Daily Greencastle Banner and Times, Greencastle, Putnam County, 25 May 1897 — Page 3
THE DAILY BANKER TIMES, GREENCASTLE, INDIANA.
The PiloTs Daughter.
» v i -f y Y f
♦
X3y ELMOKB ELLIOTT, j'
“Many a yarn will ne'er be told, And many a line ne'er be unrolled 1 Many a lunch will go for naught, Ur to the fish that go uncaught.” HE Mermaid” trilled most gayly, and cast a roguish glance at her companion. The time was nine or thereabouts of a bright forenoon; the scene UiHvJli'Ki " ftS «l uiir terwKllkiL deck of the tug Nestor, with T y bee Lighthouse gleaming in the sunlight some miles be-
yond.
“The Mermaid,” or the Pilot’s daughter, ns she was called by most people, or Kitty Watson, by formal name, swung on her heel and smiled vivaciously upon the young man balancing onf a camp-stool. “You don’t
believe it, Fred?”
Frederick Landers smil?.l calmly at
her predictions.
Since the tug had left the wharf the two had spent most of their time together. Most, but not all. The pilothouse of a vessel has a fatal fascination for young women. And though young Trowbridge, the pilot, had been attending strictly to business all the morning, and had kept a more persevering lookout ahead than the fair weather seemed to render necessary, Kitty had made several visits to the pilot-house. However, for the last twenty minutes Kitty had devoted her entire attention
to Landers.
“I suppose you have sailed these waters many time:*, Kitty,” he re-
marked.
“Hundreds of times. After mama died, papa always took me with him when I was not in school, and he did not expeet to be o«.t all night; and, in spite of all his precautions,! have slept many a night under a tarpaulin, and slept Roundly, too.” “While ‘papa’ watched!” “Yes; but in the morning I’d steer vhile ho slept, if the wind was light.” t “These small hands couldn’t do much in a storm, I fancy, even now,” ventured Fred, gallantly. Kitty flushed at the compliment, but protested, archly, “Never judge the strength of a woman’s hand, sir, until you have felt the weight of it. And I have steered in a storm. When the boom broke papa’s arm, I steered thirty miles in a driving wind. ” “I can hardly believe it. Hut doubt less some day you will just as skillfully Steer some happy man’s household.” “I am not so sure I could do ns well as that,” she replfed, with heightened color, for Fred’s conversations of late had shown a decided “drift.” “A household in a storm is harder to manage than a ship—I’m told,” she suggested, doubtfully. “It all depends on your crew,” he answered, watching her keenly. “I suppose so,” sh« said, glancing at him with a timidity that was un-
usual.
Landers returned a glance in which there was certainly more than a pass-
ing tenderness.
“We are near the Banks,” said Kitty, in an altered tone, rising. A moment later the gong sounded. “We are evidently there,” replied Landers, “but how you knew it is
j more than I can tell.”
“How I knew it is more than I can Stell, too,” she retorted, briskly. “I
just knew it.”
“There used to he a buoy here,” she ran on, baiting hooks with cut flsh in a business-like manner, “bm these fishermen, who think that God ma le blackball for them exclusively, cut it
loose.”
She deftly dropped a line overboard, and after running it out ten or twelve fathoms, she cried, confidently, as the line slackened, “We’re there!” and fastened it to the railing. Then she | quickly baited and ran out two other lines, fastening them likewise. “Now flsh to your heart’s content,” she commanded. “I don’t care much about it, but I’ll take a run around to see if there isn't some other poor helpless creature that needs me,” Fred watched his lines in silence, until old Captain Hutchins hove H alongside, j ‘ The captain had been $ rolling around the deck all the morning, with the most curious winks and chuckles and facial contortions. The sunny-haired Kitty had appeared to lie perfectly oblivious of the captain’s inexplicable behavior, perhaps because he was au old friend of her father’s, and she understood his little peculiarities. Not so with Landers. Ho had watched the captain, and he more than half suspected that the little reallife drama which he aud Trowbridge and Kitty were playing, and had been playing for the last three months, was an open secret with the •autain.
.
