The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1889-07-05
A Doubling Thomas.

The Way II Western Man Sat Down a
Whaling Captain.
We had been in New Bedford ten or twelve
days, and had selected our particular sea cap
tain and listened to halfa dozen of his yarns
without betraying the slightest evidence of
doubt of any statement, when stranger from
the far west arrived and rather forced his
presence upon our coterie. We were on the
back veranda of the hotel, five or six of us
and the old whaler, and the latter had just
started in on story, when the westerner came
out OF the smoking room and drew up u chair.
Now, 90 ahead, captain" he brusquely OBJ
served as he lighted fresh cigar.
well, gents" began the captain, after an
uneasy look around, I'm going to tell you
about whale as
"What species OF whale ?" interrupted the
stranger. There are several species, you
know, and you had better designate"
"A right whale, sir"
ooh! That's all right; 90 ahead
I'VE were lying to and drifting while try
ing out fish captured the day before, and
the wind was from
"Was this on lake Erie or the Atlantic
ocean," put in the stranger.
"On the Atlantic, of course"
Then | am with you. ] didn't know but
you were whaling on the lakes. Better locate
he spot little closer, however"
at was of the coast of Brazil, replied the
captain in an indignant voice.
That will do, but it is long coast Go
ahead, and never mind which way the wind
blew"
I'VE were drifting. as | said" continued
the captain, as he swallowed lump In his
throat "when the man at the masthead
called"
Excuse me, Captain" interrupted the
stranger, "but if all hands were trying out
why did you have lookout at the mast
head ?"
Let him go on ~ called one or two voices
ooh, certainly, but he must I've sure of his
facts. Go on, captain, you had man at the
masthead, where he didn't belong at the time
hut perhaps you managed things that way
He suddenly sighted whale, didn't hsg"
The captain would have retired, but we
looked at him so appealingly that he decided
to make one more effort
THE lookout hailed the deck and said that
a large whale WAS bearing down on our star
board side" he said, after two or three swal-
lows. II at once leaped--"
Say, captain" softly inquired the stranger,
was the lookout a man of veracity ?"
"Of course he was -
"All right, then but | have known look.
outs who would lie like trolting horse
about whales. Go on. You were going to
say that you leaped overheard. What hap
pened them"
Gentlemen, cant stand this. protested
the captain, as he rose up.
Whats the matter p asked the stranger.
"You seem to doubt my words, sir"
Glands alive But how did you get
that idea On the contrary, have the
most entire faith in what you say. By
the way, captain, what year. month and day
of the week was this ? What was the name
OF your ship? Are any of the crew willing to
go before magistrate and make affidavit?
| should also like"
But the captain had turned his back and
walked away, and our pleasant old liar never
returned to us. He had been smothered by
the stranger, and we had to hunt up and lis.
ten to the yarns of mate, who couldn't tell
a yarn without his face giving him away
every time he pulled a leg of truth out ofjoint.
-NeU York Sun.