The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-12-29
CAPTAIN kAY's HAT.
It Was Battered and Anticipated. but
Struggled Hard For Existence.

Struggled Hard For Existence.
Captain Kay. as we will call him,
then in command of III. NJ. S. S., at
anchor in Alden harbor. having been
three years on tho East Indian station,
was clearing out his cabin prior to be-
ing ordered home, and finding his Lon
don hat case opened it, and, as may
easily be credited, three years moth
and dampness had reduced its tenant to
dilapidated condition, besides which
sundry pictures i'll illustrated journals
had made the gallant captain aware
that his once fashionable tile had been
superseded by shorter and moro curly
brimmed description of the hatty genus.
Wanting in shape, color and condi-
ton. the captain said to his servant,
Throw it overheard" and overheard it
went, but was not got rid of, as events
quickly showed. One of the crew of n
boat from the flagship coming from the
shore, espying the hat floating in the
water, picked it up, and seeing the
name inside the coxswain brought it
to the commander of his ship, and he
sent it on board Captain Kay's ship
with his compliments, thinking of
course that it had fallen overheard by
accident.
Dash the hat!' said Captain Kay;
here, chuck it overheard again, and
tell your commander I'm very much
Obliged" and down he went to his
cabin.
Two hours afterward tho hat return
ed, looking sadly out of repair, with
Captain N. g compliments. This time
it had been picked up by tho boatkeeper
In one Of the boats lying astern of Cap
tain N. IS ship, an American man of-war
lying farther down Alden harbor, and
having been dried in tho sun was sent
back to its proper ship and owner Tell
Captain N. I'm very much obliged to
him, said the now wrathful captain,
and tho American officer departed.
"Confound the haiti" said Captain Kay.
Il shall have to ask N. to dinner. Here,
bring me n shot or n lump of coal .
something else heavy A lump of
coal was produced. it was placed in
side, and by the captains directions the
hat was taken down the accommodation
ladder, carefully allowed to fill with
water, and it sank!
"Well, Two seen the last of that
blessed hat, said Captain Kay, and
whistling cheerfully descended to tho
cabin, but again he underestimate that
hats restrictive powers, for two days
afterward parcel arrived addressed to
Captain Kay, II. NJ. S. S. with
rupees annas to pay. The money
paid, tho parcel was opened, and inside,
looking still more disrcputablc and dis
sipatcd, was the hat again, together with
a very civil note from the supcrintend-
ent of police, saying that one of the
diving boys-and there arc swarms of
them, as any one who has been in Alden
harbOr knows--had found tho inclosed
hat, which he saw from the name inside
belonged to Captain Kay, and as he
knew Captain Kay would wish the div
ing boy to be rewarded for his honesty
he had presented him with a rupee,
which action he hoped would meet
with the captains approval. Police
station fees, rupee and boat hire, /
rupee 8 annas!
Then Captain Kay smiled graciously
at the hat, and he ordered big fire to
be lit in the stokehold, and when it was
very hot he took the hat below, and
having jumped ON it directed it to be
pushed into the hottest part of the fur
mace, and then he gloated over its de-
struction, but even as it crumbled to
ashes, Captain Kay, r. N, - was seen
inside to the last. Westminster Ga
zette.