davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The herald., 1898-06-05

but those had passed away, leav-
ing these two distant dinsmen as
heirs to a man that seemed to
have rightfully earned his title of
wicked Sir Thomas" asked Giles if
he knew why Sir Thomas, who SO COR
daily hated his heirs, had never mar
ried. Giles replied that sir Thomas
showed no inclination to marry until
he was near forty. Then his reputation
was so well established that he was
generally looked askant upon; his
character for truth was bad and at
cards was worse, but he had induced
a lady of rank and wealth to become
engaged to be married to him. His
treatment of her was so infamous that
her whole family had declared war
against him, and had succeeded in
breaking off every desirable alliance
he would have liked to make.
Meanwhile his health had broken down,
and he was now q shattered man and
prey for the doctors. All this was very
interesting to me, especially as Sir
Thomas two heirs would one day have
the experience of shooting at each 9TH
er, and possibly deciding the question
Of heirship by the elimination of one
or the other from the question.
We both got promotion, of course,
and that brought us into the gun-room;
but we were as intimate there as in
our REFER days in the cockpit. On a
glorious October morning in 1899, our
anchor kissed the ground in Ports
mouth harbor.
When we reached Portsmouth, the
news of our good fortune had preceded
us, and we were welcomed with open
arms by men, women and children-es-
pecially the women. All the prize
money brought back by any single ship
during the war was insignificant COM
pared with ours. The men were seized
with kind of madness for spending
their money.
Giles Vernon, altogether the most
wasteful and profuse man I ever saw,
desired to spend his money in London,
Portsmouth being too small a theatre
for him. But the pressing affair of the
satisfaction he owed Captain Overton
had to be settled. After much hard
thinking, Giles came to me on the day
after we reached Portsmouth, and said:
"Dicky boy, read this letter and
give me your opinion of it."
This was the letter:
III. M. S. Ajax Oct. II, 1899.
Captain Philip Overton:
Dear Sir.-This is to inform you that
have reached Portsmouth. after a
very successful cruise in the Ajax,
when we took the Indomptable and
the 'Xantippe' and a large sum in
specie. My shair is considerable-more
money in short than ever saw, much
less handled, in my life. I would like
a month in London to spend this money
before offering my carkass to be made
full of holes by you. Dear sir, con-
slider. If 1 escape your craftsmanship,
the month more or less will be of little
The herald., 1898-06-05

hats; bring me the newest one. Hanged
if I'll not wear a decent hat, in spite of
the Frenchman!"
And this man was ruled by his wife!
We hove to about a cables length
from the Frenchman, and then the fight
began in earnest. We were so near that
every shot told. The Frenchman made
great play with his main-deck battery,
and our sails and rigging were soon so
cut up, that when we came foul, a few
minutes later we We're jammed fast; but
nobody on either ship wished it other
wise. The Frenchman's main-yard
swung directly over our poop, and Cap
tain Guilford himself made it fast to
our mizzen rigging. The Frenchmen
however, were not yet beaten at the
guns, and the firing was so heavy on
both sides that a pail of smoke envel-
oped both ships. This was to our ad-
vantage, for the frigate, having got
some sail on the stump of her mzzen-
mast now approached but the wind
drifted the smoke SO between her and
the two fighting ships, that she could
not in the dim twilight plainly discern
friend from foe, especially as both were
painted black, and we swung together
with the sea and wind. When the
smoke drifted off, the gallant, but un-
fortunate, "Xantippe" found herself
directly under our broadside. We gave
her one round from our main battery,
and she troubled us no more.
Presently the F'renchman's fire
slackened, and then a dull, rumbling
sound was heard in the depths of the
"Indomptable," followed by d roar and
streams of light from the forehatch.
The forward magazine had exploded,
/ and it seemed in the awful crash and
| blaze as if all the masts and spars went
| skyward with the rags of the sails; and
solemn hush and silence followed the
| explosion.
In another instant heard Sir Peters
sharp voice shouting:
| Call all hands to board! Boatswain,
cheer the men up with the pipe!"
| And then the clear notes of the
boatswain's pipe floated out into the
darkness, and with yell the men
gathered at the bulwarks On the
French ship they appeared to be dazed
by the explosion, and we could only see
a few officers running about and trying
to collect the men.
| In another instant I saw Mr.. Buxton
leap upon the Misunderstanding, and
about to spring, when a figure behind
him seized him by the coat-tails, and
dragging him backward, he measured
his length on the deck. The figure was
Giles Vernon.
after me-" he cried to the first lieu
tenant; and the next moment he made
his spring. and landed, the first man on
the 'Indomptable's deck.
AS soon as the ship was given up, we
hauled up our courses and ran off a
little, rove new braces, and made ready
to capture the frigate, which, although
badly cut UP, showed no disposition to
The herald., 1898-06-05

