The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1896-11-28

How the Sailor Got the Rank of
| Captain.
Captain Jack, )" said Tommie, as he
and Bobbie drew near to the old sail
OF at the seashore, shortly after their
arrival. you've told us great many
stories, but you never told Us how you
came to be a captain. Was it bravery
in battle?'
mo, my lad," replied the old cap
tain. "I've been brave enough in bat
tie to be an admiral, but never got
any promotion for it. 1t was indoor
ance won my title for me-"
"Endurance?" said Bobbie. ''Thats
| as good as bravery, isn't it?'
'tBetter," said. Captain Jack. "a
great deal better. A great many brave
people give out when they oughtn't to,
| but indoorin' people never gives out"
| Nor in, NEITHER" said Tommie, Il
guess" ~ 8
II guess likewise" said Captain
Jack. 1T Wuz this way: In 1S7l-no,
| I guess it was 1S73-no-Waal, I never
when was it?"
make it 1874" said Bobbie.. s'Three
and one make four"
''That's when it was," said Captain
Jack. In 1874 I shipped as an able
| bodied seaman before the mast with
Capt. William Bikes of East Glouces-
ter, Mass, of the brig Peter j., of Nan
tucket. The Peter twas pretty good
boat. They called her brig, but she
wasn't nothin' in particular, so far as
l could see. She was composite boat
like them fortygrafts The owners
of her bought her stern in New York,
and fastened it onto the bow of a
wreck they'd purchased in junk shop
ut Plymouth. The rudder was relict
| of defunct Spanish man-of-war, an
the masts were bought at bargain
sale of shipstuffs at Philadelphy
Where the cabin come from I don't
know: but it was amatoor from way
| back.
when first seed the ship T says,
no, 1 don't want none O. her in mine.
I'm fond o. swimmin', but I wants it
as diversion, an not fer bizness.
But Capt. Bikes he says to me, says
he: Jack, you're the best sailor
I afOat, an I needs yer. Come with me,
an I'll give yer $4,000 a month";
a that si. e IS 1
y . i
come at them figgers.' An. 1 went,
not aslzin' at all where he was a-goin'
to go to.
'Waa1, we sets out, me before the
| mast with the others, an the capn an
two mates, four midshipmen, three
| soupycargoes, an others behind the
| mast.
First day out, down comes the cap'n
with tho nino
board
Second day out, down comes the
| two mates with measles. Dies. Bur-
led at sea. -
''Third day out, down comes the
| soupycargoes with whoopin' cough
Dies. ALPS over.
whole crew, 'cept me, with shycumotis,
due to havin' eat too much tomatoes.
Dies. Nothin' left aboard but me with
the Mary JONES'
Peter j." said Bobbie
''The Peter J.?' observed Captain
Jack. "Get 'em mixed sometimes;
they're so many boats, I amt more
trouble to. There was me all alone. by
myself aboard the Henry O., to bring
her into port. loaded as she was with
olives and fried potaters.
1T was tarrable responsibility; but
I took it on. So, my boys, there bein'
no soupycargoes, nor no mates, nor no
cap'ns, nor no nothin' save me an the
decks onto the ship, 'p'inted myself
commander-in-chief, an thar We be-"
''It's very interesting" said Tommie:
''You bet it is!' said Captain Jack;
''but it amt half so interestin' to me
as a box Of imported cigars would be-
And the boys walked off, and, later
on, Captain Jack received a box*of i'm
ported cigars Just" as Tommie said,
Ito interest -"-Harper's Round
Table. #s