Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1855-03-16
gelertl Misrtllany
TIE CAPTAINS BATHING TUB.

1.-The Captains Bathing tub T. was the
title Of a most amusing sailors yarn,
which appeared in "Thc Saint Nicholas"
a magazine which was too clever to die
so soon as it did. 1t WAS published
monthly, for a short time, at Oswego, in
New York, but its circulation was too
limited for it to lie long sustained. But
that is "neither helc nor there" now, so
far as the Bathing tub" story is concern-
cd, an incident which we here condense.
\ cabin-boy Of one Of the warti room
officers, on hoard y United States vessel, a
good deal given 10 himself, one day made
his way i'll the captains cabin, while they
were engaged above making out strange
sail in the horizon. Here he finds all
sorts Of luxu'iss, including various wines,
of which he drinks enough to raise his
courage not only but to make him some
what reckless of consequences.
In this state, he tinlS himself in a room
adjoining the cabin, a tin bathing tub in
one corner, luxuriouSly supplied with rare
cosmetics, and "smc'rng like a barbel's
shop of the first class Now" he
says 81 had tlicd all the OTHER good
things that found in the cabin; had
drank the captains wine, and stra yhtene1
myself out on his sofa, and swung in his
hsmmocl,; and Thought wouldn't quit
without taking adip in his bath
Accordingly he strips, aud is just en-
joying the first pleasant feel OF the water
when he was interrupted by the messenger
boy, who had been sent into the cabin by
the captain. Fortunately he was not dis
covered this time but it made him eau
tious:
~ 'I must contrivc some wa,
to get out withmy clothes il any oly cam'
"a along again. | wasn't long in finding
the way, The ports on the side of tn
forward cabin were open, and through
them could easily get out into the miz
zen chains, where | could dress myself
without being seen. There was big gul
in each port, a carronade rs they call 'en
short but fat-the biggest kind-yol
never saw such kinds of guns except boart
ships Of war. | could Chamber out along
side one of 'em easy enough, tho | was
little fellow then"
He takes his shoes, clothes, and hat, AM
sticks them outside of the port where the,
couldn't be seen ; "and thcn," he says
81 went back to the tub. All this didn'
take more than half minute, for [ work
ell sharp, can tell you. The only thin
that was afraid of was, that the stewi r
would come in and catch me- | did'n
care a tinker's copper for the captain.
knew I could get out of the port in les
time than would take him to come dow
the poop-ladder. Big bugs are neve
in hurry-it wouldn't look dignitied
you know
Presently, while lying luxurionsly in tn
captain S tub, he hears him coming dow
the cabin stairs, when he jumps out ofth
receptacle and makes for the port:
81 was fairly outside and safe, as
thought in the chains, before the captai
opened the cabin door. l sat there
minute drying myself, and then wasgoin
to begin to dress when heard the SCUM
of oars coming round the stern of tn
vesscl.--l knew by the regular dip in tn
water, and by the noise of the oars in th
row-locks, that it was q man o'-war's boat
and Of course, I supposed it was the frs
cutter coming alongside, tho it seemed
me she had come up mighty quick.
s'.Here l was in fix. They would Sc
me from the boat as soon as she pulle
round the stern, and I should Lave ha
work to tellwhat l was doing, stark make
in the chains. I couldn't get my cloth,
on quick enough to be ready for compan
for I couldn't stand up without col
siderable risk Of being seen from the poo]
in case some fellow happened to be lool
ing over the larboard side. I conclude
pretty soon what to do. l first locke
into the cabin. The captain wasn't
sight, so I damned my clothes into. Il
muzzle of the gun, and then got in, afte
myself, feet foremost. / told you, ye
know, that guns Of the kind they call ca
,ronadcs are short but have most tremel
fdous big borss. They are used in clio
fighting, and when nothing else com
handy, they load them with cask ofnai
and such sort Of things. ! showed M
selfin feet foremost. because knew tn