Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-11-11


1t to the landlord of the Dog and Duck
to send when my leaf was up, if I was
too drunk to send it myself But it's
true, sir, it's quite true. l can bring
witnesses to prove it,
The Cap'n nearly choked hisself. He
couldn't get out sufficient words at
once. Might he be persisted if ever he
met such Internal cheek, he said. ANY
fool would know it was true. TAX him
away. I'll apply for court-martial'
snow all this time Sam had been
putin on the injured-innocent look,
and he'd got it set.
But, SIR he damned off, you told
me to do it. You said, tell the truth and
shame the devil and I'll let you off the
next time. And now I've done it, see
what 1 git? That's trustfuIness, that
ISL And he pretended to turn to GO
below with the iohndy.
"a sort of recollection seemed to come
over Cap'n Bunson. His for'id begun
to unwrinkle from the up and down
strokes and started to wrinkle the other
way for a smile. But he smoothed his
face
"'Come here, Calhoun, he called.
Are you a Scotchman?'
'On'y a Stamshaw Scotchman, sir
Oh, on'y Stamshaw Scotchman?
And what's that?'
Father, Scotch. Mother, Cockney.
Meself born in Stamshaw, sir
81 see. Well, Calhoun, you do honor
to your country
Which one, sir?' said Sam.
The country of mefastitiscs,' he
says, meanin' Scotland. You'll over
reach yourself one day, my man. re-
member the occasion. Twas sarcastic,
and you think it's fine fun to carry on
the joke, do We? A seaman must learn
that officer can turn his jest to earnest
very sharp
81 wish you'd do it now, SIR says
Sam, smart as anythink.
The Cap'n frowned agin. He didn't
quite see the point. He had to think
out to hisself. L promised to let him
off, in fun. He takes it in earnest.
take his earnest in earnest and start
out to run him in for a court-martial,
but he says he wishes I would turn my
| joke to earnest, eos then I must let
him off. l believe the devils cornered
me-
''Sam said he surmised all this argu-
ment was goin' on in the Cap'n's mind,
and when he jist said 'Remanded,' he
knoo he was safe.
"The Cap'n sent for him next day to
his cabin.
Calhoun he said, I've decided to
be in earnest
Thank We, sir
GIVE put you in my boats crew.
"Sam was took aback, fiat aback,
He'd never been petted before.
"But I'm habitual leave, and a
thorough bad character, sir
"'You have been. But I'll give you a
clean sheet, Calhoun. You start afresh.
"I-my-eXcuse me, sir, my eyes is
~eak,' and Sam drawed his sleeve
scrost his face.
1.-THE Cap'n was lookin' through Sam
all this time he was tryin' not to leak,
When he sees he was bit manly agin'
Shake hands, my man. he says, and
they shook hearty.
"'For the future, sir
"'No promises, Calhoun puts in the
Cap'n. I won't have it. You are in
my boat. Don't disgrace me-
THAT was Cap'n Bunson's way.
when his cox'n was promoted to a
higher ratin', Sam Calhoun took the
billet, and so there you are. Now you
know Sam, and you will be able tc
understand that for Cap'n Bunson he'd
GO through birthstone and treacle, tc
put it mild.
"Well, now we comes to Egypt, and
the desert and the fight in the night
You know the Naval Brigade was there
a course. Cap'n BunsoR was there wild
it, and Sam, who follered him like
shadder in every scrap, which was
right. AS Sam said: 'S'pose the Cap'n
captures the enemy in punches hka
Nelson used to do, / must be there tC
stack up the captured swordses and
spearses, while he politely bows to the
Eiggers.'
but in this night fight the Cap'n got
lost somehow. You remember we was
drove back, formed up. broke again, re
formed, each man plyin' his gun or his
Cutlass wild all his might to keep his
own life. 1t was the most tremenjus
burnin' fiery furnace I've even bin in
You couldn't see in the least what you
was a doin' of. seemed to hear, dreamy
between the hard work of cuttin' and
thrustin', Sam moanin' that he'd lost
the Cap'n, and astin' everybody if they
seen him. And they all said MOI EN-
phatic, and went on fightin', thinkin
he was wild some other company.
"sWhat did he want to slope off by
hisself for. tryin' to sneak all the glory,
[ heard Sam sayin'. Nelson always
ulster stick by his cox'n and share it
Well, so long, Chatty, seen him last
over this way. Out the way, you! And
still in dream, seen him down one OF
two Noobians and pass into the thick OF
the fight.
Then l surmised he'd bin speakin' t.
me.
But the rest of us was pushed bach
and back, sweatin' and baked. Some
times 1 heard, and yet did not hear
husky voices screamin': Stick to it
Navy or Number One thunderin':
steady on the right, men!' or the pipin
of the sub-lootenant: 'Off-sides there.
as a Dervish speared his way through
the line and he pipped him wild his re
vOlver.
"And as for me, was gettin' tiredel
and tireder. The whole earth was full o
mad black men, and they was all waitin
their turn at me. Something 'ud loon
UP like figure in n fog, big and sudden
J There'd be little private fight, and on'
of us was down bitin' at the sand, OF
| clutchin' at the air, or beatin' a tattoo
or Just simply still. And the sound il