Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-19

pretty little lad-a bit thin, perhaps, dressed
out in knickerbockers, with sort of sauci-
ness about him, such as comes TO boys who
want to make themselves believe they're
older than they are, and who think cockiness
another name for madness Only t'other
day l see bit of a chap of this kind smoking
cigarette, and, Lawdl didn't these here
fingers tingle with the want to spank himi
"bWell, SIR says l to this here young
Tommy, so you're the gent, sir says l, as is
going to be q sailorf
LAY says he, 'Jim'--for his father called
me Jim, and SO did he-'yes; there's nothen
else Fit for man but the sea-
"'Al right, master Tommy says, saysI,
we'll now tarn to and take a spell of sailor
izing-play at sailor, dye see, without hav
ing to run any risks of going ashore, or
keeping the pumps at it day an night, or
getting stranded and lashing ourselves high
aloft in the freezing Pet;' and here glances
at his ma, who tossed her hands and rolled
her eyes up to the ceiling. Got your bundle
ready, Tommy says l.
"'It'll be sent says the father.
"'No, sir says, says L; excuse me-
saws, a true sailor always carries his own kit
along with him;' SO with that bag, con-
tainlng Master Tornmy's night shirt and a
hair brush and the like, was brought, it being
arranged that what he wanted in other ways
was TO be called for.
Tommy had never been TO my house
afore, and though be had talked pretty
cockily all the way to it, yet when we ar
rived he felt silent and looked uncomforta-
BILE He'd been used to tall rooms and good
furniture, dye see2 and couldn't make nothen
Of parlor that opened right ON into street,
with ceiling which G. cheer would almost
bring his head agin. That there cottage OF
mine was a hundred and fifty years old, and
what with the sinking Of the floors, like the
slope of a ships deck in q breeze of wind, and
the smell of the old timber, and the wooden
partitions like cabin bulkheads, with beams
across the ceiling, and dark up and down
staircase, It's as good an imitation of ships
forecastle to fit to the fancy Of such boy as
that there little Tommy, as his dad could ha'
struck upon. However, he growed more
manly presently, and asted to see his bed
room.
"'No bedrooms aboard ship, young 'un,'
says l, roughly, we don't go to bed at sea,
we tarns in. Come you along with me-
says, says l, talking boarsely and putting on
the airs of severe bo'sun; and with that l
led him upstairs into room where there was
no carpet, nothen but sea chest which I'd
borrowed, and a hammock swinging from the
ceiling
"'There,' says l, here's where ye spend
your watch below. That's your bed, dye
see,' says and that'n be your cheer and
your table, 1 says, pointing to the chest,
for that's how sailors eat and sleep at sea-
says, and there amt no manliness to equal
tie calling
81 thought he'd pipe his eye as he looked
round; but he bit his little lip, arter stare
at the hammock, and said nothen
"'Now, then says violently, of with your
coat and boots, my lad whip OF them stock
ings. We've got wash down job afore US
"He did as he was told, but was bit long
in doing of it, on which Numbered at him,
telling him that if he was at saa he'd be ropes
ended for not bearing hand
do it hurtf he says.
cay, MORN hurt says 1, it stings. Quick
now, or / shall have to let We know what it's
like
''Well, l took him down stairs into the
kitchon, and after telling my miss;s to clear
out put scrubbing brush into his hands
and took a bucket o water and set him
Assembling. 1t went agin the grain, sir, TO
gee the little blue eyed, thin legged chap
heaving away with brush that was nigh
twice as tall as he, but says tC myself, He's
ashore anyhow. IT'S but play lesson. His
MOI org within hail of him. and since In to
re his schoolmaster | must do my duty
Well, | splaShed the wafer about calling out
to him to scrub smartly all in proper sea
fashion, and when the job was over we made
it eight bells and went to dinner Ny old
woman had cooked him some ships pea soup
au' pork, a-making the soup under my direc-
tions as they make it ct sea. Our own dinner
was piece o roast mutton, with greens and
Eaters, specially provided for the tantaliza-
ton of the smell / was for roast pork, but
my missis says that roast mutton I'D show
better and smell more savory agin the wit
ties the boy was to have, and so | consented.
He wouldn't eat.
g Not seasick; are YEP says l.
4 don't like it, he says; can't so home
and get my dinnerr he says.
eco homer says, why says l, 'dont't
We know that you're in the middle of the
ocean, a sailors homes his fork'sle. When
We gets ashore, my lad, we shall have roast
mutton and vegetables says |, smacking
my lips with a sort of look Of amt it goodP
whilst you're at sea you must eat the ships
allowance: SO fall tew, dye hearP
But couldn't wonder at his not eating.
We'd put some wood TO soak in the fresh
water we gave him to drink, and the favey
lay strong in his pannikin. The pork wa.
mainly brine, and what was over We might
fairly call smell. The biscuit was broken,
soft and honeycombed, and told him to beat
it on the table aiore putting it in to his mouth
that il there was worms in it they might
drop out. The soup was a thin yaller, greasy
liquor. Tie peas in it was like the Single
of the beach.
- is this the sort of food they gives to
sailcrsf says he.
YES says l. And what choicer eating
could a teller with the feelings of a man ask
forl 'Taint all soup and pork; there's q
beautiful variety a going at sea. To
morrow'n be salt beef and duff, and the day
arter lovely mess, what's Known amongst
seafaring men as soap and bullion. Why, We
amt made no dinner at all, Master Tomsy.'
"'No, and don't want none says he, re-
coiling like from the steam of the pork
small blame TO him. The misSis and | had
currant dumpliugs for pudden, and the poor
little chap eyed 'em with a starving gaze.
The missis looked at NE, but l steeled my
art.
"'No,' says to myself, IF this ere physics
to do the little 'un good it mustn't be sweet
eued'
s'Well, that AFTERNOON put him TO a NUM-
Der Of small jobs. There was yard st the
back of our cottage. and ! stretched a rope
along 1t aad made him ear it, rig larly obliged
hin, 10 shove his little white hand into q ter
bucket.
Its all hands on deck, sc know says !,
aboard this vessel from eight bells in the