Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1865-05-11

we nAo IN the G4et0Kas Wnen We
sailed from New OrI eaEs for Messina,
upon moderate computation, ! should
say, cord and q quarter of rata; end the
increase during the voyage was so rapid
that by the time we got back to GibrAl.
tar, tween decks, lower hold, forecaslle,
cabin, and stOre-rOOTn, literally swarmed
with the obnoxious sodenss-Obnoxioue
to everybody fore and aft, except Cap.
tain Mason. He was on the best poSsi.
bic terms with the vermin. A dozen Of
the bigesI blueskinS in the ship hsd Sc
cured homesteads in the "old mans mat.
tiers, and great mOIherly old rat was
actually rearing her family under his
pillow. Captain Mason said he rather
liked mattress stuffed with rats-made
it lively he thought. But one nightevery
particle of Captain Mason's love for the
rodents was changed to inyeterale hate,
and be swore TO extermInate the whole
race. Somehow in bis dreams, or only
half awake, the old man had managed
to smash inte utter worlhIessness his gold
watch; and he swOre that big rat got
it down from the hook TO see what time
it was, and when he yelled at him, the
bloody lubber dropped it on the floor,
smashing it all to pieces.
The old man suffered q airing as long
as the mizzen tOpsail halyafds when he
got bis salt water up, and the next NOR
ming it took him nearly a whole watch
to get out clearly the following bid:
"Mr. R,r-r. eef-t-t-i.acle I'll g-g,
i've ye a'r-r-ial a-p-p-iece for ev.ev-eve-
ry d-d-d d-am'd r.r-a. you'll ke-ke.ke-
catch -
Agreed, Captain! I'll go in and
own the ship before she leaves Gibral-
tar - So that every day / went ashore,
got big wire trap, an ounce of oil of
rhodium and LOT of sardines for bait
At night | set my trap in the store. room
and after breakfast don't believe there
was less than FIVE dozen of 'sm. though |
never counted noses. 'a
was bending a spare line sO-the trap,
to hang it over the side, down
my game, and then count heads for |
tials.
But Captain Mason interferred with !
that intention most disastrously. Com
ing out Of the cabin, his collar and shirt
bosom all open, and armed with q raj.
tan that the steward beat the dust out of
bis clothes with J ss
"Ho-ho-hoId on. Mr.. R-r.reef.tl.taek.
le ! I'll n-n-ick 'em! You l-l.le-let 'em
out, and I'll r-T.ra-t.t-,nn 'em !" and be
stood by to "nick" the frss one that
should escape.
Out popped laundering big ras, slap
into the old mans bare bosom, scoOtsd
10 under hes shirt, and in . secODd dug
round on bic back.
"Hah Bl.aa-oO-ah (! Ke-ke.kilI the
l-d.sm'd thing! g1 sd
Down went the trap, and out bOlted
he whole rat brigade, scampering and
lodging under every thing that would
cover rat Grabbing the carpenters
nAllet, I took after the old man, and
bit him blow in the back that sent him
into the scupPers.
In ten seconds the old Metoka's deck
vas q universal hurrah. All hands,and
he cook, armed with Delaying .pins,
nandspikes, beavers, sheath-knives. and
lalshets. went into The rat hunt, yelling
shopping. dancing, and lesping, as if
be whole ships company had been at
aeked with a sudden f. Of delirium Ei.
Inglss.
The result Of the rat tOray was, one
he cooks big eoppsrs burst up ike a
s74e = y q 70 b4a5
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