The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-03-22
PROVIDENCE GAS COMPANY.

OF beam, az sailor would say, and his
squat, Durly frame had in it the muscular
strength and energy of the tiger. His face,
hairy as skye terriers, showed no feature
in particular save the huge nose, which, ow-
ing to long course of gro9, had assumed
the appearance of purple knob, and bulg-
ing eyebrows that hung over small, deep
set eyes as a cliff overhangs cavern His
visage was truculent, and his temper and
voice were in harmony. His most carcss-
ing tones were the growl Of the thunder;
his anger was the fury of "A fend. His nat
ural qualities, too, had been well cuIti-
waited. The broadside of oaths he poured
upon his men when anything went amiss
was an achievement in profanity to be re-
membered with n creepy shudder for life
time, and the CLEAN OF his eyes and the way
in which he fingered his pistols under The
stress of passion showed that he was not Of
those who value human life.
AS might be expected, his career had been
eventful, his experiences startling and va.
ried. He boasted-and am sure truthful
ly-that he could show more sword cuts
and bullet scars than any other man Of his
size then living. "A man with a greater
extent of hide might beat me-" he would
sometimes say. "but to the square inch
show me him who equals me. BY Jupiter,
if was to preach on that kind of tattooing,
a week would be too short for my sermonr'
And you Immediately assented.
The mate could not be described as beina
Of a milder natural disposition, but only as
being less fearfully developed. His name
for cruelty was less eminent than his
chiefs, but be was training excellently
and gave high promise of brutality. Mean
while he swore, took his grog and practiced
assduously on the crew. The first day out
he knocked a sailor down with marlin
spike under the very eyes of the captain,
who was too Indifferent even to curse ap-
provingly. A little later he sent another
head foremost into the hold without 50
much as casting downward glance to see
whether the man were dead or alive, and
not a day passed that he did not distinguish
himself by some deed of cruelty or violence.
Such, in brief, were my shipmates, and it
will be easily understood how quickly and
completely my dreams of a holiday voyage
vanished.
Ii enhanced the dscomforts of the situa~
tion that fancied myself regarded by the
captain and mate as an interloper-a spy
whose proper place was with the sharks
outside. But on that point l was unwit-
tingly flattering myself Neither of them
troubled his head i'm the least about me,
nor ever came near me except IL were by
chance and in the way OF duty. To bs
sure, the captain usually rolled some hoarse
greeting when we met In the morning, but
he never delayed his ship for conversation
and never once evinced desire to know
how was enjoying myself. Only at meal
times did we come into close contact, and
then was glad to get back TO the deck aud
the disinfecting air of heaven.
Nor was the mate much more sociable.
One evening, indeed, he spoke TO me OF
Scotland but as his talk was Of nothing
but tavern debaucheries, their ACCOMPANY
ments and results, did not encourage him.
He left me with feeling Of profound con-
tempt, never again making any attempt 20
draw me into conversation. When we met.
his looks declared as plainly as looks could
that was priggish, puritanical landsman,
who was no fit company for Jolly, bias
phemous sailor like himself.
CONTINUED Tomorrow.)