all
primped up"
Conversation was desultory. The
scanty news concerning the village
was soon exhausted. The weather
came in for its share of comment.
Fishing operations were discussed, but
that, too, soon languished. 1t was
then that Clarissy Martin suggested
that they sit on the veranda for
awhile. The captain agreed with alac-
rity.
They found the two chairs placed
in convenient position. The night was
mild, shadows were deepening and the
atmosphere was conducive to amatOry
conversation.
Surreptitiously, he slipped a hand
into his coat pocket and like Aladdin
with his magic lantern, rubbed his
fingers over the horseshoe, fervently
praying for some loop hole that would
offer him a chance to swing the con-
versation into the channel he desired.
Perhaps not altogether innocent Of
his intentions, Clarissy Martin gave
him the long-awaited chance as she
casually inquired: How is your
house comm along, Cap'n? remem-
Der you sayin' that you only had to
put few more touches to finish it
off"
Cap'n Hornepayne gave gusty sigh
Of relief as those blessed words
brldged the gulf that had been grad
uully widening between them. The
horseshoe was not failing him. He
knew he was on the right course now.
He edged his chair closer to the
schOolma'am's.
"The little house is comm along
fine" he told her, with renewed con-
fdence. "When brought the schoon-
er in this last trip, come in with the
finest catch O. the season. l got nice
pay for it, too. o. course l sailed
most O. the money away with the rest
had, but l KEEP enough out to put
the last touches to the house. Now
she's finished and standin' ship-shape,
ready to weather any storm"
"Don't you find 1t bit lonesome
Twin alone like you do, Cap'n Horne
payneT
aye, it does get a bit lonely at
times" the captain agreed. Drawing
a deep breath he plunged into the
opening offered by the schoolma'am's
question. go course, 1t amt my in
tention to live alone all the time. I
been thinkin' lately that a man soon
err or later ought to find himself a
wife an settle down some. l been
wOndprln', too well We
see it's this way. Ye seemed inter.
ested in the house an / thought that
that We might sort O. like to
take over the tiller 2"
The question was out at last. The
captain was on tenterhooks as he
waited for the Hateful answer. Then,
as sweetly as the tolling of a church
bell, the schoolma'am's words fell up
on the still air: captain, that would
make me the happlest person alive"
"Chrissy, gall" the captain cried
hoarsely.
In the most convenient way imag.
Unable the captain found her head
resting on his arm. and in the same
instant he was imp"inting n kiss upon
her willing lips, with n tenderness that
one would never expect to find In a
bluff, sen .faring captain.
If anyone had been watching Clarls.
sy Martin early the next morning they
would have seen peculiar sight. She
vas Standing directly in front Of two
chairs she and Cap'n Hornepayne had
occupied the previous evening. Her
hands were ella 'pcd together and there
was nm enrHptured light.
II anyone had been close enough,
they would have seen that what she
was looking At WIS horseshoe nailed
to tho cottage wnll under the cottage
roof wuri horseshoe that
formerly hfh l.;.s %. Tie kitchen
door.