The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-24

wrong In every way than Charley Beres-
ford encountered as one of 1.-THE dukes gay
boys" on the Galatea. Their royal COM
mander set them the worst possible exam
pie, except In the single respect Of strictly
doing his duty as naval officer; and
wherever they went they were so petted
and pampered by the inhabitants, espe-
cially the women folks. that they could
hardly have been blamed if they lost
their heads and went to the devil.
OF furious dissipation, and Charley
Beresford was the gayest Of them
all. He had never such o chance
to let himself out before, and he
took his enjoyment in allopathic doses.
But there was "a sweet little cherub
perched up aloft" that took the very best
of care of him. With all his recklessness
and unsuitable appetite for fun, the young
fellow had simple minded honesty and
natural goodness of heart that always
kept him perfectly safe. Not one of the
dukes companions went the pace more
gorgeously than he did. Yet not one of
them left so fair a record, by such warm
place they visited. The Duke of Edin-
burgh. who knows good fellow when he
meets one as well as anybody living, took
cordially to his junior lieutenant and
formed for him one of those immovable
friendships for which he is noted. This in
ford was the plague of his life. Whenever
scampish antic was played on the Gala
tea 1t was quite unnecessary to inquire
who was the culprit. Charley was pretty
sure to be at the bottom of it, and if
he wasn't he was always ready to
take the blame. Once, and once only,
he came near making the duke very
angry indeed. The Duke of Edinb urgh
is an enthusiastic musician, and his cabin
on the Galatea was furnished with several
superb instruments, among them partic-
ularly fine harmonium, at which he spent
almost all his leisure time when on board
his ship. One Sunday in port, when he
was supposed to be on visiRto the gov
ernor, he Unexpectedly returned and went
straight down to his cabin. There he saw
scene which might have led him to sup
pose that a torpedo had exploded in the in
terror of his harmonium. The precious
instrument was all to pieces, and the
pieces were scattered in hopeless confu-
sion all over the cabin floor. To increase
the dukes bewilderment, Charley Beres-
ford, with his coat and waiscoat off and
his shirt sleeves tucked up, was on his
knees in the midst of the wreck working
away at the keyboard or some other vital
the ships carpenter was laborlously ma
nipulating another fragment.
What the blankety blank are you doing
here, yon young son of sea cook, " shouted
the duke, land who the blazes has been
smashing my harmonium ?"
''Oh, is that you, sir?" said Charley
Beresford, as cherry as lark, jumping up
from his knees and saluting. you said
she hadn't been steering as well as she
ought lately, so got hold of Chips. and
We've been unshipping her gear to see
whether we couldn't make her go right.
If you hadn't come off till tonight we'd
have had her retitted, and you'd never
70 har
afterwards" Tha evident sincerlty of the
confession and the comical figure of the
lieutenant, with his red farce and his
'shes" and "hers," were too much for the
dukes anger. He burst our laughing, and
with his really skilled assistance, Charley
instrument togethe. without damaging
"her" to any serious extent. At the same
time the duke warned his young friend
that ii ever he touched any of his musical
belongings again he would assuredly throw
him overheard, and he might think him.
self lucky if he didn't keelhaul him.
such threat as that, however, even if
it had been serious, would have had little
terror for Lord Charles Beresford. He
never yet has been made to understand
that there can be any danger in salt water
for him. No one is more keenly alive to
the fact that other people are liable to be
drowned; but for himself, it never strikes
jumped overheard and saved a life at the
imminent risk of his own On one of those
occasions he did thing which, but for its
success, would justly have been called
culpably and absurdly rash. The ship
was at Port Stanley, in the Falkland
Charles was just ready to go ashore on a
shooting expedition. He was dressed in
a thick suit of clothes and long. heavy
boots, and he had enough cartridges
about him to weigh down a diver.
At this moment a marine lost his
footing in the gangway, fell overheard
and, not being able to swim. was
rapidly carried away by the tide. The
moment the alarm was given Charley
Beresford leaped over the side, clothes,
boots, cartridges and all. Down he went,
but up he came again, and struck out
Justify for the struggling marine. "Hold
on, Joey!" he shouted, ''I'll soon be along
side of you" Joey" managed to splutter
and kick for minute or 80, with
out actually going under, and by
the end of that time Lord Charles
had strong grip of his collar and
was swimming against the tide with him
like Newfoundland dog with lobster in
It's mouth. Both were as nearly as posi-
bic drowned before they were picked up,
and nothing could have saved the marine
II there had not been brave and a power
ful hand to hold his head above water dur
ing that terrible interval. Lord Charles
has gained enough medals for killing
people to satisfy even Fighting Bill
since then; but none of them do him
more honor than the gold medals of the
Royal Humane Society and the Liverpool
Shlpwreck and Humane Society, respect
lively, which are only given for saving life
ut sea at the actual risk of ones own.
One other anecdote of his merry youth
may be mentioned here. Unlike most
sailors. hut inst like all RaraSfardS 10 10
excellent hand with horses and rides and
drives Just as well as he sails ship or ham
dies gun. His favorite team is four-in-
hand; and when the Galatea was at Auck-
land lie undertook to drive a party of
brother officers and ladies to picnic in
one OF the numerous bays in which that
beautiful harbor abounds. All who knew
anything OF the locality assured him it
was not practicable 10 get anywhere
near 1t with four-in-hand drag, because
1t was nothing but secluded beach
at the foot of a steep cliff. with no
road IN either direction. Lord Charles
insisted, however, that he had taken an
observation of it with his glass from the
frlgate, and that it was perfectly feasible to
drive there. The whole party agreed to
risk it, amid peals of laughter, tor some
now, everybody had sort of blind faith
IN his good luck. The event showed that
II was justified after fashion. He fright
ened MS friends nearly out of their lives
ny driving them down Zig-zag track,
through thlcket of trees, on the edge of
sheer precipice, and landing them with
a tremendous bump on the sand, while the
horses stood painting, up to their girths in
the sea
There, " he said. with. a beaming smile,
II told You we could get here all safely"
es, some one replied, but how are
you ever going TO get the coach and horses
back again ?'