The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1886-08-07
i'IOJs CAPTAIN.
\ JOKE Played tpon Commander.

faliatlctIty plouS. NERVOUS 10 IL utSIet
approaching actual hysteria, lie kept
his officers aud crew half the time in
misery.
One time his ship WAS nearing the
port of Pensacola, and Just at dawn the
white sands OF Santa Rosa Island were
sighted close aboard the Windward.
The officer OF the deck sent a mcssen
ger boy into the cabin to announce the
fact.
\ minute later OIL T. rushed ont oi
the cabin half4lre>sed, gave II glance
at the sal: breaking III reward 4 nile
away, and shouted:
ooh, me.citul Lord-here it is at
last, Il lee shore ana no chance to claw
OFF Call all hands to prayers-cail al
hands to prayers"
1t took the officer of the deck half an
hour to persuade the old gandcr that
there was no danger, that the wind was
Oft instead of on shore, and the ship
was heading for the Pensacola Bar in
smooth water.
One day i'll port il f~w Of the mids
put up IL big sell on the old man. A
party Of then got permission to lgo to
the big bayou, VIII re we generally got
fresh water for ships i'll the squadron.
on a fishing trip.
They had been gone but a little
while when one OF the conspirators left
on board. pulpostly, went privately in
to the cabin and told Capt. T. that the
fishing party was only gotten up as a
ruse to conceal the real object of the
party going on shore. That was to Ell
able two OF the middies, Brown and
Ryan, to fight Il duel, TOR it was known
they had been quarretng in the steer
age the night before.
MAN my gig instantly - cried the
captain i'll nervous agony. II must
stop this wicked thing. Just to think
OF it-otficers Of mine fighting du,ls!
Man my gig and putin a half dozrn ma
rines. IlI arrest them both and put
them in double Mons"
In Il few minutes his boat was row.
ing as fast lis the crew could pull for
the bayou. Old T. stood up in the
stern sheets, urging the men to be?d to
the oars-the. We're on an errand ct
mercy~tO save human life.
The boat was near the usual landing
when the midshipmen were seen in IA
group, and the old captain, pale as a
sheet, shouted:
"We're too late-were too late
they're at it now
And even as he spoke two pistol
shots resounded over the water, aud
he saw two of the officers drop to the
ground.
'Oh, merciful beaver. that l should
live to see this ~ he moaned. '.Why
was SO late? Oh. men-men-pull
pull that l may get there to console
them as t..ey die -
The boat touched the shore. he leap
ed out and rushed up into the group.
and kneeling down, while tears stream
ed from his eyes began to pray loud
enough to be heard a mile for mercy
for the dead or dying.
While he was thus engaged the two
who had been PROSTATE rose, and the
whole group of REFERS with barred
heads waited reverently foi him to get
done praying,
When he was pretty we'll exhausted
he looked up, and there stood Brown,
Ryan and the rest, with no sign of
wounds or injuries upon them.
"What does this mean. gentlemen p
he asked in wonder. "Have my pray
ers wrought a miracle? Have the
dead come to life Thank heaven l
was not too late after all ~
And you might have worked a week
to persuade the old man that the whole
thing was a farce and a sell got up for
his especial benefit.
He went back to the ship happy.
He had saved human life.
Poor old man-he kept getting worse
and worse until the Commodore found
it necessary to send him home and put