Jan Kruger had been a seafaring man. Jan Kruger was home from the sea, after having been on a three year voyage and after having been paid off and mustered off the crew of the Don Fuqua, one of the last clipper ships still sailing.
You just could not fathom being an able-bodied seaman on a sailing ship, versus being one on those gosh awful, coal burning steam ships, which had all but replaced the sailing ships. But Jan had sailed the seas and he was heading home, heading back to Marion County to farm and marry his love, whom was waiting for him. Here it was, five am, and he was starting home.
Jan pulled the collar up on his peacoat and wished he had a big old hat instead of the wool sock cap he was wearing. He had been paid off and had in his jersey pocket his pay and winnings for the past three years; a lot of money to an old farm boy. He reached into his peacoat pocket and felt his razor sharp seaman's knife and then he slid his hand inside his peacoat where he felt the belaying pin he had at the ready. For Jan had heard Reefer Joe and second mate Wallis talking about him having a lot of money and they were about to go on shore leave for a month.
Those two had made it a point to waylay any crewmember who had money, or who they didn't like. And Jan had decided they would not get his money, instead they would get a good threshing, for he did not like people like them, little creeps who preyed on shipmates.
The rain did come down and it was just a little above freezing; if it dropped one or two more degrees, it would turn to sleet. There just up there, that is the place, Jan thought as he saw a dark block just in front of him. It had lots of doors in which someone could slink back and wait to waylay an unsuspecting sailor.
The hair on Jan's neck began to stand and he slowed his gait, sliding his hand inside his peacoat and grasping the belaying pin and the other hand grasping the folded knife. The knife was heavy enough and long enough folded that it would greatly increase his impact. For Jan Kruger stood about five foot nine or ten and weighed about two hundred pounds. He had been raised working on the farm and swinging a double bit axe and fed by a good German mother.
Jan maintained his gait and squinted so he could better see movement in the dark street. Then he caught a motion and a slight glint, and he felt good for he wanted to get it over with, and get on with his business.
All at once, from the right came Reefer Joe with a board. And then within a split second from the left came the mate with an iron bar.
Jan kept walking and as soon as Reefer Joe was close and had raised his board, Jan pulled the belaying pin from his coat and swung it hard, very hard and low. He felt the crunch as the belaying pen hit Reefer Joe's right shin and shattered it.
Then Jan spun, crouched, and as the mate started to smash his head with the metal bar, Jan, with the folded knife in his hand, unleashed a left hook which caught the mate on the right side of his jaw.
An awful crunch and scream emanated from the Mate. Jan spun around and caught sight of Reefer Joe rising on one leg with the board. Jan spun and the belaying pen found its target and snapped Reefer Joe's left arm, the arm that was holding the board. Reefer Joe went down with a scream.
Jan then turned to see the blood and teeth oozing from the unconscious mate's mouth. Jan grabbed the Mate by the collar and dragged him over to a big vat of fish guts and scales. Jan pulled the mate's clothes off and threw him into the vat of fish guts, then he did the same with Reefer Joe, who was screaming. Jan then took the two men's purses and valuables, and put them in his seabag. Then he took their clothes and dropped them off at the local Constable's hut and told him what the two had tried to do and where he had left them. "And they will claim I waylaid them and robbed them but I have been ship mates with them for three years and they empty their pockets except for a weapon when they waylay fellow shipmates."
"And ye whomped them pretty good you did?" The constable asked?
"Yes sir, the little one Reefer Joe has a broken leg and broken arm, while the mate has a serious broken jaw and is missing quite a few teeth."
"You want to go to the station and prefer charges," the constable asked?
"No sir, let them get out of that tun of fish entrails, and be humiliated then give them their clothes and tell them Jan Kruger if he ever sees them again will do them even more grievous harm." Jan handed the constable a half dollar. "And when you get off, have a cup and a shot for me, and I thank you and good morning sir."
Jan hoisted his seabag and headed for the train station. As he got to the main part of town Jan wanted to go into a public house and have a big breakfast and a tall beer, but he decided he had better make tracks for home otherwise he might get shanghaied or waylaid and he definitely didn't want that for his love was in Marion County.
