Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-09-01
CONoUERING A sEA-DoG.
How sam ROnnot Came to Grief ut Last.

C0NQUERING A SEA-D0G.
How Sam RRnnot Came TO Grief ut Last.
Some years ago, when the old ship Light.
heart was new and staunch, and when had
command of her, there happened on board
an incident over which | have laughed n
many time, when memory has brought it
back to me. loaded at Mobile with cotton
and ran to Liverpool. Among my crew was
man named Rannot-Sam, we always
called him. He was one of the largest
formed men l ever saw, and came from some.
where in New England. He stood six feet
and five inches in his bare feet, and was
stout and bulky in proportion. He had one
fault, and that was an inordinate pride of
strength. He was not quarrelsome, nor had
he revengcful point in his character, and
yet he was continually annoying and Fostering
the crew. Hardly day passed that he did
not give one or more of them bodily pain by
his freaks. He would catch poor fellow
by the legs and swing him over his head, at
the imminent risk of smashing his brains out
against the mssts or bulwarks, and then he
would laugh hugely at the poor mans fright.
Sometimes he would seize a man by the arms
and lay him upon the deck aud In no easy
manner either. 1t was no use for a man to
demonstrate, for he would be sure to punish
him in some way.
or course forbade Sam from doing such
things, but he could not remember my orders
longer than over night. The love Of "fun"
as he called it, was fixed too strongly upon
him. He did not realize how unpleasant
his pranks were, nor did he know that the
rest Of tho crew had grown to 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 drenching in cold sea
water while he slept, aud other things
equally unpleasant-yet he always paid his
tornentors of with interest. He was, in
fact, the worst practical joker l ever saw,
and not whit did he care, so long as he ex.
hibitcd his horcueau strength and broke no
bones.
When my ship arrived at Mobile, on the
return voyage, another cargo of cotton was
ready for me, and was ordered to load and be
off as soon as possible. But no sooner was
the ship cleared than my men-al but Sam
Rannot-came and informed me that they
could not 60 with me unless Sam was dis
charged. was not prepared for this. In
heavy work Sam was worth any other three
men on board, and he was always willing and
ready. Yet knew the crew suffered from
his thoughtless pranks, and | could not
blame them. told the men to come to me
on the following day and would give them
an audience.
At first | thought Of promising them that
| would see that the old sea.dog did not an
noy them any more, but | soon convinced
myself that that would be of no use. Sam
would cut up his capers when l could not
see him, and the men would not report him
every time he hurt them. But soon new
idea entered my head l had brother
who owned a large cotton plantation on the
Chickasaw, His place was not over fifteen
miles from Mobile and he had Just the man
wanted. His big arms were like iron and
his breast and shoulders like a large bundle
Of wire done up in raw OK hide.
l bantered my brother to let me have
Cato for one or two of my voyages.
"Tske him and welcome" said he. "IIe is
getting too important here"
"What-is he ugly2"
"Oh, no just the other way. He's toe
goodnatured altogether. He sets the very
sancho into the other boys. I've made toe
much of him.
"But will he work ?"
"Yes."
So l got Cato for twelve dollars a month
as long as | wanted him, with the privilege
of having him for one cruise only for moth.
ing. But took him "for better or for
worse" and agreed to pay for his services.
On the next day went on board tn,
ship, and when the men came to mo for my
answer, | asked them if they would sail with
Sam if would produce a quiet inofiensivC
man who could handle him, and take sale
man to sea with me. They said they would
they would have gone with me for nothing
for tho sake of seeing Sam conquered.
told them he should be and enjoined them t
security, which they promised.
When Cato learned that he was going Il
sea with me he was beside himself with Joy
and when | came to tell him what l wanted
Of him he laughed till the tears rolled down
his great black cheeks.
When the ship was ready to start
brought Cato on board At first the mer
exhibited some signs of dislike, bat wher
they found what a jolly, good-hearted fellow
he was, they gave him their hands. San
Rannot winked prodigiousy when he saw I
new man, and more than once he whispered
to those near him, "Therell be fun afor,
long"
Ga the third day out we got everything
snug and trim save cleaning and covering tn,
long boat and now the crew could fnd tim,
to snOozo by daylight. 1t was in the after
noon, tho wind was southwark and westward
aud we had it upon the starboard beam, tn,
ship bowling along at the rate Of about siI
knots. Cato sat upon the combing of tn
main hatch, and Sam was slowly approach
ing him as dog sometimes approaches |
smaller animal which it never before saw.
"Say, Blacky, get up" ordered Sam, will
a grin, at the same time looking around Il
sec if the rest Of the Of crew we're ready b
enjoy the sport.
"A.yah-yah-wouldn't make poor fel
Ter hist now, eh 2'
"Yes, get up"