“You fellows have had good luck on this trip,” nodded the captain, reflectively, “findin’ the Banka so easy. Yes,” pursued the captain, “young Trowbridge is a neat ’nn on tindin’ the Bank—or anything else he’s after, for that matter.” The old sailor’s throat swelled out in an alarming manner, and though his face was as immovable as that of the sphinx, and not a sound escaped him, Landers would have sworn he was laughing. The captain found fish on two of the three hooks. He looked critically at the bait on the third hook. “Kitty Watson strung that bait, I’ll bet my hat! Now, didn’t she? I could tell one of her baits in Chiny.” “Yes, she strung it,” admitted Landers, smiling in spits of himself. “Hhe must have a reputation for catching
fish.”
“Well, she have,” declared the captain, “and they ain’t alius black fish, either. Ha! ha! ho! ho!” The captain roared and guffawed most incontinently at his joke, and* gave Landers’s shoulder a blow that would have laid out a porpoise. The old tar’s suppressed humor of the evening had plainly reached the danger point, and this joke was the safety valve that saved him. “But a joke’s a joke, young man,” added the captain familiarly, after he had recovered, “and that ain’t saying that Kitty’s a croquette.” “I should hope not,” observed Landers, leaning busily over his line to hide a smile. “She certainly doesn’t look like one.” “That she ain’t, young man,” continued the captain, assuringly. “Never think it. But where’s the gal gone, anyway?” ask'*l he, affecting to peer with concern toward the fore-
castle.
“I’ll give this old fool all the line he wants,” smiled Fred to himself. “He’s having more fun out of it than any of the rest of us. I don’t know,” he answered aloud, with a twinkle in his eye, “but 1 think she’s gone after more bait.” “The on’ykind o’ bait she’ll find in the wheel-hus is live bait!” aud exploded again. “What luck, Fre/i?” said Kitty, who bad stolen up behind him. “Pretty fair. Fifteen so far. If you’ll just bait those hooks in that irresistible manner of yours, we shall have more.” “I’ll bait them, but I don’t believe you’ll catch any more. Don’t you see how low those black clouds hang, and fast they move? We ought to be making for shore.” “I wouldn’t mind a blow a bit,” Landers observed. “ ‘Fools rush in where angels fear to trend,’ ” replied Kitty replied. “Even if the augel is a sailor-girl, eh!” ’smiled Fred, turning the quotation to Kitty’s confusion. “Well, if you’re afraid, you’3 better run aud report your weather observations to Captain Hutchins—or Trowbridge.” She had already turned away, but swung quickly at the intonation of his last word, looking at him with mild re-
proach.
Her warning was unnecessary, for almost immediately the captain’s stentorian voice rang out from the hurricane deck, “Haul in your lines, and haul ’em quick!” Before the lines were fairly in, the tug was headed for
Port Royal.
Before a mile had been run, Kitty's predictions were verified. The storm hurst with all the fury of a Gulf Stream
squall.
The prudent captain had gathered the excursionists into the cabin before the storm broke. It was gloomy outside, but positively dark in the poorlylighted cabin. From a dark corner Landers looked for Kitty, but in vain. “She’s probably hurt at what I said,” he muttered discontentedly At the end of au hour, peering through a little side-light, Fred saw that they were skirting the shore, and were evidently returning to Savannah by the “inland course.” This was n course lying between the mainland and the long chain of low islands known as the Sea Islands. Still Kitty did not appear. Landers began to grow uneasy. Then he thought of the little light in the front of the cabin commanding the pilot-house. She could hardly have been there all this time, but he would look, anyway. To his surprise he saw her bat and light cape lying ou the seat, and as nearly as he could make out through the lights streaming with water Kitty herself was standing at the wheel. “Her dare-devil love for adventure!” thought he. He paused for a moment to watch her graceful figure bending to the bard work; and, despite his frame of mind, a gentle light beamed from his eyes. He was about to slip unobserved back to the cabin, when Kitty caught sight of him.
