Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-10-17
fro BIZ CONTINUED
ADMIRAL JEAN BART.

The Biun Old Mariner After whom the
French warship IL Named.
One Of the French warhips which took
part I'm the Columbian naval review at New
York was named the Jean Bart. AZ tbs
shin was one Of the first class, and attract.
ell consequently q great deal OF attention,
no little curiosity was aroused by Its name,
which TO most people seemed 0 strange
one. In books Of reference people were
told that Jean Bart was French admiral
who hourislled ut the close Of the seven.
teenth century, and who, beginning life as
q fisherman, rose to high rank and became
a popular hero, but none Of the current
: biographies contains any OF the curious and
amusing anecdotes about him which have
come down from the time when he lived.
Que OF these stories will serve To show
what sort Of man Jean Bart was. When he
had made brilliant record a. kind OF
buccaneer and shown that he was much
abler sea warrior than any Of the officers OF
noble birth who commanded the navy,
King Louis XIV made him first n lieuten-
ant and then the captain OF frigate, In
which position he greatly distinguished
himself.
One day, while several elegant courtiers
were waiting IN the great nOnarch's ante
chamber for an interview with the king. a
rather rough looking sailor came In. The
courtiers and attendants were greatly
shocked, but the sailor announced that be
was Jean Bart. and that he had come to
see the king. One Of his men, KeyseI, had
been condemned to death for killing q man
In duel. and he was going to ask the King
to pardon him. .
''But, NJ. 10 Capitaine," said the attend.
ant, shave you royal invitation emitting
you to an audience''
"a royal invitationw exclaimed the cap
tain. "What do ] want Of tlat' The King
and are cool friends. 30 need OF all that
nonsense between us! You just tell him
that Jean Bart wants to talk to him, and
that'll bc enoughf
"But can't announce any one who
hasn't an invitation" said the attendant.
"All right" said Jean Dart. "rll an.
nouncc myselfr'
He bounded toward the door of the kings
apartment, very much as II he were start
ing to run up Insinmast. The attendant,
with pale face. placed himself before him.
exclaiming:
"Dut the kings ordersl Don't you obey
the kings orders"
"Oh, WELL" said the sailor. III 1t comes
to that, I'll walt won't 60 against the
kings orders"
Ho sat down among the astonished court.
iers, took out pipe and some tobacco,
struck light with bis hint and tinder and
began to smoke. The attendant protested
that no one smoked In the kings ante
chamber, but Jean Bart insisted that when
hs was waiting he always smoked.
"put him out" some one whispered, but
no one ventured to do more than whisper
Il. Soon the king learned what was going
ON and ordered Jean Bart ushered In a.
soon as he should have finished his pipe.
Tho interview, In which Jean Bart con-
Quoted himself with all due respect to the
king, ended In the granting OF keysers
pardon, and Jean Bart came back Into the
courtiers' presence triumphant.
They all crowded about the blum captain.
very obsequious to him now, and completely
blocking bis exit. He was In great haste to
carry the pardon 70 Keyser.
"Oh, tell IN, NJ. Jean Bart, ,"the courtieu
began to exclsim, "tell us how you got out
Of the harbor OF Dunkirk when you were
blockadsd there by the English heetr'
"You want to know. chr" asked the cap
tain, pausing.
"Certainlyr' they exclaimed, crowding
still more closely about him.
"All right. I'll show you just how twas
done. Look here. I'm Jean Bart, alnt II
Well, this room II the harbor Of Dunkirk.
aud you fellows Arc the English nest block.
aiding me. And now
whackl bangi whackl Jean Bart laid
about him, now administering q cuf, now
a kick, and very forcibly clearing way to-
ward the door. Az he reached IL he ex'
claimed,
"And that's the way. gentlemen, that ]
got cut Of Dunkirk harbor when I was
blocka,ictl there BY the English nseti Good
byf'
The warshlp that bears the name OF this
redoubtabls seadog should be . formidable
antagonist Companion.