The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-06-01
A DOUBLING THOMAS.
The Way a Western Man Sat Down on d
Whaling Chntain.

The Way a Western Man Sat Down on a
Whaling Captain.
We had been in New Bedford ten OF
twelve days, and had selected our par
ticular sea captain and listened to half
a 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 cotcrie. 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 Il story,
when the Westerner came ont OF tho
smoking room and drew up Il chair.
"Now 60 ahead, Captain" he
brusquely observed, as he lighted a
fresh cigar.
"Well, gents" began the captain,
after an uneasy look around. Il was
going to tell you about a whale as-'
"What species of whale" inter-
rupted the stranger. There are sew
eral species. you know, and you had
better Designate"
IA right whale, SIR"
"Oh! That's all right; go ahead"
ave were lying to and drifting while
trying out fish captured the day be-
fore. and the wind was from"
"Was this on Lake Erie or the At
lantic ocean," put in the stranger.
''On the Atlantic, of course"
"Then am with you. l didn't know
but you were whaling on the lakes.
Better locate the spot a little closer,
however"
at was off the coast of Brazil" re-
piled the captain, in an indignant voice.
That will do, but it is Il long coast.
Go ahead, and never mind which way
the wind blew"
1--WE were drifting, as | said con-
tinued the captain, as he swallowed a
lump in his throat, ''whcn the man at
the masthead called -"
Excuse me, captain interrupted the
stranger, but if all hands were trying
out why did you have Il lookout at the
masthcad?'
Let him go onr' called two or three
voices
80. certainly. bu; he must be sure Of
his facts. Go on, captain, you had u
man at the masthead. where he didn' t
belong at the time, but perhaps you
managed things that way. He sudden
~ sighted Il whale. didn't hep
The captain would have retired, but
VIC looked at him 50 appcalingly that
he decided to make one more effort.
The lookout hailed the deck and
said that large whale was bearing
down on our starbOard broadside," he
said, after two or three swallows. Il
at once leaped--"
Say, Captain" softly inquired the
stranger, was the lookout man Of
veracity?"
''Of course he VAST
"All right, then; but have known
lookouts who would lie like trotting
horse about whales. Go on. You were
going to say that you leaped over
board. What happened then?'
Gentlemen, | can't stand this"
protested the captain, as lc rose up.
"What's the matter??" asked the
stranger.
You seem to doubt my word, sir. :"
LANDS alive! but how did you get
that ideal On the contrary, have tho
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 u
magistrate and make affidavit? l
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 listen to tho
yarns of mate, who couldn't tell Il
yarn without his face giving him away
every time he pulled leg of truth out
of Joint N Y SIM