Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-01
CAP'N PAT.
ritten Exclusively for The Evening Star.


He was only a canal boy. with brown I'M
smiling eyes and a brown face. who used
rough language toward the mules now and
then and lost his temper frequently at being
called "Capl Pat"
Short and thickset and strong was Cap'n
Pat-''powerful strong" said the keepers
of the locks when they saw him pulling and
hustling with the chain or pushing the
mules vigorously "a little away there"
Powerful strong" thought the captain, in
reality, as he sat at the end of the deck
moving the rudder 10 and fro; powerful
strong and powerful sturdy, and powerful
stubborn" 'Ho, you Pat" he called loudly
loosen the rope a bit: the next thing you'll
have the off mule tumbling into the canal"
The boy, thus ordered, in a nonchalant
manner loosened the rope, shrugged his
shoulders. slashed his whip and went on.
Thinks he knows it ALL" muttered the
man.
Except for the voice of the captain call
Ing out orders to Pat and the everlasting
tinkle of the mule bell, no sounds disturbed
the stiffness of the canal Further back
they had had the rush Of the river, but
mere the river seemed far away-a woods
and marsh between IT and the towpath
Without tremble of the deck the boat
the rudder. Out Of hole in the floor of the
deck protruded the pipe Of the cooking
stove from which pulled at intervals
volumes Of coal gas. Another smell mingled
with that Of the gas-an appetizing odor of
| stewed tomatoes and frying ham. Suddenly
| black head popped up from the cabin door
anc the lank body Of a negro scrambled
| Upon deck.
Wan me take a hand at the rudder.
| cap'ny'
The captain grunted an assent, rose and
| moved to the side The negro straddled the
rudder and swayed with IL to and fro list
| lessly. Ben's black face was sad and
weary; he had been ION the canale" since
childhood.
The captains eyes were fastened upon
Pat as he walked along the towpath a little
In front OF the mules. None of 'em don't
like boatin'," he CALCULATED.
Naw, acquiesced the negro, none of
EN- don't like boatin'. Pat he don't lik,
| boatin' for nothin'. Pat wants for to farm.
he thinks the money comes too slow, :"
said the captain.
1t do come Slow" muttered Ben. Last
year 1t were dollar a day and now tain {
but seveIty-five cents. Boatin' ought u
fetch higher wagesn that" He shuffied
his clumsy boots and continued. speaking
louder: Pat likes for to pillow and borrow.
The boys clean sick O. the towpath"
The captain sighed. There's more money
In boaun than Iarmin'," he said positively
the weather's got more TO do with hinder
In crops than II has with hinderin boatin'. %
| mat SO. agreed the negro: but the
| hoods they binders both. They amt hair
hAed up the canale, nohow. Last year we
made the down trip IN five days: now IN
.ahes US SIX ana seven. L heard the boat
| scrape the bottom minute ago."
Inc new locks is too narrow" grumbled
the captain "A boat like this'n can
pun through. but some OF the old boats
am goin TO stand it. Theys nxin'
.ne canaie up cheap. but it'll cost 'em
more In the long run. Ho you Pat. AIM
you never gunno look out for the turnsY''
It's a hard life for a boy" said the ne
gro pensiVely. Up at three and four in
.he mornin. and nothin' but the boat and
the mules and the canale to look at lawn
down late at night, sore in every limb In
amt healthy for to sleep on the water:
wasn't never meant. 1 reckon. Pats got
The sore throat"
The captain cleared his own throar.
There amt no wonder about Pat having
the sore throat" he said roughly Il found
MN TINS morning with the winder open
over MIN. You can't lay with the winder
| open over You In the summer time along
the canale, much less in the fall He makes
up furious fire for the dish washing and
then he sleeps with the winder open. No
r.
sering. and went down into the cab. In
seven minutes he was back again, having
eaten his dinner
Without a word the negro relinouisbed
IA lne captains favor the seat upon the
rudder, walked along The deck picked I'M
loag board and called shrilly 10 Pat The
board was thrown quickly out across the
canal. Its one end resting upon the boat.
crossed this temporary bridge with a FEW
rapid steps and Pat in a similar manner
reached the boat, and. turning rescued the
plank Just as the end on the towpath
slipped into the water.
See to the mules before YOU ger your
dinner, ordered the captain.
Cap Pat set briskly to work Three
times he let wooden bucket into the
waters of the canal by means of a rooe
and handed IL into the stable of the mules
Then he disappeared into the hay house"
ana, coming out with his arms full of
corn, gave that In turn to the mules.
ROW many ears apiece?' cried the cam
tain.
Six" answered the boy.
Throw EN- in couple more: they've
got a long pull at the next level"
Pat did as he was bid.
Now go get your dinner"
The boy came up from the cab very soon.
he sat down near the edge of the boat. he
passed his sleeve over his perspiring fore
head.
'Tain't warm" said the captain.
Yes, It's" retorted Pat.
"How's your throat?' asked the father
suddenly.
Don't hurt so awful much" returned the
boy. Say, let me take the rudder"
mo, set awhile and rest. Ben can wait
for his dinner. They've got diphtheria
Frosted fra hin in The The town Mills hOllered 1T over
The boy laughed derslvely
You take keer Of your throat or you'll
have to see a doctor"
Again Capn Pat laughed. Il wonder
everybody boatin don't catch some'n." he
said III thought 1 was to keep on boat
IN all my life wouldn't keer IL did have
IL He looked his father squarely in the
face, his brown cheeks flushing a LITTLE
Il wouldn't keer If I'D die; I'd be glad OF
it," e"o Va
The captain steadied himself upon the
rudder; his face. too. flushed. II tell Won
what. You can stay home" he said In a
voice hoarse with passion. I've had enough
Vi you lou can go 10 farmin' at fourteen
ana starve. I'll bring Billy along next.
ne IL IKE IL for the first season. That's the
way with You ALL"
never liked it, said Pat stubbornly.
AFTER the one down trip, If I'd had any say.
a-quit; Ia gone home on the cars"
NO, you never liked IT." said the captain
contemptuously. When you was little they
mad TO keep you tied all the time lest you'd
get on the boat into the water. And YOU
was born on the boat when We was tied IN
at Georgetown for the winter"
lou better give me the rudder" said
No..