The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-06-18
BLISSFUL IGNORANCE.
The Story Of Two Clever Sea
Captains.

The splendid steamship Adamant, OF
the celebrated Cross Bow line, left New
York on her February trip under favor
able auspices There had just been a
storm on the ocean. so there was every
chance that she would reach Liverpool
before the next one was due
Capt Rice had little social problem
TO solve at the outset, but he smoothed
that out with the tact which is charac-
teristic of him. Two Washington
1adies-officia1 ladies-were on board,
and the captain, old British sea dog
as he was, always had trouble in the
matter of precedence with Washington
ladies' Captain Rice never had any
bother with British aristocracy, be-
cause precedence is all set down in the
bulky volume of ''Burke's Peerage,"
which the captain kept in his cabin,
and SO there was no difficulty. But
republican country Is supposed not to
NEEDLE with precedence. 1t wouldn't,
either, IL it weren't for the women.
So it happened that Mrs. Assistant
Attorney-to-the-Sena Browning came
to the steward and said that, ranking
all others on board, she must sit at the
right hand of the captain. Afterwards
Mrs. Second Adjutant- to- the-War-De-
partment Digby came to the same
perplexed official and said she must
sit ut the captains right hand be-
cause in Washington she took prece-
dencc over everyone else on board. The
bewildered steward confided his woes
to the captain, and the captain said he
would attend to the matter. So he
put Mrs. War-Department on his right
hand and then walked down the deck
with Mrs Assistant Attorney and said
to her:
II want to ask favor, Mrs. Brown
rig. Unfortunately am little deaf
in the right ear, caused, l presume, by
listening SO much with that ear to the
fog horn year in and year out Now.
always place the lady whose converse
ton 1 wish most to enjoy at my left
hand at table. Would you oblige me
by taking that seat this voyage? have
heard of you, you see, Mrs. Browning,
although you have never crossed with
me before"
why, certainly, captain, replied
Mrs. Browning; II feel especially COM
plimented.
"And / assure, you, madam" said
the polite captain, that would not
for the world miss q single word that"
etc.
And thus it was all amicably ar.
ranged between the two ladies. All
this has nothing whatever to do with
the story. 1t is merely an incident
given to show what born diplomat
Capt Rice was and is to this day. !
don't know any captain more popular
with the ladies than he, and besides he
is as good a sailor as crosses the ocean.
As day by day went on and the good
ship plowed her way toward the east the
passengers were unanimous in saying
that they never had pleasanter voy-
age for that time of the year. 1t was
so warm on deck that many steamer
chairs were out, and below ii was so
mild that person might think he was
journeying in the tropics. Yet they had
the thermometer away below zero
''Such," said young Spinner. who
knew everything, 'such is the influence
of the gulf stream"
Nevertheless when Capt Rice came
down to lunch the fourth day out his
face was haggard and his look furtive
and anxious.
.Why, captain" cried Mrs. Assistant
Attorney, you look as If you hadn't
slept wink last night"
Il slept very WE'LL thank you,
madam" replied the captain. 81 al
ways do"
well, hope your room was more
mo too hot for anything. Didn't you
find it SO, Mrs. Digby?"
II thought it very NICE" replied the
lady at the captains right, who gen
orally found it necessary to take an op-
posite view from the lady at the left.
"You see," said the captain, 1--WE
have many delicate women and chill
dren on board, and it is necessary to
keep up the temperature. Still, per-
haps the man who attends to the steam
rather overdoes it. / will speak to
him."
Then the captain pushed from him
his untasted food and went up on the
bridge, casting his eye aloft at the
signal waving from the masthead. ST.
lently calling for help to all the empty
horizon.
Nothing in sight Johnson?" said
the captain.
Not o specl, sir"
The captain swept the circular line
of sea and sky with his glasses, then
laid them down with sigh.
I'VE ought to raise something this
afternoon. sir" said johnson; I'VE are
right in their track, sir. The Fulda
ought to be somewhere about"
I'VE are too far north for the Fulda,
] am afraid" answered the captain.
swell, sir, we should see the Vulcan
before night sir She's had good
weather from Queenstown