Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-04-06
CATCHING a Tartar,
BY BLUE JACKET.

r = osssN s@ eslitsa
$50 you want grandpa to tell you
story, do you. Well, you have been q
pretty good boy, my lad. and you shall
have yasn-one that your grandma,
there, will remember, iii be Boand.
She says | like ospin the yarns as we'll
as you do to hear them, and to tell the
truth it does remind me of the days
that are row past and gone. q fe =
sssAb, well, we can't always beyoung,
leh, Bettys You and | have sailed in
company nigh on to City four years, ,
but yop are getting impatient young
sster. You'll get over that when you
have dtiltcd about the world as long as
| have. e.
ut was in the year 1880, that I took
command of the clipper. schooner MAJ
bel. She was beatty, and no mistake
long. low and rakisb,, with spars and
canvas that would have answered for a
boat almost twice har size. She was
well manned, carr;ad one gun just aoal'
the foremast-for ayou must know,
youngster, she was destined for dan
gerous trade-at least dangerous at that
time. Wewere destined for Campeachy,
Laguna and Tampico, in the Gnlf of
Mexico, which was reported as swarm
ing with pirates. 80,
81 owned an inherent in, the Mabel,
and your grandma then was anxious to
take voyage with me SO as the ac-
commodaHons we're fine | Concluded
to crafty her. but ! never did approve
of a petticoat on board ship, no, how"
"You had better tell your grandson
the number Of days you spent teaaing
me to getreaay, before | would consent
to go, replied the silyerr1fh9aaired dame,
glaneing oyer:her spectacles at her an ~ !
cient spouse, who, however. paid no at.
tention to the Interruption. {'t3A 4
well, We got away all right, and
stood, to the sseushwaFds with a. fresh
breeze, 40 incident oceurringb until L
reached fCato,sGhe 'hsnk !sa Itais a dan-
eerou rs salooal, and Caused me many an an
hour of anxiety ii Twas p gHfdlPr sh0HHt
sail, feeling my way along with the
lead, and what with want of sleep and
anxiety, 7 was pretty wellsc#orh out
both in mind and body. - 4 e., ,, ~ 81.
Homogeneous finally prevailed ,ton
me to take some rest, apds leaving the
deck at midnight in charge ofthe chief
mate, went below, dfter charging him
strictly 80 call me # any strange sail
hove in sight. uni;uoo boa sat
81 always have. thought, and always
shall, that the mate fell asleep, taking a
pretty long. Wink, for, lie came down
suddenly, rousing me ssl of # the 1ttI Hanson,
where Twas sleeping sopndlys saying
there was a Atiil close aboard off us. g.
Il sprang On deck in considerable
alarm, can tell you, closely followed
by your grandma there, who had heard
the nlateacall me. Now, you must Just
know that in her day Betsy aHuntyess
was the prettiest craft that eyer1aang a
ribbon, otthe breeze. Small, neat and
snatty, she was as r.rakish - clipper as
the Mabch-a lee lie full in she bows, ]
thitk,, and perhaps aitrifle0 heavier on
he com conn. -. a5nsu3hsqasi - sosa s.4r
/ iS;'Iaere, grandpa, that will DO with
that portion Of your story. That boy
probabl, knowsaa great deal Of your
sea terns.,rg 4ai1sfo % sns .e1ils
Yaa attend to Knitting, Betty, and
III spin the yarns Your gran!dssnas
figure head did notshaye a. wink f. init
chen, end her cheeks were as ,fed as
& osseasl a eng rswsfs % mi sJ ,srx -'He-
. SO "'Wfhen , got on deck there was the
stranger CLOSE under the gstftn, and no
wonder the mate was exeited. whe,fohe
called me, for more piraticalpcraft Il
'nsas. rub across,a Bang went mnsket
shot svhizzing ~ my. ears, !, ana passing
through the foresail ~ be goupded fte.
under my lee. ia bsligsJ sHl -zsba
he baiIel me IN broken English, or
aderipgs me to heays 70 and he would alld3.
send a boat aboard. tabrsqi ajsw 81
fsssIssuw that her ,ieDk swas crowded
with men, that size cs,4ied asnhiabsr. of
guns, bit all hlosps aid Net :, desert me
for BY ranpipg. his craft q ,IeSssward Of
)ps the lgpbher displayed q. bis isnorance
s.s44 desped it, unfortunate that Your