“Oh, Fred! come in,” she cried, almost eagerly. “I’ve been waiting for you a long time.” “No, thank you,” he answered, with a cold smile; “it’s a little too wet in there for me.” Kitty looked at him in a startled manner, as though unable to believe her ears, and in an instant her bright smile had vanished. “It is nice and dry for me,” she replied, with bitter sarcasm. “Why do you expose yourself to such a storm?” he asked, harshly. “Just for the pure love of it,” she returned, with a hard laugh. “Or from the pure love of Mr. Trowbridge!” he added, scornfully. He turned away before she could answer, and ran square into the arms of the captain. “What does it mean, captain, for that girl to be playing with the wheel in a storm like this?” he demanded,
angrily.
For a second the captain looked at him in dumb amazement. “Playin’!” thundered the captain, and he poured out words with Gatlinggun rapidity. “It means that she’s the only man aboard that knows the inland course! It means that she’s saved this old hulk, or mighty near it! It means that she’s a genuyine herowine, and a blamed sight too good for any man on this tug!” The captain looked daggers. “Where’s —where’s Trowbridge?” faltered Landers, bewildered. “Below. Dead,” came the laconi-
cal reply.
“Dead! “Yes; or mighty nigh it,” said the captain, in softer tones. “Lightnin’. The first clap.” For a moment Landers stood motionless, regardless of the beating rain. Then he crept back to the pilot-house aud dropped on to the seat behind the brave little skipper, in the depths of contrition. “Kitty!” he spoke at last. “What is it?” Her voice was clear
and low.
“Don’t you want somcthing warmer over you?” Her face twitched nervously, and he saw that she could not speak. “Kitty, my girl, I cannot he happy until I have your forgiveness for my cruel words a moment ago. I did not understand the circumstances.” “O, Fred! you were not jealous of little Trowbridge!” she cried softly, smiling through tears of happiness. “Yes, Kitty, I was mad jealous; but I am not now,” and then be took her face between his hands and kissed it. She blushed, but could only exclaim reprovingly, “Fred, dear, you’re violating the Rules aud Regulations for Pilots.” “I can’t help it,” he answered gayly. “Ahem!” The irrepressible captain’s head was thrust in the door just as Fred sprang to the other side of the wheel. “Just thought I’d look in to see if everything was running smoothly. >1 see that it is. Trowbridge’s
better.”
With a gurgling in his throat and a most alarming shaking of his head, the captain rolled down the slippery ’midships. Kitty looked at Fred;ho looked at her, and both laughed aloud. The last vestige of the storm was gone, but the night was dark and chilly. The excursionists for the most part kept the cabin. A few of the braver spirits sat outside. Among these were Kitty and Fred, for reasons of their own. Their camp-stools were very close together, and they were talking very low. Kitty’s trim little figure was entirely smothered under Captain Hutchins’s stormcoat. In spite of its weight she shivered. Then Fred’s arm stole around the trembling form; he drew her.close and tight to his side; her head fell unresistingly upon his shoulder, aud a slight sob might have been heard in the stillness. He took her ten cold little fingers in his one big, warm band. “Will she who so fearlessly did her duty to-day accept a place in the wheel-house of my domestic ship?” “As » green hand—yes,” came the answer, softly. “Until you learn the Rules and Regulations—” “Which si mil he?” “Love one another,” said the deepei
voice.
The tolling of the bell-buoy marking the inner bar floated tremulously, mournfully across the darkened waters; but two hearts, at least, aboard the Nestor would not be depressed.— Outing.
GENERAL SPORTING.
VARIOUS NOTES OF EVENTS
PAST AND COMING.
Chairman Mott Made a Representative of the International CyrllntA* Associa-tion-—A New Racing Cycle—Other Notes of Sports and rastiim s.
HAIRMAN Albert Mott, of the raring board of the L. A. W., announced the other day that he has been appointed by President Potter as the L. A. W. representative of the International Cyclists' Association. The annual meet-
ing of the association will be held at Glasgow, Scotland, next July, in connection with the world's championship races, A reporter was advised by President Potter the other day that it was uncertain whether Chairman Mott will go abroad to the international meeting. This indecision adds to the uncertainty of the plans of the American association in relation to a foreign team. In talking over the question Mr. Potter
rules and conditions, and on different grounds, and made an average of !K)6 per cent. At Atlanta, Ua., he won second average, with over 90 per cent. In 1896 he attended nearly all the promi- * nent tournaments, and his record was always at the top. At Indianapolis in 1896 he shot, an exhibition match with R. O. Heikes, and broke 99 out of 100 > Blue Rocks at unknown anglos. Mr. Trimble is quite a young man. but ehoots with cool nerve and good judgment. His position at the trap is an easy one. and he fires with a quick, regular time, and appears to center each target. He is surely a trap shot of
great promise.
