The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-12-04
Il cenquteNring A Sea Dog.

Some years ago. when the old "Liglit-
heart was new and staunch, and when /
bad command of her, there Unopened on
board an incident, over which / have
laughed many q time, when; memory has
brought it back Tones 4 loaded at Mobile
with cotton and ran to Liverpool. Among
my crew was O man named Rannct- Sam,
We always called him. He was one of the
largest formed men I ever saw, and came
from somewhere in New England. He
stood six feet and five inches In bare feet,
and was stout and bnlky.in proportion.
He had1o fault, and that was an inordi-
ainate pride of strengths. He was not
dRarrelsome. nor 6 had he q revengeful
pOintIA his character, aud yetihe was Cell
tnnally Fostering and annoying the crew.
Hardly day, passed that he did not give
some of the. crew. bodily pain by his freaks
He would catch poor fellow by. the legs
and swing him over his head, at the immi-
ieiit risk Of smashing his brains out
against the mast or bdlwarks and then lie
would laugh hugely at the poor mans
fright. Sometimes~h would seize man
hythe, arms and lay him upon the deck,
and in no very easy manner, either. 1t
was no use for man to demonstrates, for
howonld' Jbs sure, to punish him inlseme
other way, .,. er
OF course, I forbade Sam from doitlg
uehithings, but heicouldi noti remember
my orders longer than, oyer one. night
The love of =" fun" as he called it, was Tx
eatoo strongly apen him. He did not re.
alize how unpleasant his lpranksa were E, nor
did he know that the rest of the crew had
grown 10 dislike him. They had adopted
many expedients to cure him, but they had
all failed, and though he had often been
made the butt of practical jokes--such as
sudden drenehing In cold sea water while
ne slept andlOther things egaanyunpleaSs
ant-yet he always paid bis tormentors off
With Interest. He was, in fact, the worst
practical joker / ever saw, and not o. whit
aid he care, so long eas, he, exhibited his
hsrcplean strength and broke no bones,
When my ship arrived at Mobile, on the
return voyage, another cargoof cotton was
ready tor me, and was ordered to load
and be off as quick as possible. But no
sooner was the ship cleared than my men
-albut Sam Rannot--came and informed
me that they could not go with me again
unless Sam was discharged I was not
prepared for this. In heavy work Sam
Nas worth any other three men on beard
and una always willing, and ready. Yet I
Knew how the crew suffered from his
saoashtless pranks, and could not blame
.aeil. told the men to come to. me on
sne following day. and would give them
an audience 49, -..ses -'-
Astrst thought of promising them that
aWouid see that the old sea dog should not
a "a Them any more, but soon convine-
almSsels that that wouldt,be of no use.
sSn would cut up his caperS when | could
NV NV PIG Mn, and the men would not report
n Mint every timelhe hurt tllemsi But soona
ass :. yea entered my head. ! had q broth
4. a ~ owned 8 large cotton plantation on
Az Az Otekasaw, His place was not over
th 's'su niles from Mobile, and he had just
, au man | wanted. His big arms were
a iO itoa, and his breast and shoulders like
h Sa bundle Of wire, done up in raw OK
Cata e4alered my brother to, let me have
.sp i. Yne OF two voyages. +,
saSe. linn and Weleome,n said he.
aymsigSsstlag too important herA.". haibst
ah,pasr-Tls he ugly ~ / asked. 80 ~,
.oo, - ,n no; Just the other way. He's too
suo i aaeared altogether Hesets the very
muck He 8 iato the other boys I've made too
Yes.n ~ "oih : 80
"a IOa ! got Cato for twelve dollars month
lsss a Y Is ! wanted him, with the priv.
Bs se q having him one cruise for nothing.
AND a Jock him e for better or for worse,''
asreed topay for his services. issa
sbInl y Ias next day went on board the
aps n s aug when the men came I'd me for my
T; thSs y asked them if they would saifi
f S,sa sam If ! would produce a quiet ihof
tals 's se nan who could handle him., and
thas y sag man to sea with me. They said
ma NAY Z. Woui,d!-thdy would have gone with
eopa ps nothing, for the sake of seeing Sam
enis INJURED; told them he should be-, and
W haa them to secrecy; they promised. !
Sea AVE" a;m Cato learned that he was going to
Ia s sai nae, he was beside himself With
Ts saa'ia When ! came to tell him what /
-''u OF him, he laughed till the tears