Jan arrived at the station and went to the telegrapher's office and wrote out a telegram to "Miss Jillie Simpson, Ogallala, Nebraska. Jillie, am in Boston, coming home to marry you, be there in four or five days. Train leaves at four, Jan." Jan paid the man then walked to the ticket counter.
"A one way ticket to Ogallala, Nebraska, and when does the train leave?" Joe asked the somewhat tall and skinny red headed man behind the ticket counter in the train station.
Train leaves at four PM and you must change lines in Chicago. That will be $22.45 sir." The young ticket taker looked at Jan, at his seabag, and said, "You are a sailor are you not?"
Jan smiled for this kid seemed like a personable person, "Yes just off the Don Fuqua, a sailer, and am headed home to marry my gal and get me a farm or ranch."
"Ogallala is close to Wyomin ain't it?" the ticket seller asked.
"Yeah about a hundred miles or so, I got three brother in Wyomin and plan on going into business as a farmer or rancher with one of them." Jan looked at the kid, "Did you ever think of moseying out that way and living in the open space?"
"Yes sir, I have and I have been saving, I am 19 and have worked for the Railroad since I was eleven, been saving my money, so I can marry my gal, Mary Katherine O'Sullivan and we go west. Yes sir, yes siree, that is what I plan on doing."
Jan smiled. Then why don't you just do it and you and Mary Katherine O'Sullivan travel with me?" Jan then thought, oh me and my big mouth, why did I say that?
The kid's face lit up and he stuck his hand through the ticket seller's cage and said, "I am Darby O'Shea, Darby O'shea born here in Boston and sir if Mary Katherine O'Sullivan will, we will just travel with you. Then Darby O'Shea looked around and said, "the ticket is compliments of the B&PRR, and I am making out two more for me and Mary Katherine."
"Really?" Was all Jan could say.
"If you will wait a couple minutes we will go have some breakfast, and I will buy you a good Boston breakfast."
"I will be sitting right over there," Jan said as he pointed to the seats just in front of the ticket counter. Jan couldn't help but laugh for this kid he liked, he really liked.
Darby closed the ticket counter and went to the office with the till and within ten minutes he exited the office with his pay and a big smile; for Uncle Brian O'shea had paid the boy off , given him a bonus and wished him well out in the west. Uncle Brian knowing that if Darby took Mary Katherine with him, then Mary Katherine's mother Mary Ellen would be free to marry him Brian O'Shea making him the happiest man in Boston, for Brian had been hounding the lady to marry him for eight years, ever since Mary Ellen's husband Ian had been killed on the railroad.
Darby came walking out with a big smile on his face and in a booming voice, said, "Mister Jan, shall we go have breakfast and I will let you meet the most beautiful lass in all of Boston?" Then he reached for Jan's seabag, but immediately realized it was a mistake for Jan's strong arm had pushed him away and indicated no.
"Lead on Darby, and Darby. Never touch a sailor's seabag, for that is all he possesses in this world."
"Sorry Mister Jan, sir," Darby said, thinking use your head and think Darby.
They left the train station and went around to a small side street where there was a Caf�. It wasn't very large, seating maybe fifty people but it was full, this early in the morning it was full. Darby led Jan to the rear, where there was a vacant booth right next to the swinging door into the kitchen.
Jan chucked his seabag into the booth, then took his sock cap off and his pea coat and sat down. Darby did the same. And almost immediately a beautiful petite red headed girl came out of the kitchen. "Hi Darby, why aren't you at work?"
Darby stood up, grabbed the girl and announced in a loud voice, " I am Darby O'Shea and today Mary Katherine O'Sullivan is marrying me and we are going wit my friend here," Darby pointed to Jan, "we are going to Wyoming to start a new life on the open plains." The girl who was only about five feet tall looked up at the gangly Darby in amazement. "Mary Katherine will you marry me and go west with me?"
The girl just stood slack jawed with a completely puzzled face. Then she said, "I . . . I . . . .uh . . . .. ah . . .. . .OH yes, yes, yes!" Now sit down Darby O'Shea while I get you and this man some breakfast, and tell Mither that I will be getting married today." Then she was gone.
"But we must get married first," Darby said, and Mary Katherine smiled and nodded. For Mary Katherine O'Sullivan was about five feet tall, had a big full head of Auburn hair, was very trim and had great big brown eyes. Jan could see she would make Darby a fine wife.