account; and if fall, shall miss the
finest chance of seeing the world I ever
had in my life. L think, sir, with diff
dence L say 1t, that my record in the
Ajax is enough to make plain 1 am
not shurking the satisfaction 1 owe
you, but l would take it as a personal
favor if you would put it off this day
month, when 1 will be in London. And
as L shall eat and drink of the best,
tits ten to one l will be much fater and
therefore be a much better mark for
you. I am, dear sir,
Your obliged and
"Obedient servant,
GILES VERNON"
1 pointed out to Giles that, although
the tone of the letter was quite correct,
the writing and spelling was scarce up
to the standing-I was more bookish
than Giles. But he replied with some
heat:
who, while reading the communica-
ton of gentleman. will be so base as
to sneer at the grammar or spelling?"
So the letter went as it was, and in re-
ply came a handsome, well-expressed
letter from Captain Overton, not only
agreeing to postpone it a month, but
for six weeks, which pleased Giles
nightly.
The matter with Overton finally set
tied and the ship being paid off, Giles
and 1 started for London, as happy as
two youngsters could be, with liberty
and two thousand pounds apiece to
spend, for 1 acknowledge that 1 had no
more thought of saving than Giles. We
took q chaise and four to London, no
stage-coach for Cs,-and reached there
in day. We had planned to take the
finest rooms at Mivart's Hotel, but fate
and Lady Hawkshaw prevented me
from enjoying them except for the first
night of our arrival. Next morning on
presenting myself at the Admiralty to
ask for letters. never dreaming I
should have any,--I was handed one
from Sir Peter Hawkshaw, which read:
"Grand-nephew-My Lady Hawk
shaw desires that you will come and
bring your money with you to our
house in Berkeley Square, and remain
there. Yours, ETC.,
"P. HAWKSHAW, C. B."
Great was my distress when / got
this letter. as I foresaw there would
not be much chance under Lady Hawk
shaw's eagle eye of seeing the kind of
life wished to see. And was obliged
to go, for Sir Peter was the only per-
son on earth likely to interest himself
at the Admiralty for me; and I might
stay and wither on shore while others
The herald., 1898-06-05