largest athletic arsoelation west of Chicago, has withdrawn from the Amateur Athletic union, and its action will be followed by a resignation of the State university, Standford, ReiiuLLca and Fresno Athletic clubs. The grounds for the Olympic's withdrawal are alleged unfair treatment in the Olymplc-Butte football controversy, and that they, with two thousand members, have no more votes than a
HIS CLOCK OF FLOWERS.
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER WILL HAVE A
LARGE FLORAL TIMEPIECE.
It i» for the Stainlunl Oil Magnate** Conntry Seat—Plant a Whone liloMMotna Open xiMfl f lo:*e Regularly at Certain Hours to be Used—A Novelty In This Country. J<.hn D. Rockefeller, the multi-mil-
Michael's Influence. American racing men are of the opinion that if Jimmy Michael sticks to his determination to race in this country this year it will result in the increase t of interest in long-distance riding. | When Michael contested at Manhattan Beach last year intense interest was I manifested in his twenty-five-mile race. | international contests lend additional
will attempt to form an independent state athletic association.” — Hugh Kirkcaldy, the professional and exchampion golfer, died at St. Andrew’s, Scotland, the other day, aged twentynine years. He came of a well-known golfing family, and was the youngest of three brothers. His greatest performance was accomplished in 1891, in the open championship at St. Andrews, when he carried off the Bine Riband of the Green at 166 strokes for the two rounds, establishing a record for the championship tournament over St. Andrew's links. He left a widow and one child.—A crowd numbering
interest to racing, and while America ! nearly thirty-eight thousand assembled has boasted of come remarkably good | at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, Lonridera at long distances, little care has don, England, the other afternoon to been taken to promote such contests. | witness the playing of the annual in-
An English rider in describing Michael says: ‘‘This man is presumably the youngest of the professional cyclists on
practically admits that the I/eague will i the traek. He was born at Cwmavon
not assume the entire expense of sending over a foreign team. He says that the cost per man for such a trip will be at least $500, and he feels that the association would act injudiciously in spending a large amount of money on such a venture. Mr. Potter, however, makes no recommendation for the L. A. W. to invite the co-opeiatlon o! the manufacturers for the purpose.
about twenty years ago. He is only 5 feet 3Vi inches tall. When in condition he weighs 130 pounds. Yet, though so small and slight in appearance, as regards muscle he is a veritable marvel. No task appears to be too difficult for him. Ho was only twelve yearn old when he began riding. He rapidly worked his way back to scratch, and in 1893 he had proved successful against
ternatlonal football match between the picked team representing England and Scotland. The ground was wet, soggy and heavy from rain, a condition which favored the heavy Scottish forwards, and, after a stubbornly disputed game, the visitors proved victorious by a score of two goals to one, this being the
Scots’ thirteenth victory.
Now KadiiK Cycle,
A novel racing machine is being turned out by an American maker, and
The Sjind-Lailened Missvarl. Mr. Frank H. Spearman writes it, St. Nicholas of the freaks of the Missouri River, his article being entitled “A Shifting Boundary.” Mr. Spearman says: You must know that the real business of the Missouri is to carry the mountain waters east and south into the Gulf of Mexico. But in hounding from side to side of its valley through the tedious oanturies, it has twisted and turned »o many times that no doubt its head is confused. Carrying the quantity of mud it does, you would hardly expect it to he clear-headed. There is actually so much sand in the water that the fish all have sore eyes; some are totally blind—the saddest looking creatures you ever caught. A really fastidious trout or bass dropped into the Missouri would hang himself in despair—on a fish-hook.
