The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-04-14

Cnp'n was tappiH . telegraph, and look
Ing dark as-as-the double-bottom.
"'l certainly sent one. SIR says Sam,
and quite sober he was by this time. I
Gun assure ye.
"'Read It. says the Cap'n. IL that
nr
"The readin' on It was Blind drunk.
won't come. Yours respectful. N. A.
Calhoun
"'Yes. sir, that's It, says Sam. 'lguv
II to the landlord of the Dog and Duck
10 send when my leaf was up. II j was
too drunk to send 1t myself. But it's
true. sir. it's quite true. can bring
witnesses to prove It.
"The Cap'n nearly choked hisself. He
couldn't get out sufficient words ut
once. Might he be perished II ever he
met such internal cheek, he said. Any
fool would know il was true. TAX him
away. I'll apply for n court-martial.'
"Now 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 of the
next time. And now I've done It. see
what I git? That's trustfulncss. that
isl! And he pretended to turn to go
below with the johndy.
"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 smile. But he smoethsd his
face.
"'Come here. Calhoun he called.
Are you Scotchnan?'
"'On'y n Stamshaw Scotchman, SIR
"'Oh, on'y Stamshaw Scotchman
And what's that?
' Father. Scotch. Mother, Cockney.
Meself born in Stamshaw, SIR
~ see. Well. Calhoun. you do honor
to your country
(which one, sir?' said Sam.
1.-THE country Of mefastitiscs.' he
says. meanin' Scotland. You'll over
reach yourself one day, my man. re-
member the occasion. I Twas skarcastic
and you think it's fine fun to carry on
the joke. do we? A seaman must learn
that n officer can turn his jest to earnest
very sharp
"'I wish you'd do it now. SIR says
Sam. smart as anythink.
1.-The Cap'n frowned ngin. He didn't
quite see the point. He had to think
out to hisself. 4 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 court-martial.
but he says he wishes l would turn my
joke to earnest, cos then ! must let
him off. l believe the devils eornered
me-
"Sam said he surmised all this argu.
ment was goin' on in the Cap'n's mind,
and when he jist said 'Remnnded.' 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
"I've 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 chara'ter. sir
"'You have been. But I'll give you q
clean sheet, Calhoun. You start nfresh.
"I-my-eXcuse me, sir my eyes is
weak and Sam drawed his sleeve
acrost his face.
"The Cap'n was lookin' through Sam
all this time he was tryin' not to leak.
When he sees he was n 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. 4 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 n
higher ratin', Sam Calhoun took the
billet. and so there you are. Now you
know Sam, and you will be able to
understand that for Cap'n Bunson he'd
go through birthstone and treacle. to
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,
n course. Cap'n Bunson 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 like
Nelson used to do. must be there to
stack up the captured swOrdses and
spearses, while he politely bows to the
riggers.'
"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 wid IN his might to keep his
own life. Il Wa the most tremenjus
burnin' fiery furnace I've even hin in.
You couldn't see in the least what you
was o doin' OF. Iseemed to hear, dreamy
between the hard work of cuttin' and
thrustin', Sam moanin' that he'd lost
the Cap'n, and astin' everybody II they'd
soon him And <hav al said sNots em.