ing to blows in the magazine passage
over which one would be entitled to
the larger share of prize-money. The
gayety of the men was contagious.
Every mans face wore a grim and
when the word was given to take in the
royals, and send down the yards, furl
all staysails and the flying jib, they
literally rushed into the rigging with an
AYE, aye, sir" that seemed to shake
the deck
The admiral, who had been on the
bridge, left it and went below. Present.
ly he came up. He was in his best uni
form, with a gold-hilted sword, his
order of the Bath on his breast, and he
wore a cooked hat. AS he passed me,
Mr. Buxton, who was stepping along
briskly, said:
Pardon me, Sir Peter, but a French
musket wants no better target than
cooked hat
Sir" replied Sir Peter, II have al
ways fought in cooked hat and silk
stockings, as becomes a gentleman;
and 1 shall always fight in a cooked hat
and silk stockings, damme!"
| Mr.. Buxton passed on, laughing.
Now, l had taken the opportunity
after we had sighted the Frenchman
to run below and put on my newest
uniform, with silk stockings, and to
get out several cambria pocket hand
kerchiefs; and / had also scented my
self literally with some altar of rose,
which I had bought in Portsmouth,
Sir Peter, putting his fingers to his
| nose, shifted the altar of rose, and
speedily identifying me, he surveyed
me calmly all over, while 1 blushcd and
found myself unable to stand still
under his searching gaze. When he
| spoke, however, it was in words of
praise.
/ Nephew, you have the right idea. 1t
is a holiday when we meet the enemy
and officers should dress accordingly"
| The "Indomptable," being then about
| half mile distant, bore up and fired a
shot to windward, which was an invita-
tion to come on and take a licking or
give one. The Ajax" was not misled
into the rashness of coming on, with
the "Xantippe" hanging on her quarter,
but luffing up suddenly-for she an
| swered her helm beautifully,-she
brought the frigate directly under her
guns; and that fetched the "Indompta-
BILE" as fast as she could trot The
Ajax" opened the ball with one of her
long twentyfours, Sir Peter himself
sighting and pointing the gun; and i'm
med1ately after the whole broadside
roared out. Had it struck the frigate
full, it would have sent her to the bot
tom; but by hauling quickly by the
wind, she only received about half of
the discharge. That, however, was ter
rible. Her mizzenmast was cut off, and
hung over her side in mass of torn
| hnr tiny, oe.t =
and it was plain that our broadside had
killed and wounded many men and had
dismounted several guns. Her wheel,
The herald., 1898-06-05

like Giles any better. She returned to
the card-table. Giles with her, and. by
the exercise of the most exquisite in
genuity, he managed to lose some
money to her, which somewhat restored
her good humor.
AT last the rout was over, and, soon
after midnight, all had gone. / was
shown to bedroom, with only a par
tition wall between me and Sir Peter
| and Lady Hawkshaw: SO I had the
benefit of the nightly lecture Lady
Hawkshaw gave Sir Peter with the
most unfailing regularity. On this par
ticular night, they came nearer agree
ing than usual, both of them discussing
anxiously Lady Arabella's marked
fondness for play. And Lady Hawk
shaw told of late escapade Of Lady
Arabella's in which a certain ace Of
clubs was played by her; the said ace
of clubs being fashioned out of black
court-plaster and white cardboard.
When detected Lady Arabella pro-
fessed to think the whole thing a joke,
but as her adversary at the time was
very old lady whose eyesight was no.
toriously defective, it took all Of Lady
Arabella's wit and youth to carry it of
successfully, which, however, she did.
AS for her trinkets Lady Arabella was
always buying them, and always taking
distaste to them, SO she alleged, and
Lady Hawkshaw suspected they took
the place of shillings at the card-table.
Sir Peter groaned at this, and re-
| marked that the earl, her father, was
the worst gamester he ever knew ex-
cept her grandfather. do not remem-
ber any more. 1 tried to avoid hearing
what they were saying, but every word
was distinctly audible to me, until, at
this point, I fell asleep and dreamed
that Lady Hawkshaw was appointed to
command the Ajax" and I was to re-
port on board next day.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
The herald., 1898-06-05
copyright 1898. by Molly Elliot seawell I

The narrator, Richard Clynn, at the
death of his parents in America, is
brought to England in charge of Betty
Green, trusted servant, to be delivered
TO his great-uncle, Admiral Sir Peter
Hawkshaw. But Betty so loves the child
that she brings him up as her own, until,
when fourteen, he learns the truth, and
seeking Sir Peter, obtains a, place as mid
snipman on the Admirafs ship, the
Ajax" Richard journeys to Portsmouth
TO join his ship and there meets a ship
mate, mate, Giles Vernon, a most attractive
friends and come to London, on short
leave. to see an actress wnom Vernon
greatly admires. In the playhouse are
the Hawkshaws, with Sir Peters two
wards, his Sreat-nieces, Daphne Car
michael and Lady Arabela Stormont.
Lady Arabela is very beautiful, but much
spoiled. Vernon falls madly in love with
herN After the play Vernon is insulted in
the street by an officer who sat next him
at the play. He turns out to be Captain
Ph1lip Overton, of the Second Life Guards.
Curiously enough he is related to Vernon,
and both are heirs to a large estate.
Vernon demands satisfaction for the in
suit with the sword, but he must re-
turn at once to Portsmouth, the two men
agree to arrange the meeting later.
Richard and Vernon return to Ports
mouth, and on the way the coach is upset
and Nernons arm put out of joint.
Furthermore they find the Ajax about
to put to sea. So Vernon is obliged to
write, potsponing the meeting with Over
Ion
The herald., 1898-06-05

