Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1845-12-13
vited him to dine with him that very after
noon, which Crabtree uuthinkingly accept

sible despatch, and hurried on board his
ship, to adorn and beautify himself for the
dinner-party; he entered his state-room,
and in a few minutes his gruff voice was
heard calling for the steward. That inn
portant functionary soon opened the door
of the state-room, and thrust within4t his
sable visage.
"Stewatd!" exclaimed the skipper, with
tremulous accent indicating alarm, s'find
me clean shirt?"
"Clean shirts all gone, sare.'
"All gone? What do you mean2, Get
my shirt at once, and don't stand grim
ming. there2' y ..sa baag ID
"Your last clean shirt, massa captain.
you put on yesterday morning, when YOU
came ashore, and that would badly keep
together, it was so old, and all the others
have gone to be washed!'' 4.
"Here's pretty predicament," growled
Crabtree, ''invited to dinner, and can't
60 for want of shirt! Oh! ii is too bad.
Steward, what shall do?'''
"Better wear the old one, sare," sug-
gested the Steward. !,
"That's out Of the question, SNOWFALL, :"
replied Crabtree, 81 found it unseawo rthy
when | took it off, and threw it out Of the
cabin window"
"Ah!" said blackey, 'that's very bad.
l 'spect | shall have 10 lend you one Of my
check shirts that l scrubbed nice and clean
in the salt water tother day."
"Be of, you stupid blockhead You
lend me checked shirt! Away with you,
on deck,'' and as the Steward, with broad
grin overspreading the whole Of his face,
successfully lodged sBowditch's Epitome'
aimed at his head, and darted up the COM
panion-way, Captain Crabtree's counte-
nance kindled with CLEAN of satisfaction.
81 have it, said he, * HAVE It'll" he re-
peated, with all the enthusiastic joy ofthc
old Syracusan sage when he united knot
ty problem in Northumberland he hasten
ed to avail himself of the wise thought
which had just popped itsclfinto his noddle.
Now Captain Crabtree had very neat
dickcy in his trunk. A dickey, as every
one knows is, or was, short bosom, with
handsome collar attached, and would
serve on pinch as very goodapolosy for
shirt-indeed dandies in those days often
dispensed with shirt for weeks and months
together. Crabtree with degree of pres
ence Of mind and fruitfulness in expedi-
ents which were characteristic of that
worthy seaman resolved to fret himself no
longer for the absent shirt, but to make
the dickey to double duty on the import
ant occasion. @ NttN.
2. 4
He arrayed himself accordingly, looked
in his glass, and admired his appearance.
He felt cool and comfortable, too; and tina,
is something gained on sultry day in Ju-
! ". He even began to entertain the idea
of discarding altogether, as superfuous,
that article OF dress which he had hitherto
considered indispensable, especially when
! in full dress. In the mean time. as he had
strange habit Of throwing of his Goa.
when oppressed with heat, without much
regard 10 his company or circumstances,
hs took the precaution TO prevent such an
awkward occurrence on the present ocea-
sion, by stitching his coat and his black
velvet vest together. eoss8
AT the appointed hour, Captain Crabtree
entered the mansion of the German noble
man, where he was received with marked
courtesy by the Count and introduced to a
goodly company Of ladies and gentlemen,
principally natives Of Denmark. Crabtree
understood no language but his mother
tongue, but by dint of tolerable assurance
and emphatic gestures, he got along toler.
ably well. Dinner passed off--and the
wine as is usual abroad, circulated freely
Crabtree found himself somewhat in melt
ing mood, and soon ceased to remember
the peculiarly of his costume.
! When dinner was over, he was chal
lenged by lady to play game of bill
lizards. The greater part of the company
adjourned to the billiard room, to be wit
nesses Of the game-and the Captain, aftel
a few unsuccessful strokes with his cue
involuntarily essayed to throw off his coat
declaring that he could never play wei
with that heavy garment on. The Goa
. chung with sort of fraternal affection I,
, the vest, but the impetuous sailor could no
take the hint, or brook delay. Anothe
desperate effort, couple Of buttons CAV,
way, and the coat, and vest, being unwil
| ling to part company, were both Stripe,
of, and thrown triumphantly on chair
when 10! the Captain stood in the midst @
the assembly, grasping his cue with bus
, iness-like air, and arrayed as, if for pugil
. is.ic contest in the prize ring!
A scream from the ladies', and some EN-
phatic explanations from the gentlemen
, first reminded the forgetful sailor tina
something was wrong. lie glanced at hi
: bare arms, then caught a view Of his Who'll
person in large mirror, and the trut
: rushed upon his mind like fash of light
a ming. The dickey was doing all it coul
a to supply the place of more ample gar
/ ment, but it was wofnlly deficient in d
. mansions and to the astonished Captai
1 seemed shrunk to half its size,
Captain Crabtree dropped his cue, CAV
G sort Of convulsive jump, which would d
! credit to harlequin vaultsr, uttered lou
# demi- savage salt water howl, which wa
$ heard mile of, and scampered down stall
s in the street, regardless of the bushes
!. the ladies, or the storm Of his Kisses an
n rerilings from the scandalized gentlemel
! He stopped not, but few through II
!, streets, looking like frightened madna
: while the wondering populace shouted al
d clapped their hands, or sprang aside to civ
him fair field for his race. This only a
) Ia a. ~. ereed and in a few minutes