Evening star., 1897-04-03

My father had once been minister to that
sect at Ballindrochater.
We had bit of social after tea, and
there was hymn singing to the accordion.
ard | sang. too. They seemed to like 1t.
ard they drank my health. l just had a
tot TO drink theirs back. There was corn
whisky IN a demijohn the table. and
you could help yourself. with nothing to
pay. 1t would have looked unfriendly not
to taste.
Well, I'll admit that night was a bit
thick when 1t got to the finish. and where
i slept the guild Lord may know, but 1
don't I'd a thirst me like Welsh coal
ashes next morning, and the whisky was
still there, and by midday / was full up to
the eyes again. and inclined to talk
went back to the ship, found the old man
on the levee cursiEg some niger roust-
abouts. and forthwith told him what /
thought of his conduct. 1 wasn't content
with telling him quietly, either: l must
reeds mount on a cotton bale and preach
aloud to all the niggerS and loafers who
would hear. that any skipper who would
use language like that was no sort of
company for God-fearing men like US; and
finally whilst l was advising them to duck
him in the Mississippi policeman came
UP and lugged me off to the calaboose.
There was no foolery about that policeman.
He drove me before him with the small end
of a revolver. and 1 had to go. Policemen
are valuable in New Orleans. and drunks
are not They don't allow their police to
streets, and If drunk won't come when
he's told. he's shot. and there's good rid
dance of him.
Well. of course, j was sacked from the
West Indian Pacific after that: the British
consul wouldn't look at me; and after the
be oarding- house master had mopped w my
pay. and what he lent me on my chest he
showed me the door, too. He wouldn't keep
me on In hopes of getting his dollars out
OF my next advance. He said straight he
didn't think I'd get another ship
I'd - left when l got shown the door
there, and with 81 man doesn't starye all
at once In New Orleans. There are free
Iunch counters everywhere. and with a
1O-cent glass of beer you can have q yery
toleraDle fAl out of fish pie dry hash cheese
and 30 on; but 1t doesn't do to go TO the
same place too often. or the Niger behind
the bar VIII forget to fill your plate when
you pass 1t on. But 81 won't last long. and
"nen ID got down to my last 25 cents and
this berth on the Shah turned up I'd Just
got to take it and hold my tongue
IL was her skipper himself that lured me
into It He was a smallish chan called
Blake. American Irish, / think and the
biggest thief in the two Atlantics. He'd a
face on him like a saint in a stained glass
window. and a reputation that would have
spoiled a gallows- But he could talk polite
ft to make an actor Of
He came across me sitting on a cotton
bale on the levee at the foot Of Canal
street. He had just come down river in a
big "stern-wheeler." and / was the first
person he spoke to after he walked down
her gang plank.
You're Mr. Sandy McTodd. amt your
Neil Angus McTodd."
Same thing. Still out Of a BERTH SON
nyr"
'I haven't decided which to take"
Then take mine, or / reckon you'll
starve."
is that stern-wheeler yours. captain?'
NO. Stree. I'm Capt. Blake Of the
haf rlNr at hxr
the quarantine station. waiting orders.
AID / want a new second engineer. My
last skipped. II you think you'd like the
berth. come and liquor"
"Right-O." said I, and walked with him
down Canal street, and we turned off and
went into saloon" 1t was on the French
eide, and I'd seen more respectable places.
We went Into an upstairs room, and mig
ger brought US two schooners of beer. and
when he had gone we were alone except
Ing for the flies, who wouldn't repeat what
they heard.
Now said the captain. 'lers get to
business. Item the first, you're stone
I'm no Jay Gould Just for the minute, -
] said.
And you'd like to earn treble wages.
even with hard work.
m with you there all the way"
And could be content to ask no ques-
tions?'
About what, captain?"
'carrato! There you are, beginning al
ready. You've got TO ask no questions
whatever. my son. II you come aboard OF
me. and you're to see nothing you're not In.
tended to see. j can get the ordinary type
OF inQuisitive idiot cheap anywhere. MY
last second engineer was that brand, and
] had no use for him. So 1ust fred him
out You can bet I'm not offering big pay
for nothing. No. Stree. I want q man
who can keep his head shut"
I'm that way. captain. If the pays big
enough"
Sufficient siller will make you concen.
trate your thoughts On that and not see
anything else? ! quite see your idea. Well
MI. NcTodd, there's f12 q month for yo,
50 long as you're second engineer. and f3(
when you're chief
Ne chiefr'
That's what said"
WIN you tell me II there's an3 chanc.
OF that happeningT"
Every chance. With de,-rft luck, yo,
ought 10 be chief engineer of the Shah by
this day week.
But how"
He cut me short with laugh. I'm no
going 70 talk" he said. Here's the ofrer