After breakfast, they went into the kitchen and Darby introduced Jan to Mary Katherine's mother, Mary Ellen. She was or had been a beautiful woman, a little thick of girth but with the same large loving brown eyes and the same head of Auburn hair. Although a little taller than her daughter Jan could see this was a fine looking lady. Immediately Darby, Mary and Mary's mother went to the clerk's office to get a marriage license. As soon as they had the license, they went to the Parish where Father Mulcahey did not want to marry them till they had gone through a two-week ritual. Mary Ellen O'Sullivan looked at the priest and with steely eyes and in a very stern voice stated, "Father, you will marry them now, right this instance, so no guff, just get your cassock and do it."
The priest who was a rather large man, looked down at the mother and meekly said, "Yes maam, let me get my bible and I will meet you at the altar." Jan liked this lady. And within ten minutes it was Mister and Mrs. Darby O'Shea.
They left the church and Mary Ellen looked at the young couple. "I don't trust Father Mulcahey, so lets do it right, and they trooped to the registrar's office where she had Linus McTabb marry the couple again in a civil ceremony. Then with two marriage certificates, they went back to the caf�, where mother and daughter lived in a room over the caf�.
When Jan went back to the train station to check to see if the train would leave on time, the telegrapher yelled at him, "Mr. Kruger, Mr. Jan Kruger, I have a telegram for you. Jan took the telegram and gave the man fifteen cents.
"Thank you, thank you sir," Jan said as he opened the envelope and read, "Son, Jillie Simpson of Ogallala, Nebraska married Oley Waddles ton last year and they went to Minnesota, sorry. Your mother and I anxiously await your return." Jan felt as if the world had fallen on him. He wanted to go someplace and scream, but he could not for he had a responsibility to Darby and Mary Katherine. So he went back to the caf�.
When he entered the caf� Mary Ellen met him, "What is wrong Jan, what is wrong, you look sad and something has happened?"
"Yeah my girl married another guy last year, so I won't be getting married when I get home."
Mary Ellen put her arm around him, "I am sure you will find a good wife, for there are a lot of us around looking for a good husband like you."
Jan's frown turned to a smile, "Mary Ellen will you marry me and go west with me, Darby and your daughter?
The woman's looked up at Jan, "Are you serious about this?" Then she studied his face, "Are you serious?"
"Yes maam I am, will you marry me?" Jan just stood with a big smile on his face holding Mary Ellen. "And leave with us and go West today?"
Mary Ellen's head was spinning, here she was a 34-year-old widow, slaving in a small caf�, which was quite profitable, and her only hope of remarrying was if Brian O'Sullivan her dead husband's brother would ask her. She thought, I am not much older than he, and he is a good man, although of Germanic stock, still, go west and be a farmer , rancher, and not cook every day.
"Yes Jan Kruger I will marry you and go west with you today." And they kissed. Jan had never had such a passionate kiss and then he realized what he had done.
"Let go get a license and tell Darby and Mary Katherine," Jan said.
Mary Ellen stopped him. "Jan since you are not catholic, we cannot get married in the church!"
"Civil is fine with me if you will accept it?" Jan stammered.
They were married, and when Brian heard of Mary Ellen's marrying the sailor feller, he cussed then remembered now he could court the Alicia Snow down on 26th street, and he gave Mary Ellen a free ticket to Ogallala, Nebraska.
When the Western Express pulled out of the station at four PM, Mr. and Mrs. Jan Kruger, and Mr. and Mrs. Darby O'shea were headed west. Mary Ellen had made arrangements to have Brian O'shea sell the restaurant for her.
Oh While Darby was quitting his job, Jan went through the stuff he had taken from the mate and Reefer Joe; Jan had found a pair of matching wide gold wedding bands and a blue sapphire ring and a bag full of other gold and silver jewelry. Oh and he also found a considerable amount of money. Mary Ellen wore one of the gold bands on her left index finger and the sapphire ring on the right hand while Jan wore the large one on his left index finger. Jan could not believe the day especially since he was now married to a beautiful lady and had a daughter and son in law.
As the train sped westward, Darby talked to the people in the mail car and so the four instead of riding in the hard coach, relaxed in the mail car where there was a stove and some soft mail to sleep on.
