The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-03

o cross the river. Fancying that he
wanted TO visit some friends. and know
Lng that there was TO immediate nee-
q his services. I readily gave my consent
The greaser SWAN his pony across the
river and disappeared in the caapreraL
The next saw OF him was Two days later.
when I rode .nto Fort Clark for my mail
In the afternoon Longunio rode down the
officers line ard stopped in front OF tie
adivtant's Office. Several Officers We're
standing around and gazed in open mouth
81 establishment az sight of the Mexican
with a dead indian behind him He re-
fused TO answer any Of their queries, ana
asked for Ell colonel Hearing the conn
motion. the colonel came out. and before
he could say anything juan cut the rope
that bound The Indian to his saddle, threw
the corpse on the porch at the coioseis
feet. and in that soft. drawing voice so
peculiar 10 the Mexicans said:
" Gin cuenta pesos, senior ell colonel
Well, gentlemen. the colonel was so
thunaerstruck a, first that he was speech
less. but recovering himself presently he
gave LSongon!o such a cussing out as |
never heard before or since. The Mexican
sat like a sphinx on his horse pretending
not TO understand English. and when the
colonel was through he simply pointed 20
the dead Indian and again said
"'Cin cuenta pesos. senpr eli colonel
He goz his 'cin cuenta pesos finally,
nut the colonel :ntirnated thar If ne ever
caught him around there again he'd have
him shot. LOngon!o pocketed the money
and rode away with a broad grin on his
face. to reioin the scodts. 1t seems he
had lassooed the Indian first and started
10 bring him in alive, but after dragging
him a mile over the cactus plain. poor Lois
spirit fed and another bad Indian was
made a good one via the Paradise valley
route"
Spinning yarns invites competition and
one of the lieutenants who had seen ser
vice in the marines in his earlier days
took up the thread of conversation.
When Joined the navy was assigned
10 duty on an old bark-rigged ship at
tached to the North Atlantic squadron.
Her guns were muzzle-loaders and smooth
bores. bat she had a fine assortment OF old
salts in her crew, and my brightest recoi-
lections of that service are Of the stories
told by some Of these old fellows. TO which
We kids used to listen in open-mouthed
wonder. We didn't always believe the
tales. OF course. but We were too discreet
TO say so. One man did laugh disdainfui-
ly at one old salts yarn and he was IN sick
bay for week afterward.
''Old Harry Sharp, chief Dos ms mate,
who had been with Hull on the Constitu
ton, told me one story OF little event
that took place at Nagasaki, japan. when
We weren't as friendly with the British as
We are now.
The ship on which Sharp was serving
IN 1870 was assigned to service in Asiatic
waters. She was commanded by Capt
Joseph Piper who had as much love Tor 4
Britisher as Satan has for holy water. One
afternoon the ship was swinging at an
Choir with thirty fathoms or chain OUT
when the lookout reported British man
of-war coming into the harbor Tying the
admirars pennint. That meant salute.
Gun crews were piped and the salute fired.
the Britisher replying gun for gun. TWEEN
ty-one guns were fired, and then. to the
surprise Of everybody. Capt. Piper turned
to his quarter gunner and said Fire SIX
more guns Aston!shment was depicted
On every line of the gunner's face, but an
order was gospel 10 him, and bang. bang!
in quick succession went six more guns.
When the Engiishman had reached her
anchorage the usual courtesies were ex-
changed and while the admiral was on
the American with his flag lieutenant, tho
younger officer said to Capt. Piper: Par
don me. captain, but We have been two
weeks coming from the South Sea Islands,
and has there been any change IL the in
ternational code of salutes In that timer
mo, SIR snapped back Piper in a testy
voice
Then why. will you please tell me,
did you fire twenty-seven guns as we en-
tered the harbor?
well said Piper. fired twenty-one
guns for the queen of England. five for
the United States, and one for joe Piper,
by God
1.-THE Englishmen left the ship, and later
the matter was investigated through the
United States minister at Tokyo. and ev-
cry mothers son Of the American crew
swore by all that was good and holy that
only twenty-one guns had been fired. But
the upshot Of it all was that Piper was
relieved from his command and sent
home"