The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-10-31
TOM BOWLINE'S YARN.

it TOM BOWLINE's YARN. :
a How He Recognized an Old shipmare
the Governor Of Massachusetts.
N Mark Twain in the atlantic Monthl
II has the following: Now an ancier
q Whale-ship master fell to talking abor
r. the sort of crews they used to have j
d In his early days. Said he:
a Sometimes we'd have batch of co,
a lege students. Queer lot. Ignorant
Why, they didn't know the cat.head fror
the maln-brace. But if you took ther
tor fools, you'd get bit sure. They,
learn more in month than another ma,
would In a year. We had one once, il
, the Mary Ann, that came aboard will
gold spectacles on. And besides, he wa,
, rugged out for main truck to kelson il
J the nobbiest clothes that ever saw {
fo'castle he hada chest full, too ;cloaks
and broadcloth coats, and velvet vests
everything to swell, you know and
didn't the salt water fix them out 70,
him? 1 guess not ! Well, going to sea,
the mate told him to go aloft and helu
shake out the fore-to'gallantsI. Up he
shins to the foretop, with his spectacles
on, and in minute down he comes
again, looking insulted Says the mate. !:
What did you come down for {? P'raps
you didn't notice that there amt any
ladder above there You see we hadn't
any shrouds above the foretop. The men
burst out in laugh such as T guess Won
never heard the like of. Next night.
which was dark and rainy the mate
ordered this chap to go aloft tabout some
thing, and I'm dummed If hedidn't start
up with an umbrella and lantern But
no matter, he made mighty good sailor
before the voyage was done, and we had
to hunt up something else to laugh at.
Years afterward, when Ihad forgot all
about him, I comes into Boston mate of
q ship, and was loafng around town with
the second mate, and it so happened that
we stepped into the Revere House,
thinking may be We would chance the
salt-horse in. that big dinine-room |
tor flyer, as the boys say. Some fell
lows were talking just at our elbow, and
one says: .:.Yonder's the new governor
OF Massachusetts, the table over
there, with the ladies. We took q good
look, my mate and !, for we hadn't either
OF us ever seen @ governor before. Ill
looked and looked at that face, and then
all OF sudden it popped on me ! But I
didn't give any sign. Says I, Mate,
I've notion to. go over and shake hands
with him. Says he, I think I see
you doing it, Tom, SaysI, Mate, I'm j
'rgoing to do it. Says he, 'Oh, yes, T /
guess 50! May be you don't want to bet i
7ou Will, Tom? Says I, I don't mind +
yoing ' on it, mate Says he, Put g
t up Up she goes,' says I, planking
he cash. This surprised him. But he +
overed it, and says pretty sarcastic, e
Hadn't you better take your grub with r
he governor and the ladies, Tom p Says r
, Upon second thought I will Says v
%, well, Tom, you are fool Says il
May be I am, may be amt, but the Il
lain question is, do you want to risk two t.
nd half that I won't do it?' Make A
,aV,' says he. 'Done,' says I. I n
sarted him a giggling he felt so good. 81
went over there and leaned my knuck- al
q on the table minute and looked the "
oVernor in the face, and, says I, "Mr. O
'ardner, don't you know me?' He IL
ared, and ! STARED, and hestared. Then a
OF saddan be zingsa aut: z gau Bowl b.
1e1 By the holy pokers Ladies, lfs to
Id Eom Bowine, that you've heard me Il
ak about-shipmate Of mine In the I,
Larry Ann He rose up and shook hands q
18th me ever 80 hearty-I sort of glanced Il
round and took realizing sense of my Il
late's saucer cyes-and then says the il
overnor, Plant yourself, Tom, rlant IL
ourself ); you can't cat your anchor Fl
gain till you've had feed with me and al
le ladies' I.planted myself along side d.
e governor, and canted my eyes around 81
ward my mate. Well, sir, his dead CO
5hts were bugged out like tompions of
ID bis mouth stood that wide open that tiE
u could have laid ham in it without Gu
m noticing it." qr
There was great applause at the con- pi
1sion of the old captains story; then, Ell
Ter moments silence, a grave, pale th
ung man said: an
|" Had you ever met the governor be- Ga
:e?" -.
The old captain looked steadily at this <t,
luirer awhile, and then got up and ~
liked aft without making any reply.
10 passenger after another stole tn,
tive glance at the inquirer, but failed fee
make him out, and so gave him up. ctr
took some little work to get the talk tai
chinery to running smoothly again co,
er this arrangement. toy
II