Had a Remarkable Career. John Parshall, nn army veteran, died at his home in Indianapolis on St Patrick's Day at the age of sixty-five years. He was a driver of an ammunition wagon in the Alexander expedition sent to Salt Lake City to force Brigham Young to vacate his office in favor of the successor appointed by President Buchanan, aud helped to burst in a gate that kept the besieging party out of the capital. He was also one of the six men who buried Wilkes Booth.—New York Si*"
little club of fifty members. The club I liol!air « Standard Oil magnate, is to
have, it is reported, on extraordinary floral novelty on the grounds of his country seat on the Hudson, near Tarry town. The wonder talked of is to be a clock, made entirely of growing flowers, and it will tell the time of the day
with much accuracy.
The floral clock is the suggestion of Mrs. Rockefeller, with whom botany is more than a mere fad, for she has for many years been au earnest student of floriculture, aud is an authority on plants. It is said that before she was married to Mr. Rockefeller, and while that gentleman was yet a bookkeeper, she was a teacher of botany. There has never been a floral clock planted in this country, but the Baroness Burdett-Coutts bail one aud so did the Duke of Westminister, and they were a source of pleasure to the owners ami their guests. The one that is expected will be seen up the American Rhine will be of home design and the flowers used will bo for the most part those that grow wild about Tarry town. There are sixty-seven varieties of flowers that have certain hours for opening aud closing their petals. Away back in a misty age flowers were the timepieces of the poor, who had no other way of telling the time. The white lily, now as then, opens at 7 a. m. and closes at 5 p. m., and in the country districts is called the “day
lily.”
The design for Mr. Rockefeller’s clock, it is said, has just been com-' pleted by an Ohio landscape gardener, who has selected the common yellow dandelion to represent the hands. These flowers open at 5.30 in. and close at about 8.30 p. m., aud the hands will point to the arrangement of flowers representing those figures. For other parts of the queer timepiece the gardener has suggested a large number out of the many ~r-'ill which a selection may by made, and Mrs. Rockefeller will decide which these shall be. The yellow goat’s beard will be used for one. It grows in the meadows everywhere, and in the poor districts of Scotland the schools which cannot have clocks are dismissed
by it.
For the 2 p. m. flower ihs hawkseed has been suggested as the best, as it closes at that hour to the minute. Then the snow thistle, all common to the meadow, closes its little white flower at exactly 1 p. m. The best 11 a. m. plant is from the pasture and is called the sow thistle. It opens at 5 a. in. and begins to close at 11, but is not completely closed I'■' : upon. The water lily and several other members of the lily family are celebrated for the exactness with which they open and close each day, and there are a number of flowers common to the every-day sight that may he made to do duty in the construction of the novelty that is to contribute to the pleasure of Mr. Rockefeller and his
friends.
From a distance the clock will have the appearance of a flower bed, but no one will on close inspection mistake it for anything other than what it is. That those not familiar w ith the habits of the flowers may anticipate the pretty timekeepers in their duly au oilcloth hook, written in indelible ink, will probably be placed alongside the clock, so that those who witch may inform themselves.—New York World.
A I'romincnt Trap Shot. Among the prominent trap shooters in this county is Ralph Trimble, of Covington, Ky. He is a traveling representative of the Dupont and Hazard Powder companies, with headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. He first, came into prominence at the Du Pont tournament given by Mr. R. S. Waddell at Cincinnati in May, 1895, and had been shooting at the trap hut a few months previous to that time. He defeated a number of expert shots and averaged 925 per cent for three days. At Knoxville, Tenn., he was one of the larger winners among 150 contestants. At Cleveland, Ohio, he was third high man. In July, 1895, he won the Kentucky state championship with a score of 47 out of 50 targets. At Crawfordsville, Ind., he made a run of 154 straight Blue Rocks, shooting under reversed angle rule. At Peoria, 111.; Kankakee, 111.; Warsaw,
the majority of the Welsh champions, and had secured over $500 worth of prizes. From that year he has attained a leading position in racing. At long distance he is without a peer. In riding in England and France he has met with wonderful success, and it is the general impression that he will revolutionize the long-distance record and competition events in America this year.”
great things are claimed for it. The wheel has no saddle, and the gear is placed back of the last wheel. The rider assumes a position somewhat like a swimmer, and his stomach rests upon a rubber slide where the saddle ought to be. His feet, extended, just reach
itll?'
