The Coolidge examiner., 1932-04-22
Courting of Cap'n
Hornepayne

By JAMES PAUX

" ried. He was on his way to sea
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 duties as school teacher
to an obscure fishing village.
For more times than he cared to
remember, Cap'n HOrnepayne had
intended to pop the question, but
every time he tried to do so, some
thing inside of him seemed to reach
I'D and get q strangle hold on his
voice. This time, he vowed, was go
ing to be different. He was car
rying a talisman that had proved
itself lucky on other occasions. 1t
was a small silver horseshoe that
he had won in some lOng-forgotten
contest.
There are great many people
who believe in the lucky properties
attributable to hOrseshoes. Clarissy
Martin belonged to that class. She
had a worn horseshoe nailed over
her kitchen door.
Dusk was setting in rapidly and
a light glowed from a front window
of the schoolma'am's cottage, as
Cap'n Hornpayne came abreast of it.
Drawing deep breath, he
knocked firmly on the door, believ-
ing 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 Martin" 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
primed 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 sug-
gested that they sit on the veranda
for awhile. The captain agreed
with alacrity. They found the two
chairs placed in convenient position.
Surreptitiously he slipped a hand
into his coat pocket and like Alad-
din with his magic lamp, rubbed
his fingers over the horseshoe, fer
vently praying for some loophole
that would offer him a chance to
swing the conversation 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? l
remember you sayin' that you only
had to put a few more touches to
finish it off,"
Cap'n Hornepayne gave a gusty
sigh of relief as those blessed words
bridged the gulf that had been
gradually 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
fidence. when / brought the
schooner in this last trip, l came
in with the finest catch O. the sea-
son. l got nice pay for it, too. Of
course l salted most O the money
away with the rest l 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 it a bit lonesome
livin' alone like you do, Cap'n
Hornepayne?"
AYE, it does get a bit lonely at
times" the captain agreed. Draw
ing a deep breath he plunged into
the opening offered by the school
ma'am's question. 90 course, it
amt my intention to live alone all
the time. l been thinkin' lately
that man sooner or later ought to
find himself a wife an settle down
some. l been wonderin', too {.
We see it's this way. Ye seemed
interested in the house an thought
that that ye might sort o.
like to take over the tiller ?"
The question was out at last.
The captain was on tenderhooks
as he waited for the fateful an
swer. Then, as sweetly as the toll
ing of a church bell, the school
ma ans words fell upon the still
air: Captain, that would make me
the happiest person alive"
"Chrissy, gal" the captain cried
hoarsely.
In the most convenient way i'm
aginable the captain found her
head resting on his arm, and in
the same instant he was imprinting
kiss upon her willing lips, with a
Tenderness that one wouId nevar oy