The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-04-16
SAILORS FARE.
A Young Ter Who Gould Not Get
Ueol - It. :
Hc Accordingly Stole the Ship Cats Rs-
tions and Get Into Trouble Over It
Rough Experience of
Runaway!

| ] have o particular end pronounced
antipathy to black cats, says writer
in the New York Herald can stand
the Maltese and other varieties whose
colors do not bring them under my pet
aversion. But black catsl Ugh! And
this is why:
| dozen years ago, perhaps, shipped
as a boy before the mast aboard a large
clipper ship bound for San Francisco
via Cape Horn. / am mentioning no
names for obvious reasons, az will ap-
pear later on. Nor will enter into
particulars regarding the trials and
horrors (for me) of that voyage Enough
to say that ran away from comfort
able and luxurious home to partake OF
the alleged joys (?) of ''life on the
| ocean wave" l had rather be many
things now than a sailor
The captain, a stern, austere, old
shell back," was part owner OF the
vessel He hailed from Cape Cod.
"If you want poor grub" the sailors In
formed me, ''just ship under Cape Cod
Yankee skipper, an you've got it"
may say right here that / had every
reason during the voyage to accept the
above statement without any reserve
ton whatever.
The captain had on board as pets two
enormous black cats of the male per.
suasion. Tom and Jerry were their
names. These felines were given the
freedom of the ship from the start, and
by the captains strict orders they en-
joyed an immunity from all interference
or molestation that the ancient cats Of
Egypt might have envied. From tho
captains table they were fed daily jus4
In front of the cabin door on scraps and
sundry delicacies. 1t used to stick In my
gorge somewhat after going to the galloy
for my allowance of Junk" and lob
scouse," to watch those cats quietly
feeding on fried chicken and other
things that my own daily diet led mo
to thirk belonged to the dead past.
On several occasions, when no ono
was looking, had driven the cats away
from their meals, which devoured with
intense relish. l had invariably been
scratched on these occasions, and this
by no means increased my love for the
captains pets.
had succeeded one day in capturing
mess of corned-beef hash, when was
detected by the captain in the aot Of
transferring the same to my own d.
gestive apparatus. It only amounted
to q few licks with ropes end and be-
ing deprived of my watch below for that
night; but my hatred for those felines
now knew no bounds. Besides, they
were fed in the cabin after this, which
was, of course, tabooed ground for me.
All! thought, if could only catch one
of you chaps some dark night l.. II
was dark and stormy that evening. /
was stationed aft near the poop steps,
and more wretched specimen Of hu-
manity would be hard to imagine than
I was as the seas broke over the side
and drenched me to the skin.
My foot struck against something
soft. There was q plaintive meouW.
LOCKED out, by thunder" said I
''Here, puss, pussI" It was Tom, no
other. With o sudden movement had
the creature by the back of the neck.
"Here's for that last scratch, Tom,s
said 1, and Tom was forthwith lsunchAd
out into the storm. There was Q COM
motion on board the following mornina.
The captain eyed me suspiciously and
remarked carelessly to the mate: IF ]
thought that cub had hand In this IA
heave him overheard" y.
After this Jerry wss great pet Of
the captain and steward. Once I scck
dentally stepped on Jerry's tail aud wea
bitten and scratched on the les.
SERVED you right, you young whsln"
01Ho kto nkolv, 80 l~>~-
near, by way Of consolation. OncS
again was I scratched by Jerry, who
had wandered by me with chicken
bone in his mouth. The GRUB" that
day had been particularly bad, and the
sight Of the chicken bone was moro than
I could stand didn't capture the bone,
but received instead another wslloping
from the captain, who had witnessed
the Occurrences.
We were only q weeks distance from
port. The ship was being general
ly scraped and painted and it had fallan
to my lot to manipulate the tar barrel
This consisted OF stirring the mess
about, with a heavy bar, as one would
churn butter. Both the captain and
mate had gone below for dinner. The
sailors were all busily occupied forard
The tar barrel was about amidshipA
looked around and discovered Jerry
quietly sleeping, spread out on the
main hatch.
! don't know what put It into my
head, but wondered how Jerry would
like 1t t.. There was sudden move
ment on my part, sound Of scuming,
which brought the mate out to see whsA
was the matter. was pounding away
at the tar barrel for dear life.
"Here, don't work SO hard at that tar
exclaimed the mate. ! then relaxed my
efforts- Thsre were three fcet OF soft
Ear In that barrel, and l have since
wondered whether they ever found the
remains Of Jerry at the bottom They
certainly didn't during this PARTICULAR
voyage, and I left the ship rs soon as
we reached San Francisco.
The South American Way.
"a man In Rosario was once attacked
by Pampa Indians" says the Buenos