Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-09-22
THE SEVEN BELLS.

AllH Oh IlN OL1ilADs
EVERY now and then in o~vorhauling
literature ! sec where the old gophers arc
still letting off loud bowls which make
me weary"
It was Mr.. Tokens, tho marine, who
thus complained of the gophers and their
conduct in literature as he slowed his
timber leg under the mess table and
brought his hairy fist down on the Same
with athump that made the dishes dance.
The old gentleman looked weary, a CON
dition the skipper remarked and which
Mr.. Skate, A. B., to wish he were
only half as tired.
The Seven Bells club was in executive
session in tho cabin Of the Anchor chop
house, with Mr.. Tokens in the chair. He
had evidently been reading something
which did not agree with him. 1t was
seldom anything did meet his views, I'M
less it were au invitation to drink, and
then he only consented with apparent re-
luctance.
No one, not ever the inquisitive lub-
Der, Willie Bloke, ventured a query re-
garding the old gophers until after the
skipper had ordered a bottle of red wine
with which to raft the rib steaks home.
Then the recognized head of the organ
ization addressed Mr.. Tokens:
$50 the gophers are at it AGAIN. he
hazarded, though he had not the remotest
idea Of what the marine was driving at.
"They are always at it, bowling
through tho long and the dog watches
and making all hands sick. u they
didn't have the boots or the bug JUICE,
why didn't they give an order on the
nearest store and let us have peace?"
rs Mr. Tokens delivered himself oil
this reparkable statement the club ex.
changedr uneasy glances, and Willie BlokC
grew pale.
"Give him some seltzer or something, y
he whispered to the skipper.
'May I ask you, sir, what kind Of lit
erature you have been o~verhauling?" the
skipper gently inquired, paying no heed
to the lubber's agitation.
"The early logs Of different states
history, | believe they call it, which is
full Of old gophers who could have
bought the lot where the courthouse
now stands for q pair Of boots, or got a
quit claim deed to the after end Of Kan
sas for q pint Of whisky. But they didn't
have the boots or the liquor, so they keep
on bowling"
Hes all right" whispered the skip
per, greatly relieved. 1--WE heard these
howls myself"
"They are driving express wagons now
or loafng around in groceries, " Mr.. Tok-
ems went on, blowing their lungs out
telling how rich they would be if things
had been different. That's what make
me weary. 1t isn't the chances a man
has in life, but the way he hooks on ans
uses his head and steering gear. YoJ
never heard me growing about the hare
luck that left me stranded in my old age.
"Have you had some narrow escapesy
asked the lubber.
Escapes from whatyn
"Being wealthy"
''Well / should say l have. Boots
modify blankets and beverages are no
where, but it wasn't my fault. A lunl
headed, chuckle Drained, tar tainted, is
norant seaman blasted my hopes in life.
And Mr.. Tokens broke forth into a tor
rent Of picturesque blasphemy tina
would have exhausted n pirates roper
tory.
''These here remarks about ignoran
able seamen is a swipe at me, / take IL,
said Mr.. Skate, rising and waving hi
fists in the air.
Don't get choppy," cautioned tn
skipper as he dragged Mr.. Skate bac
into his chair. "Let the man spin. 70.
amt the only able seaman alive"
A--Tmws,n F,f1.u~rT .~4I khan kbo ruo
rine squared away On the course sug
gested by the old gophers in literature.
- shipwreck that left me to starve Of
a desert island would have made my pile
but for this bull headed ablo seaman
He's dead now and out Of the way, bu
my sailing DAYS are over since / got thi
leg Hero Mr.. Tokens pounded the LEI
on the floor and did q little more orna
mcntal swearing.
1--WE were bound from Liverpool &
Austrana with general cargo when al
equinoxial gale ripped the canvas of Il
and drove the ship ashore. The shil
grounded in the night on Sydney islam.
in the South sea, n OF the Phoni
group, located IN longitude III degree
% minutes west, latitude 2J degree
south, and an hands persisted but me an.
one able seaman. When daylight came
we found ourselves ON a desolate lagooI
island lying low on the horizon an.
leagues away from the track Of naviga
ton. The hull Of the vessel, which wa
an iron one, wns piled up ON the beacl
with bales, barrels and boxes Of cary
that cfne ashore with the wreck.