THE WOOING OF ANN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 9 November 1907, Page 4

THE WOOING OF ANN.

A peal of sfi'4'ry laughter rang out on the Nereid and went down to the wharf. "lou look sweet enough to eat, Mr Jennings," said Ann, between her laughing fits.

Mr Charles Jennings, second mate of the steamship Nereid, probably blushed, for, even in the absence of a mirror, he pretty well knew how he looked. Molasses was intermixed with his hair, diluted with perspiration, it ran down his temples in brown rivulets, while great .patches of the brown sticky stuil adhered to his duck trousers and shirt.

If there's any task that will utterly rout a man's conceit in his appearance and make him admit that he belongs among the pariahs of the human race it is when he superintends the loading of a cargo of molasses on a vessel on a' typical West Indian day. For be it known that molasses is loaded in this way. A number of empty hogsheads are stowed, hung up, in the hold. Then a full hogshead is hoisted over the hatch, and by means of a hose the contents are carried to the hogshead in the hold. The men who guide this hose—especially when the cargo nearly reaches the deck beams, and they are obliged to lie prone on their stomachs—become picturesque objects of smear and daub. "I wish she had come any other day," groaned Jennings, as he slunk below to change his stained clothes And yet he had been alternately burning with a desire and chilled with timidity about this day ever since the brig sailed from Sierra Leone for Barbadoes, where the captain's daughter was to join her. For two years Jennings had secretly loved Ann Soiners. He felt sure her father would refuse his consent, and

lx'sides he wa3 extremely doubtful if Miss Ann would say yes. She would probably laugb_at him, and he dreaded Miss Anne's laugh more than he did the brusque refusal he expected from her parent.

The next day the Nereid weighed anchor and set sail for home, and there was little balm to the heart of Jennings. Not only was Miss Anne unapproachable, but Mr Gride, the chief mate, paid ber some vers - direct attentions, which attentions the young lady accepted smilingly and with apparent favor. "Gride's father is a shipowner." groaned Jennings. "He'll be master of a ship when he gets home, and that appeals to her."

The heartsore and pessimistic Jennings felt that all the world, as contained on the Nereid, was against him. He detected dislike in the captain's manner, contempt in Gride's way of looking at him, and utter disregard flamed from Miss Anne's turquoise eyes. Added to his troubles, his preoccupation of mind caused him to make one or two blunders with the captain's orders, which brought down a hurricane of wrath upon his head from that high dignitary. 'lt's simply all up with me," admitted Jennings to himself. Barring a brush with the fag-end of a cyclone oil the Bermudas, the voyage was uneventful until the brig was in the lattitude of the Ilatteras. when the monotony was broken by sighting a derelict, one of those Wandering Jews of the ocean, drifting slowly at beck of wind and current. As the craft was evident-

ly abandoned and lumber-laden, the captain did not board her. There was not a breath of wind, the sails hanging listlessly in wrinkles. Captain Somers and Gride had gone below for a nap, and Jennings had the deck. He was leaning against the rail idly watching the derelict, when a voice that made his blood tingle addressed him. "I should dearly love to go aboard that vessel." said Miss Ann.

"I don't believe you could get on her," an-wereil Jennings. "I expect her deckis awash." "Still, I should love to be close to

her. She reminds me of a ghost." Jennings glanced warily around. Both officers were below, and the crew on deck were spinning yarns. What a chance for a short moment of bliss with Mi-s Ann all to himself! "If you would like to see her closely." said he. "I'll row you over to her. It's only a two-mile pull." Miss Ann's eyes danced.

'l'd like it of all things," she said, "I am «o much obliged to you." It was an appalling breach of discipline, but then .Jennings was desperate.

Ho felt si-re that the post of second mate would not be tendered him again on the Nereid, so it made little difference what he did. He ordered a boat to be lowered, and pulled his fair passenger toward? the derelict.

The schooner was waterlogged and, as expected, lumber laden. Her whole deck forward of the main mast was submerged even with the rail, but the pi'pp was above the sea line. '•Let's go aboard," exclaimed Miss Ann. "What an experience to go on a -hip with the crew all lost or run a war!' 1

Jennings pulled nlollg-ide and leaped on the after rail, then he reached down and dr"\v Mis- Ann on to the poop. The ■ aliin was half full of water, but the ai'ter-divk was dry. Her masts were mine, all save the main, which had lost i;- to]ima-t. The rigging hung slack!}', and tiic whole eraft gave a melancholy evidence of a long drift in her present i nidiii'in. "I -ay g<> kick." said Jennings. "A -hip like ihis give- me the shudders:' "Suppose." s.iid Miss Ann, in a whisper. shyly grasping Jennings l>y the coat sleeve, "suppose some dead sailors are filiating in ihe cabinV "Xo.'' replied Jennings: "ynu see, -lie's only water-logged. The crew had lots of time to pt away. 'We'll get awav. too. Heavens and earth " '■What's the matter?" asked his companion. fearfully. "What a. bungling fool T mil!" exclaimed Jennings, "The painter lias -linped. and the lioal has drifted away!" "And that means "It means we must stay on the wreck until semie one takes us off. It's all my fault." fie nied passionately. ''Mine!'' she ejaculated. l "Yes, yours." said he, savagely. , "When I am near you I can think of no-

it thing else. I know I'm a fool, but I id can't help it." | ;e Miss Ann did not seem very sorry at i being blamed. | is "See that smother of fog settling ic down," said Jennings. ir Even if your is father looks after us he can't find us to-night." 1- A dreary night came on, and the breeze, what there was of it, impregnata ed with dampncss7"was chill. Jennings li, insisted on Miss Ann wrapping his coat )- about then she huddled closely to him, lor it seemed uncanny and is ghostly on that deserted ship with her grim idea that corpses were floating in f- the submerged cabin. I Jennings turned abruptly from her. u "If the blessed sun was shining I couldn't say it," said he. "If I saw your r face I couldn't say it; but now, when " I cannot see you smile in scorn, I will e say it. I love you dearly, and have t loved you for two years. Can you care - a little for me? If it's no, say it while [1 it's dark, and when they come for you e to-morrow 111 stay on the derelict." e The girl drew away from him. 0 "I don't see how you can talk of such things," she said. "It's so lonely on " this wide sea, and who knows what ia 3 in the cabin?" ' "1 understand," he said bitterly. 1 "Thank you for your answer." The fog lifted with tho dawn, and the i .Vc-reid was disclosed about two miles to > the southward. A boat put off from ' the brig, and presently Captain Somcrs, ' his face dark and stormy, was alongI side. "What in thunder does this mean?' 1 he began. ! "Papa,"' put in Miss Ann, "don't rave, unless you rave at me. It's all my fault. i I made Mr Jennings row me over, and the boat went adrift." Miss Ann scrambled down the extempore ladder into the boat. "Come on, Jennings," cried the captain. t "Thank you," replied Jennings, "I've ( made up my mind to stay on the ] wreck." surely dont want me to pass j another night on the wreck," said Miss i Ann. | "What have you to do with my s:avin;;?" said Jennings, glumly. _^" r . "Only if you stay, I will, Urn? j "Then the answer was " "Yes," replied Miss Ann, sweetly. n i: \