The Republican journal., 1883-04-26
Winning a Bet.

sometimes we'd have batch of col
! lege students. Queer lot. Ignorant?
| Why, they didn't know the catheads
| from the main brace. But if you took
them for fools you'd get bit sure They'd
learn more in a month than another man
would in a year. We had one once in
the Mary Ann that came aboard with
| gold spectacles on. And besides he was
rigged out from main truck to keelson in
| the nobbest clothes that ever saw a
fo'castle He had chest full, too;
cloaks and broadcloth coats and velvet
vests every thing swell, you know and
| didn't the salt water fix them out for
him? guess not Well, going to sea,
the mate told him to 20 aloft and help
| shake out the for to gallants' Up he
shins to the tOretOp, with his spectacles
on, and in q minute down he comes
| again, looking insulted. Says the mate
What did you come down for? ?? Says
! the chap, 'P'raps you didn't notice that
there amt any ladders above there p
You see we hadn't any shrouds above
the foretop. The men bursted out in a
laugh such as guess you never heard
| the like Of Next night, which was dark
and rainy, the mate ordered this chap to
| go alOtt about something, and I'm dunn
med If he didn't start up with an UNI
| brella and a 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 | had forgot all about
him, comes into Boston mate of ship,
and was loating around town with the
| caopn1 70 lo+
stepped into the Revere house, thinking
maybe we would change the salt horse
| in that big dining room for a flyer, as
! the boys say. Some fellows were talking
just at our elbow and one says, Non-
| dcr's the new governor of Massachusetts,
at that table over there, with the ladies'
We took a good look, my mate and |, for
We hadn't either of US ever seen a gov
ernor before. | looked and looked at
that face, and then all of sudden it
| popped on me. But | didn't give any
| sign. Says |, Mate, I've a notion
to go over and shake hands with him
Says he, 4 think see you doing it, Tom
Says !, Mate Pm a-going to do it,
Says he, 'Oh, yes, ! guess so Maybe you
don't want to bet you will, Tom Says |,
4 don't mind going V on it, mate
Says he, Put it up Up she goes says |,
This surprised him. But he covered it
and says, pretty sarcastic, Hadn't you
better take your grub with the governor
and the ladies, Tom ? Says |, Upon sec
ond thought will Says he, We'll, Tom,
you are blame fool Says l. Maybe
am, and maybe | amt, but the main
question is, do you want to risk two and
half that | won't do it 2 Make it V,
says he. Done, says |. started him
giggling and sapping his hand on his
thigh, he felt so good. | went over there
and leaned my knuckles on the table a
minute and looked the governor in the
face, and says |, Mister Gardner, don't
you know me p He stared, and | stared,
and he stared. Then all of sudden he
sings out, Tom Bowling, by the holy
poker Ladies, it's old Tom Bowling
that you've heard me talk about-ship-
mate OF mine in the Mary Ann He rose
up and shook hands with me so hearty |
sort OF glanced around and took realz-
ing sense of my mates saucy eyes, and
then says the governor, plant yourself,
Tom, plant YOURSELF you can catch your
anchor again till you've had feed with me
and the ladies' planted myself along
side the governor, and canted my eyes
around toward my mate. Well, sir, his
headlights were bugged out like tom
plons; and his mouth stood that wide
open that you could have laid ham in
it without him noticing it," Mark Twain.
Henry ID. Mcdaniel has been nominated for
Governor of Georgia by the Democratic con-