The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-06-05


the chill off.
Weigh him accurately, Pickerel, +"
continued the captain. Weigh him, if
necessary. TO an eighth of an ounce. Cen
tlemen watch this proceeding closely
it, very important one.
While the steward was weighing and
the witnesses were watching. Captain
Giilop asked the first mate for the log
book of the ship, and for pen and ink.
How much, PickereI?" asked the
captain. opening the book.
''Seven pounds one ounce and quar-
ter" answered the steward.
Right. gentlemen ?' pursued the
captain.
"Q:ite right. said the witnesses.
Bald child-distinguished as Mum
Der Overweight, seven pounds one
ounce and quarter (avoirdupois), re-
peated the captain, writing down the
entry in the log-book. Very good.
Wen put the bald baby back now. doc.
GRAND try the hairy enc next
The barry one protested-also in his
own language-and also in vain.
How much. Piekerei p asked the
captain.
Six pounds fourteen ounces and
three-auarters, replied the steward.
Right, gentlemen?" inquired the
captain.
"Quite right, answered the witness.
Hairy d-distinguished as Num-
Der Two-weight, six pounds fourteen
ounces and three quarters (ayoirdupoisl,
repeated, and wrote. the captain. Much
Obliged to you, .jolly-that will do.
When you have got the other back in
the cradle, ieil Mrs. Drabble neither of
them must be taken out of it till further
orders and then ne so good as to join
NE and these gentlemen on deck. If any
thing of discussion rises up among US,
we won't run the risk Of being heard in
the sleeping-berths. With these words
Captain Gillop led The way on deck. and
the first mate followed with the log-book
and the pen and ink.
Now, gentlemen, began the captain
when the doctor had joined the assem-
bly,, my first mate will open these pro-
ceedings by reading fiom the log a state
Ynanf which I bova rrr;,to,, .,,--.ale -
specting this business, from beginning to
end. If you find it all equally correct
with the statement of what the two chill
dren weigh, I'll trouble you to sign it, in
your quality of witnesses, on the spot.
The first mate read the narrative, and
the witnesses signed it, as perfectly cor
rect. Captain Gillop then cleared his
throat, and addressed his expectant aud
fence in these words:
6 You'll all agree with me, gentlemen,
that justice is justice, and that like must
to like. Here's my ship of FIVE hundred
tons, fitted with her spars accordingly.
Say she's schooner of hundred and
fifty tons, the veriest iandsmau among
you, in that case, wouldn't put such
masts as these into her. Say. on the
on the other hand. she's an Indiaman Of
a thousand tons, would our spars lex
celent good sticks as they are. gentemen)
be suitable for vessel of that capacity?
Certainly not. A schooner's spars to
schooner, and ship spars 70 ship, iu
fl aud fair proportion"
Here the captain paused, to let the
opening of his speech sink we'll into the
minds of the audience. The audience
encouraged him with the parliamentary
cry of = Hear! hear T. The captain
went on
. In the serious difficulty which now
basets US, gentlemen, / take my stand on
the principle which L have just stated to
you. And my decision is as follows: Let
US give The heaviest of the TWO babies to
the heaviest of the two women; and let
the lightest then fall, as matter of
course, 70 the other. In a weeks time,
it this weather holds, we shall all (please
Cod be in port and if there a better
cut Of this mess than my way, the par
SONS and lawyers ashore may ind it, and
welcome.
With those words the captain closed
Al
sanctioned the proposal sub
initted to them with all the unanimity of
men who had no idea of their OVID to set
up in opposition.
Mr. Jolly was next requested las the
only available authority to settle the
question of weight between Mrs. Small
child and Mrs. Heavysides, and decided
il without moments hesitation,in favor
of the carpenter wife, on the indisputa
bic ground that she was the tallest and
stoutest woman of the two. Thereupon
the bald baby, distinguished as number
one, was taken into Mrs. Heavyside's
cabin; and the hairy baby, distinguished
as number two, was accorded to Mrs,
Smallchild; the Voice of Nature, neither
in the one case nor in the other, raising
the slightest objection to the captains
principle of distribution. Before seven
o clock Mr.. Jolly reported that the
mothers and sons, larboard and star
board. were as happy and comfortable as
any four people on board ship could pos
sibly wish &c be: and the captain there
upon dismissed the council with these
parting words:
" Wen get the studding- sails on the
ship now, gentlemen, and make the best
of our way TO port. Breakfast. Pickerel,
in half az hour, and plenty of il l
doubt If that unfortunate Mrs. Drabble
has heard the last of this business yet
We must ali ieud hand gentlemen, and
pull her through if We can. In other
respects the jobs over, 50 far as we are
Concerned +: and The parsons and lawyers
must settle it ashore.