Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-30
WASHINGTON ITEMS.
A Swedish Captain Rebukes the state
Observation-Disclosures the OpOssum in
the South.
from tie P1jlqdelphia Record.

n
Department-HuntinE the OpOssum in
the South.
From tie PHILADELPHIA Record.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 27.-Every year
our Uncle Samuel devotes something like
$4,000 to rewardIng persons who rescue
or succor American seamen. 1t was Gus
tomary for years at the State department,
through which these rewards are made,
TO give handsome presents for handsome
services OF this sort, first-class gold
watch and chain made very proper gift,
il was thought. to a hardy sea captain
who had saved the lives OF dozen or so
American sailors. but under Secretary
Eyarts an economical policy was intro.
duced in the distribution OF this reward
fund. This policy did not obtain a firm
footing in he department. but while il
lasted the incident occurred which gives
me this story. Under this economical
policy a contract was made with a cheap
watch factory in New York. whose
terms bound the factory TO furnish To
the L niteu States at SIS apiece silver
cased watches with silyer-washed chains,
whose only merit was 70 be their large
size. A big watch and q very Big chain
were desired. II seemed 70 be thought
that the bigger they Were the better they
would iii the sailor heart. The 6rst per
son who came before the STATE Depart
ment for reward after tlis cheap watch
contract had been made was s Swedish
captain. E11 had rescued seventeen
Amer can sasU=l FIR % q wreck. ard car
rie1 -1sU I41F --C-rs'1 70 rs u lis sz-r.
20 port be 1i1 -cI ask an -=wEr-. ---I
cur c1zs1. a. Ss1cE.c.- EsEs,1 c1s t--
him W-=- or ef-Cs-ls zIiEr WIS -
e@l7 81 r. -c-1Iz : TIE s.srTlss Wtllr lns
-n=f-as1 eEc,E- -h- rendered. HDt sssI-
-e-E~T &C -1&5s- E-asr --ls ll.,srB.5l1I..
1--z-s1 --s @ liz .-ls.E- VIlsttE
seL5 90 ia .Hs1ist CA-1Hr "a u4U il
vas -Esse TsC - lls lEil-t LIZ vac sgg-l-- ! -
j E8Ts1 g. sErs-. as r=Esrss e I-s
zctl1E = c-r -ss-s Dz12rg---f zs FsrF
Ds2z WzF - zekEoW I'D ElEz 10 service.
ana. ugs 5el1x a frss-DgsE American. ne
did E0- pro p1ss 20 take IS tzue4T. o. the
contrary D. placed t-s great silver ''tur-
uipf VIII - d0Z-clain On exhibition 10
toe window % L1e principal jeWelTy shop
% stockholm, with d card bearing an in
seripti0n 70 this effect: Presented 70
Capt BlsnksOn. Of the Swedish ship
Blank s0u. By the United states Of Amer
lea. IN recognition OF MS services in res
euing seventeen American seamen from
wrecked vessel; value, SIS. A little
cipherlng will show the curious what
T.
men," Then our Consul wrote to the State
Department telling what the Captain had
done, and how we were sneered and jeered
at in Stockholm. ThereupOn the State
Department wrote 10 the Captain, remOn-
stratiug with him. In reply he said that
be had not solicited any reward from the
United States; that he would have been
gratified and satisfied with simple letter
Of acknowledgment from the American
government. but the gift which had been
sent him was an insult. Inasmucn as the
watch would not keep time, and inasmuch
as ne had no dog for the cham. he thought
they were just as we'll in the window OF
bis friend, the jeweler, as anywhere else.
Then the state Department rose to the Oc-
casiOn. An order was issued to the
elect that no more watches OF
chains should be bought from
the "turnip'' factory. The Score.
tary OF State ordered as good a time
keeper as could be had for money in New
YORK, and also neat gold chain. The
name of the Swedish Captain. an account
OF his service TO the United States, and d
grateful acknowledgment Of it were en-.
grave don the case. and then, with a we'll
worded letter Of gratitude, it was sent to
the doughty Captain at Stockholm. The
latter withdre " the silver watch from eX
hibition, sent a suitable reply TO the Sec,
rotary OF State, and published the CORE
spOndence in the Swedish newspapers
Nobody in the State Department has since
suggested any cheese-paring economy il
the disbursement Of the reward fund.
'PossUM HUNTING.
/ was talking with Southern mar
about the Opossum, which a TENNESSEE
man caught on the battle field of Muir
Peterborough. and sent TO the President
for his Thanksgiving dinner. The South
ern man, a Georgian, by the way, said
"The 'possum is not what he's cracked
up 10 be. used to hunt him years ago
when l was young, but / hunted him foi
the sport, and not for himself. There il
something very picturesque and piquant
about 'possum or a coon hunt. A pos
sum hunt differs from all other hunting
in that a good 'possum hunter does MOI
use bis gun at all. A 'possum OF
coon dog, thin, NANCY, cur-likC
dog, aud a big torch are
all that he needs. The hunting II
always at night. The dog finds the pos
mon tree. Then the hunter climbs up
torch In hand, and grabs the 'possum
The light OF the torch dazZles the eyes O
tae 'possum, aud his instructive simula
ton OF death makes 10 easy TO catch him
| The hunter must take care that The
/ possum does not fall 10 the ground. II II
does there will be ight--not between
the dog and the p0ssum, but between the
dog and his master for possession of th,
! 'possum. My interest in the coon, how
ever. ends when be is caught. | would al
lieve As not that the dog ate him then
He looks too much like a rat for ml
stomach, and tastes too coarse and greasl
squirrel Is much better"
A CLASSIC 'POssuM STORY,
"The 'possums seem as numerous al
ever" said "A Nirginian, land they seen
% be hunted just as zealously. / don
think they are particularly good eating
TIC darkies ike 'pOssum, just as they liz,
coarse, rich food Of any sort. But II pos
sum were not "a traditional delicacy yerl
few white men would eat IL. OF course
you have heard the classic 'possum st0rl
which Is always told when 'pOssum h
mentionedi NOi Well, an old darker