surrender and stood gallantly by her
consort. In half an hour we were ready
to go into action again, if necessary,
with another ship of the line.
We got within range,-the sea had
gone down much.-and giving the
"Xantippe' our broadside. brought
down the tricolor which the Frenchmen
had nailed to the stump of the mizzen
mast. She proved to have on board near
a million sterling, which, with the
"Indomptable," was the richest prize
taken in for years preceding.
The admiral and captain got ell, 900
each. The senior officers received e2500
each. The juniors got $1,000, the mid
shipmen and petty officers 5e1,500, and
every seaman got G700. and the lands
men and boys e400 in prize money
And 1 say it with difidence. we got
much more in glory: for the two French
ships were not only beaten. but beaten
in the most seamanike mannor Sir
Peter ever after kept the anniversary
as his day of glory putting on the same
uniform and cooked hat he had Worn,
and going to church, if on shore, with
Lazy Hawkshaw on his arm, and giv-
ing thanks in loud voice.
".
We took the "Xantippe" home-the
"Indomptable" went to the bottom of
the Bay of Bscay,-but before our
prZe-money was settled up we were
off again; Sir Peter dearly loved crus-
ing in blue water. 1t was near two
years before we got back to England
to spend that prize-money. In those
two years l grew more and more fond
of Giles Vernon. We generally con-
trived to have our watch together, and
we were intimate as only shipmates
could be. He talked much of what he
meant to do when he got ashore with
money to spend, and assured me he had
never had above twenty pounds of his
own in his life. In the course of many
nights in standing watch together,
when the old Ajax was sailing like a
witch-for she was a capital sailor at
that time-he told me much about his
early youth, and I confided to him the
story of Betty Green. Giles career had
been the common one of the younger
branches of a good family. His father
had been a clergyman, and, dying, left
several daughters who married respect
ably, and this one son, who was put in
the sea-service very young. AT that
time several lives stood between Giles
and the titles and estates of Sir
Thomas Vernon, and other lives
stood between Giles and Overton;
The herald., 1898-06-05
Kip1inc's Advice,

When Rudyard Kipling was in South
Africa he met Private Edgar Wallace.
whose verses, "Gingen James, are as
good as any barraok room ballad that
Kipling has written. The young soldier
very naturally sought Mr.. Kipling's ad-
vice concerning his future, and the
laureate of Tommy Atkins strongly
urged him to stick both to his muse
and to his army, for the present, at
least, advice which Private Wallace de-
termined to act upon,
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13
TWO VESSELS IN COLLISION
 \ The Steamship Willamette Runs Down the Islander.
Disaster in Juneau HarboT, in Which No Lives Are
 Lest.
Both Vessels Delayed at Alaska While Repairs Are Beln9
 Made.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

VICTORIA, April 12.-The steamship City of Topeka crrived at Nanalmo this afternoon, bringing three large sacks of mail from Daw- City. Sne brings news of a collision between two of the liners engaged in the Alaskan service. The steamship Islander ana the steamship Willamette ran aToul or each other and both were damaged, to what extent was not learned when the Topeka sailed.
 The collision occurred in the haroor at Juneau. The steamship Y ill1mette was running alongside the WharI when her machinery became, unrc -gh soma cause. uncontrollable, and she ran at full speed into the Islander, cutting big hole in the side of that vessel. As far as can be learned no one was ln- jured.
 Since leaving port the Islander has had a series of accidents On her way north she ran ashore on Mary Island and tore off one of her screws. She proceeded north under the one propeller and after an eventful voyage arrived safely at Skaguay. She had scarcely got started on her way south when an other accident occurred, as a result or which she lost three blades from her other propeller. Then soon atterWaro she encountered the Willamette.
 When the Topeka left Juneau the 1s- lander had been beached on Douglas Is land in order that she could be patch ed up sufficiently to allow her to con- tinue her voyage to the nearest port where permanent repairs can be made. The steamship Willamette was Stand~ ing by, also making preparations to go on the beach.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13
ON EASTERN TRACKS.
Horses That Showed Their Fields the
 Way Past the Judges.

