he hurried,
leaving the captain greatly puzzled.

The old lady put on her newest bombazine dress--all this happened ten
years ago, ladies--and a hat to match.

Never before had these articles of dress been seen by the irreligious
light of a weekday; the day seemed fully as holy as an ordinary Sabbath.

They attracted considerable attention, in their good clothes and solemn
faces, and finally, as they stood on the parson's doorstep, two of the
captain's own deckhands saw him, and straightway drank themselves into a
state of beastly intoxication in trying to decide what the captain could
want of a preacher.

The minister entered, cordially greeted Mrs. Simmons, and expressed his
pleasure at forming the captain's acquaintance.

"Parson," said the captain, in trembling accents--"don't go away, Mrs.
Simmons--parson, my good friend here tells me you know all about my
case; now the question is, how soon can you do the business?"

The reverend gentleman shivered a little at hearing the word "business"
applied to holy things, but replied, in excellent temper:

"The next opportunity will occur on the first Sabbath of the coming
month, and I shall be truly delighted to gather into our fold one whose
many worthy qualities have been made known to us by our dearly beloved
sister Simmons. And let me further remind you that there is joy in
heaven over one sinner that repenteth, and that therefore--"

"Just so, parson," interrupted the captain, wincing a little, and
looking exceedingly puzzled--"just so; but ain't thar no day but Sunday
for a man to be married--"

"Married!" ejaculated the minister, looking inquiringly at Mrs. Simmons.

"Married!" screamed the old lady, staring wildly at the
captain--"married! Oh, what shall I do? I thought you'd experienced a
change! And I've told everybody about it!"

The captain burst into a laugh, which made the minister's chandeliers
rattle, and the holy man himself, seeing through the mistake, heartily
joined the captain.

But poor Mrs. Simmons burst into an agony of tears.

"My dear, good old friend," said the captain, tenderly putting his arm
about her, "I'm very sorry you have been disappointed; but one thing at
a time, you know. When you see my angel, you'll think I'm in a fair way
to be an angel myself some day, I guess. Annie's her name--Annie
May--an' I've named the boat after her. Don't take on so, an' I'll show
you the old boat, new painted, an' the name Annie May stuck on