The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-29
Tale Told by the Quartermaster.

Tale Told by the Quartermaster.
The old ouartermaster was sitting on a lad
der leading from the main up to the poop
deck. ousily engaged in sewing a canvas
CO. er over the metal hand rail saws the New
York sun At times as ne worked. he
stopped to inspect with care and satisfaction
what ne had already accomplished, and when
ne mad given severe look to every stitch he
Woulo remove his cap and run his hand
through his hair before going on with his
WORK. II was plainly Job to his liking. and
50 one quite certain to last through at least
two watches
But the passenger who watched the old
quartermaster deserved that each time the
cap was removed a tresh-loOklng ar was re-
NealeQ In the edge OF the hair over the right
temple. and so. after getting somewhat az
qualnted by showing an appreciation Of the
work on the rail, he made bold TO ask how the
scar happened to be where il was.
That scar. sir:' said the old sailor. 1T
was al along OF my having lavender pup
ana the Sc ond mate a black cat ne called
smut. The pups name: just Lavender, sir,
anu the finest pup Of his breed that ever
cheNed beef he was He was not common
dog, sir doubt If any one ever saw Law
ender-colored pup before. Besides. he was
smooth all over. Not hair did he have on
him, and what goes to hair in other dogs
went TO brains IN him, sir. Aye ne knew
more tnan some second mates, II you'll e
leye me, sir. / could sit mere and tell you
stories by the hour, sir, Of what that dog
knew and could do You might not believe
1t, sir, but I've seen that pup sta aiding on his
hlno legs with his fore paws on the pinnacle,
a-WaJchlng the compass, and me a the wheel
a-dteamlng OF lost opportunities till I'd let
her get maybe an eighth of. What u he do
then but snap at me and look that vicious
Oud thought he was the maze of a Bath
clipper with an Irish crew aboard.
in course I'd wake up and apologize to
aim at tuat, and so when hold her true for
quarter hour or so he wag his tail a bit
ana gave me look like he'd say, That's
more like it, my man and away he d go.
w onCertul; GU may well say that, sir;
and that would not be the whole of it, for 1
CouIo tel yer about his knowing the weather
letter than any barometer and what be IN
derstood ABOUT navigation, only that 1t would
nave nothing TO do particular with my getting
that uncommon nasty'cut over the eve cent
ing as 1t nd show you how smart dog can
De, and how some folks never can appreciate
brains, what they hain't got themselves.
AS was sayln', the second mate had
Sill OF a. cat IS black as ton OF Coals-never
white hair on it. I'm not sayin but what it
was good enuf cat, as cats go, sir. but it
nam no appreciation for good society. 1t
was regular low-t orn cat sir, as any one may
know Wnen l tell YOU that it never would have
anything TODD with my lavender pup. Why, sir
many 5 the time that pup tried to get alongside
tnat smut for to make her acquaintance, but
she'd 60
. Il Il admit that he was imretuous about it,
Sir; u make plunge at her with his mouth
open while Smut, sne was delicate like and
enc OF p1laver like a sweetheart in the Sran-
lsh main She never could understand such
ardor as his, the poor little fool but whatever
there was in that to roll the second mate is
more know, and was struck all in a bean
when he says to me arter Lavender had tried
to make it pleasant for the cat once, he says
says he:
Look alive, there, quarternaster. an
Keep yer darn pup ott'n Smut or / II drop him
overheard, an all l could say was Ave aye
SIR, ana properly cuss them as didn't under
stand dog uatur.
Next day, as luck would have it. the pup
got smut cornered and what did she do but
Gun him alongside both ears and send him
nowln to my bunk for ard That sh'u ha'
been enough TO teach him to associate with
his equals only, but it didn I; 1t seemed as
though he was more determined than ever to
get on friendly terms with her only he was
more caulOuS-like in his manOuVerin' But
every time he'd insinivate himself around
her he was sure to get good cuff along side
OF one ear, and SO matters stood for some
days. ana noticed that the second mate was
laughln In most uufeelin manner every
time the dog had his hair comoed by that ere
cat
"Howsever, we be to arrive IN Rio about
that time, and tn re one day that cat fetched
10, without coaxing, alongside the pup as he
was SCI atChin' the deck with his hind paws,
dog fashion. Pears like she wasn't afraid
of him when he was clawin of the deck with
MS mind paws, and that gave him new idea.
smart: That pup could hist in new idea
while most second mates would be havin
natd work gettln OF II alongside in tow
Whatever does he do next time, he wants to
go gaillvantln around that Smut but
well sr, was that astonished was thunder
struck, and, worse. too. the first time l see
what he done. 1t was just aft there on the
poop by the tits and me a.taking stitch in
the cover of the skylight, with the mate
lookin on, when Smut she comes purrin
around the after bit, while the pup was In the
wake of the companion way. The pup
he takes a stroll over toward the
bits the moment he notices the cat
and when pretty close alongside he
turns round and backs up toward her I'll
admit; sir, it was not perlitein him and the
second mate laughed nit to kill with thinkin'
the pup " as amin TO take has Cunin' where
1t wouldn't hurt so much, ana l was thinkin'
he'd change his mind about the not hurtin'
! him aft as well as orard when all to once up
goes his heels a catehin that cat in the ribs
and away she went overheard and the second
mate and me we reached the rail in time to see
her disappearing in the Jaws of a shark that
lay there tannin the water with his tail
And at that, sir, the second mate he
grabbed the poor pup by the neck, and made
bold to grab it by the heels to save il, sir and
then it must ha' been a hurricane or some
thing nigh hand to it struck the ship there
abouts, and when the weather had cleared
away bit was found in the scuppers with
nv head cut as YOU see il sir