RALPH TRIMBLE. Ind., and several other places he won first average at targets, the shooting lasting three days. His average at these places was over 90 per cent. During the year of 1895 he shot at 12,000 targets thrown under all kinds of
(lonornl Sporting Notes. George Wallis of Oxford and Adam B. Keen of Rising Sun, Md., shot at twenty-five live birds each for a purse of $25 and the championship of the Rising Sun club recently, Wallis winning by a score of 21 to 19.—Carr B. Neel, the western lawn tennis champion, has resigned from the Kenwood Tennis club of Chicago, and will play this year only to defend his title. He and his brother won the national doubles championship at Newport, R. I., last season.—The Boston terrier Squanto was sold last week by Dr. W. G. Kendall to a prominent Philadelphia lawyer for $2,000, stated to be the highest price ever paid for a dog of American breeding. Squanto is about a year and a half old, and has won several prizes at bench allows.—Cribble defeated Crawley in the finals for the amateur tennis championship of England.—The New York Athletic club offers mileage medals this season to all riders who cover over two thousand miles. For records of 2,000 miles bronze medals will be awarded; 3,000 miles, silver medals; 5,000 miles and over, gold medals. Life, resident, nonresident and junior members are eligible to compete. These special prizes are offered by Dr. Senaca D. Powell. The committee stipulates that competitors must be entered in the register at the cycle or main house at least once a month, with data of member’s ride.—A dispatch from San Francisco, Ca!., says: "The Olympic club, the
the pedals. We cannot, however, see the advantage to be gained from these innovations.
McCoy Made Money. "Kid” McGoy comes back to us some thousands of dollars richer than when he went away, having made $10,000 by defeating Bill Doherty at Johannesburg, and afterwards added considerably to his “pile” by backing Goddard to defeat “Denver" Ed Smith. He sports a gold watch charm studded with a couple of South African diamonds, a present from F. E. Fillis, of Fillis' circus, where he knocked out three Australian middleweights in one night. He aspires to the heavyweight championship of the world, but does not intend to challenge for the title until the lapse of a couple of years. Just now he is seeking a match with Dan Creedcn. McCoy also carries a sold stop watch that was presented to him in London by Dick Burge as a token of friendship.
IVkIifVroiiA BufTalo Gimls. JohnW. Rusk, of Heliport. N. C., writes to the New York Sun regarding the buffalo gnat: “I think that, as a native of North Carolina would say, the entomologists have not ‘met up’ with the gnat in question; possibly it is not distributed over a large area of the country. I met the gnats several years ag * in Arkansas, on the bottom lands of the St. Francis River, and think they \\pre the greatest day pest I ever saw. In shape they resemble a buffalo som’cwhat; hence the name. They do not bile or sting their victims. They have a disagreeable habit of flying from the ground and striking one in the face, lint the chief trouble is that they crawl into the mouth, nostrils and the ears aud deposit their eggs, which hatch in a very short time. The larva* eat away the membranes, causing death to large numbers of stock of all kinds, and of many game animals. “The planters on the St. Francis set old logs atire in the woods for smoke to Protect stock, which will eagerly rush to the smudge and stand in it to get rid of the pest. “On one occasion I was kindlitg a fire to keep off gnats, when a large buck deer came rushing to the siaoke and stood in it, not heeding my presence. In a few minutes a flock of .wild turkeys and also four or five wild hogs came for protection. It is not au uncommon sight to see a mule before the plow, trudging along with a bucket containing a smudge hanging from its neck. The mule will keep its nose over the smoke as much as possible. The gnat cannot stand smoke.”
The New England member of the L. A. W. racing board. G. W. Dorntee, of Boston, has come out »» tion ‘J> rutsf
An Unintentional IuhiiH. A London exquisite—in America lie would be called a dude—had gone into a West End restaurant, and was far from pleased with the way in which his Girder was filled. “Do you call that a veal cutlet?" he • manded of the waiter. “Why, Wieh a outlet as that is an insult to every self-respecting calf in the British Empire.” The waiter hung his head for a moment, but recovered himsejf, and said, in a tone of respectful apology: “I really didn’t intend to insult you, sir.”—Spare Moments.