The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1889-11-21


1t was too sultry to eat; the very
drink you got was so warm that you
swallowed it only for thirst, and put
down the glass with a sort of loathing.
When | took peep through the after
skyiight and saw the tables laid out
Tor supper for the special birthday
least that was to be eaten, my tongue
clave to the roof of my mouth, and I
felt as II | never should be able to
eat another blessed morseI of food
this side the grave Every dish
looked exhausted with spiration;
the hams were melting, the fowls shone
like varnish, much that had come solid
to the table was now fluid. However
was one of the committee and it would
not do for me to be absent, so when
the bell rang to announce supper and
the music stopped, stepped up to the
wife of colonel and, giving her my
arm, fell in with the procession and
entered the cabin.
1t is a picture l need but close my
eyes to yividly witness anew. There
are two tables, one athwartships well
aft, and the other running pretty nearly
down the whole length of the cabin.
The exterior was lighted with elegant
silver lamps, and along the length Of
the ceiling there was plentiful en-
Enlistment of ferns, goldfish in globes,
and SO forth. On either hand went a
range of berths, the bulkheads richly
inlaid, the panels hand painted, and
there was many another little touch
fnlI rlf of
at the centre of the athwartship table
his quaint, fashioned figure show
ing like cameo upon the dull ground
of the bulkhead behind him-sat the
captain, talking to right and left, with
dry, kind smile lying wrinkled upon
his face like the meshes of South
African spiders web. On either side
of him went row of passengers, and
on down to the foot of the table that
was over against the cuddy front. The
ladies' dresses were handsome; we were
a rich assemblage of folks for the most
part, and had thoroughly overhauled
our wardrobes that we might do fitting
honor to this very interesting occasion.
Jewels sparkled in white ears, and upon
white wrists and fingers. We were not
lacking in turbans and feathers, in
thick gold chains, immense brooches
bearing the heads of the living or of
the departed. There was much pop
ping of champagne corks, much rush
ing about of stewards, much laughter,
and busy undertone of talk. The
memory of the picture dwells in me
with an odd pertinacity. l had shared
in more than one festive scene on
board ship in my time, but in
none do 1 recall the significance
which the framework of vast
ocean solitude outside, of the deep
mystery of the moonlit shadow, and
the oppressive peace of the tropical
night, communicated to this one. It
might have been the number of the
folks assem- bled; their gay, and in
many instances, even splendid attire,
the essentially shore-going qualities of
the merry making, clearly defining
themselves in the heart of the deep
like the sight of house in flood. In
fact the scene completely dominated
all shipboard habits, and the thoughts
which grew out of them. 1t made
every heave of the fabric upon the
WSdA, OldChy BWCAA SOLb "a
wonder as though some novel element
were introduced; the familiar creak of
bu1khead, the faint jar of the rudder
upon its post made one start as one
would to such things ashore.
"You are refusing everything the
stewards offer you, Mr.. Catesby,a said
the colonel's lady by my side. "You
are in love-"
II am in fever, madam" Ireplied:
'the tropics usually affect me as pro-
found passion. In fact feel as could
drown myself"
''Why make voyage to India, then,
Mr.. Catesby9 Is there not the north
west passage left to explore, with the
great Arctic circle to keep ye cool?"
Madam" said 1, II perceive your
husband in the act of rising to make a
speech"
A short. fiery-faced Irishman, with
whiskers like silver wires projecting
cat-like from his cheeks, stood up to
propose the captains health. Glasses
were filed, and the little colonel
blazed away. When be had made an
end fold Bow steadfastIy watching him
incredulity and delight), the shippers
health was drunk with cheers and to
the song of ''He's jolly good fellow"
the air of which was caught up by
the ships company forward, and re-
echoed to the cuddy with hurricane
lungs from the forecastle. Then old
Bow rose straight and unbending in
tightly -buttoned coat on to his thin
shanks; but at that moment there was
movement of little group of the
stewards at my end of the table; the
colonels lady by my side was whisper
ing with animation to what was in
those days called "grifip," a hand
some young fellow seated on her left;
and being half dead with heat, and no
temper to listen to old Bow,
whose preliminary coughs and slow
gaze around the table threatened a
very heavy bestowal of tediousness, ]
slipped off my chair, sneaked through
| the tumble of stewards, and in a mo-
ment was ascending the poop ladder,
breathing with delight the night at.
mosphere of the sea, that tasted cold
as draught of mountain water after
the hot, food-hayored air of the cuddy.
Forward the sailors had come to a
stand, and were talking, smoking,
drinking and eating by the will the
wisp glare of the few lanterns which
hung that way. There was nobody
aft saving the helmsman and the Sec
ond officer, who had turned out to re-
lieve the chief mate that he might join
the supper party. He lay over the rail
abreast of the wheel, and l could hear
him quietly singing. The lanterns
burned brightly; against the brilliant
| atmospheric haze of moonshine to lar
board -larboard was then the word
the bunting which walled the poop
glistened like oiled paper. The mo-
notonous voice of old Bow was still re-
| turning thanks below: again and again
| his deep sea notes were broken by loud
cheers. The life under decks, the
| speechifying and the huzzahing there
the brightness of the light, the frequent
| chink of glasses, put wild sort OF
| knocking look into the emptiness OF
| this deck with it's lanterns swaying &c
the roll of the ship, and the motionless