The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1869-08-11

corporosity lido tho promonitory
tromors of u young earthquake.
| "Walk aft" said Tom. a..
| "By the way" remarked tho
old salt, Us they moved towards
the cabin, "tho guv'ner yonder has
a fancy that you arc shipping
arms for the Confederates--hal hal
good joke, sir. good joke; shipping
arms under Hor Mnjesty's nose.
Wanted me to come off and 500
what You're doing g-egad, sir,
what you're doing. And Tvo como,
Two come, SIR"
"Thats right" said Tom, "I'm
glad to welcome you. Look around
for yourself; there's pile ofhoes,
some shovels and spades, and when
you go below we'll have tho box
es oponed, and I'll show you tho
pretticst lot Of hardware ever
shipped from Great Britain. But
come along to tho cabin and let's
drink first"
With that Oakley ushered his
visitor into tho private cabin of
the "Kate," and closed tho door
on that side Of tho ship from which
she was overy moment receiving
her warlike cargo.
"What shall it be-? I've n little
ofall SORTS" "Take some cham
pagnc," said Tom.
"a little brandy first, capn-
brandy first. Brandy's n sheet
anchor, cap'n, sheet anchor-no
water, thank'ee, no water; they
don't agree, rs tho Irishman said,
when he gave tho Pope Is recipe
for making punch"
"lIow WIS thai: 2" asked Tom.
"First pour in tho brandy, then
add tho sugar, but, 'gad, sir, every
drop Of water you put in after
that, spoils the punch, sir, spoils
the punch"
Oakley piled his ynest with qucs-
t!ons, and kept him busy with an
swcrs, every thrco or four minutes
putting in liquid punctuation
point in tho shape now Of brandy,
and now Of champagne, until the
British captain was in an uproari-
Gus state of personal felicity. At
first he was strictly and most I'M
partially neutral--the very essence
or Il representative Briton, dutiful-
ly engaged; bnt the more he prac-
tiscd multiplication with Johan-
ncs Barleycorn tho kinder grew
his sympathies, until finally kin.
dlcd into enthusiasm, about fifteen
glasses deep, he threw his arms
atlectionatcly around Tom, and cx,
claimcd with intoxicated pathos,
"Nev'r mind e 'ardwarc, cap'n-
ncv'r mind Yo see, ye see, hic-
it's all right-by Jovc, all right,
hic. Pm with ye, hic-with 70
cart an soul, by Jove-'eart and
soul, hic." The last words were
grandly emphatic, accompanied
with Il stroke on Toms back which
the old salt doubtless intended to
be particularly fratcrnal, but which
Tom avcrs, to this day, was very
much Iiko tho descending stroke
of spilc driver, and always gives
him rheumatic twinge to think
about.
Three or four moro drinks did
the business, by which time Tom
was safe from all fears Of inspcc-
ton.
Between tho Otard on the ono
hand, and the necessary official
dignity TO be preserved on the
other, tho old Briton, az be lcanod
lovingly on Toms arm in tho pas-
sage from tho cnbin to tho ships
ladder, found it exceedingly Diff
cult to maintain his specific gravi.
ty. AS ho rolled over tho sldc,
his parting words were, "Hcr
Maj'sty's officer after 'ardwarc-
hic, 'ardware. Ha! ha ! good Joke,
sir, by Jove, hic; God bless yer,
cap'n, hic--an' safe v'yage-safo
v'yago back" Whom last seen the
worthy captain was stretched out
in tho stern sheets Of his cutter,
snoringan unconscious accompani-
mcnt t0"Whe tho Swallows home
ward fly"
We had now only to finish load-
ing, got our clearn nco, from tho
custom house, und turn onr bow
homeward. The "Kate," although
" trim and beautiful boat, was not
tho fastest Of orr blockade run,
ners; but fortunately We wore not
put to o trinl Of speed on the re-
turn trip. Our cnrgo being too
important to warrant tho ordi.
nary risks incurred in running the
blockade Of Charleston or Will
mington, Captain Oakley deter
mined to land Mt Smyrna, on the
coast Of Florida, which was safely
donc. The Confederate authori-
tics, duly advised of our arrival,
thon took tho cargo in hand, and
in the courso of ten or fifteen days
tho arms and ammunition woro on
their way, in hundrods Of wagons,
ACROSS tho country ia tho nearest
rnilrO11 that ,urn11 oo~.os. -