Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 260, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 October 1913 — The Captain’s Story [ARTICLE]

The Captain’s Story

“My house is the biggest,” said Reginald. "WteM, mine’s the prettiest," replied Ethel, tossing her curly bead. The two children sat digging on tte hot beach sand, and I found them thus disputing as I came upon them unexpectedly. "Why, Ethel r I exclaimed/ "what are you doing here? I have been looking for you for a long while; and sitting in aU that sand with your pretty white Areas!" 7 "Isn't my house the best?” she asked, shaking out her crushed ruffles and entirely ignoring my question. I wee obliged to smile at her assumed dignity as she stood regarding her house with pride and anxiously awaiting my decision. "Weil, I think that they are both attractive,” I answered, as I saw Reginald almost in tears with humiliation I stooped to look more closely at the two sand huts. "Yours is very pretty, Ethel. Now let me see yours, Reginald.” “Oh, mine’senot so good as Ethel’s; but it’s bigger and it’s got a real plank walk." “Sure enough, child. But where did you get this smooth piece of wood?" I asked, lifting it up. “And I really think that there is writing upon IL" “Oh, I found it up there in a little sand pdle,” interrupted Ethel, “and 'I gave it to Reggy for his house; didn't I, Reggy?” and she slipped down beside her playmate. “But here comes old Captain Williams,” I exclaimed. “I really think that you two children interest him more than ids own, old ship.” “How-do! How-do! Miss Hall; and how’s my two little sunbeams to-day? They’re coming with me on my next trip, aren’t you, dears?” laughed the old captain as Reggy and Ethel seized either hand. “Yes, it’s a fine day for a stroll, and we’ll take a walk along the sand for a bit. Well, well, Miss Hall, I guess you’ve ’bout got your hands full a-watching these two squirrels.” "Well, they are somewhat of a care; but I am very much interested in a small piece of wood which Ethel dug up. It is as smooth as paper, and I can distinguish a stanza of poetry carved on the back. On the other side is something which resembles a heart cut deep into the wood and containing some tiny initials. Really, the work is that of a master-hand." The old captain examined the bit ot wood, then paused reminiscently. “Well, I do deciare?” he said. “You never can tell; you never can tell. Years ago, Miss Hall, when I was just starting out as a sailor lad I came to this spot one»summer. That large, old bouse high up on the hin was the fashionable summer boarding house. Among the vkfftors was a fine young girl with the prettiest face I ever seen. She wa»; sought after by all the young men in the place; but she wouldn’t listen tornone of them. “By and by there •came a new one to the place, a youngrcbap, a sculptor who had just come 'back from the schools of France and Italy, and he followed the rest of the boys. But he was different from them. He was the finest chap I ever seen. He wouldn’t hold up his head when he passed an old salt, like me,' but-he’d just shake hands with each and all of us. “Well, he won the girl and there was the biggest rejoicing you ever seen among the sailors. But it didn’t turn his head a bit. He was the happiest fellow I ever seen. He and his bride ’ud walk uq> and down the Ijeach and the other fellers looked on a-wishing she was the4r*n. “One day I saw them sitting dose together on the sand and I slipped down sort o’ quiet Bke and there he sat a-carving a hearUon a bit of wood. On the other side hescut a poem, then he put their names \ inside the tiny heart. He dug a deepthole in the sand and put it at the bottojn, and when he’d covered it all up he says to his wife, ‘May the one who finds this be as happy as we.’ ” The old captain paused and returned the piece ot wood to its owner. Reginald caught it and, taking Ethel by the hand, they scampered off together. . Old Captain Williams looked after them, adding softly, “May they be as happy as was he and his bride.”— Melanie Eugenie Leßlanc.