A Rough Weather Courtship

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The gangplank has been drawn back and the steamer is under way; the passengers are all on deck, among whom is a gay and attractive widow. Her fellow passengers of the male gender are casting furtive and loving glances at her. After some sparring they manage one after the other to make her acquaintance. So agreeable do they make themselves that she keeps them all on her string, although each one thinks he is the favorite. The Captain is not immune from her charms, and he decides to lay court to her heart, but so infatuated is she with the gallant and attentive passengers that the Captain makes little headway. A few days later, when the steamer gets well upon the bosom of the deep and the boat begins to roll and rock, the passengers begin to feel seasick, and one by one they succumb to "mal de mer." They are so absorbed in looking over the side of the ship and sustaining their equilibriums they neglect and entirely forget the pretty widow. They are obliged to seek the recesses of their cabins until the coast is left entirely clear for the Captain, who puts in an appearance and soon engrosses the attention of the lady in weeds, until she finds herself infatuated with his winning and convincing way. By easy stages the man of the mighty deep seizes the helm and lands his fair and graceful sail into port and makes her fast to his every wish, and they are as good as spliced. When the passengers come on deck and try to regain the lost vantage they gradually realize the lay of the land, and it is a question whether they are not sicker than they were before the Captain made himself master of the lady's hand as well as the master of the ship.