CINCINNATI, April l2-Results at New port; Selling, five and half furlongs, Puerty won, Cyclone second. Hoffman third. Time, 1:07la.
 Selling, half mile, Satin Slipper won. Dolly Regent second, Grievance third. Time. :49A. One mile and fifty yards I'm. Wagern- Fond ling won. What Next second. Sister Stella third Time, I:43, new track record. Four and a half furlongs, Kentucky Colonel won, McCareD secold. Ernest Wilkes third. Time, :5544.
 Six furlongs, Eggler won, Rotha second Flu nomia third. Time, 1;l5la.
 Five and a half furlongs. selling. Horace won. Dave second Carlotta third. Time. 1:07%.
 MEMPHIS, April 12.-Weather clear and pleasant track fast
 Seven furlongs, selling Ben Frost won, se- dan second Onimoor third. Time. 3i.
 Half mile, selling, Pearl Barnes won Gay Parisienne second, Fleeting Ray third. Time. Five furlongs Primate won, Belle Ward sec ond, NoyaKer third. Time, i:03A.
 Half a mile. Gaston Hotel stakes Cathedral won, Faustoro second, w. Overton third. Time, :50A.
 one mile and sixteenth. selling. Paul Kau- var won. Celtic Bard second, Estaca third. Time, 1:50lz.
 Six furongs, selling, czarowitz won Mamie Callan second Koscio third. Time l:17
 WASHINGTON. April l2.-Resuits at Ben ming:
 Five and half furlongs General Maceo won. Tappan second, South Africa third. Time, 1:09h
 The Arlington stakes, four furlongs. Presti digitatrice won. Sister Fox second. Chemisette Knight of the Garter third Time. 1:4s
 Four furlongs. selling. Tyr Shena won, Hol- den second. Dropive third Time 51.
 Maidens. hurdle, mile and half, over six jumps. yaloroms won. Squan second. Rosque third. Time. not taken.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13
OF POWDER
 DURING A CONFEDERATION.
Large Chinese Store Building in Trinity County Blown to
 Atoms

BEDDING, April 12.-The one-story frame building of the Quong Sing Com pany, one of the largest Chinese merchant concerns in Northern California. was burned in Eastmans Gulch, near Lewis ton. Trinity County, at 1 o'clock this morning. There were four Celestials sleeping in the store. When the fire awak- ened them they turned their attention to saving what lew valuable articles they could. Then, in despair, they hltddled together like sneep as close u the blazing ruins as the intense heat would permit and watched the progress of the flames.
 A lot of powder stored in the premises was evidently forgotten, for in a moment there was a terrific explosion, which lifted the burning debris into the air and scattered 1t in all directions for hundreds of feet. The clothing of the '--4nese was lighted, and they ran around yelling like maniacs, completely panic-stricken. All of them were powder-burned and bruised, and one Celestial was struck on the face /, a piece of debris and so seriously ir- jured that he is now probably dead, as he was not expected to live when word reached Bedding of the disaster. The extent of the loss is not known, and there was probably no insurance.
 The same company's store in Shasta was destroyed by fire a short time ago, entailing a loss of many thousands of dollars, without cents insurance.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13
VENTURA CONFEDERATION.
Fire Causes a Loss of Over Ten
 Thousand Dollars.

VENTURA, April 12.-Fire broke out at Il o'clock this morning in the rear of the warehouse of F. w. Bakers hardware store, which is in the center of the city. The fire rapidly spread in all directions. The warehouse contained an extra stock of stoves, nails, sewer-pipe and general hardware while in one portion was honey canning machinery worth $500 The building and it's contents were de- stroyed, entailing loss of S4000. with $1500 insurance.
 The adjoining building on the east was occupied by Conner & BlackStock gro cers. Their warehouse was destroyed. It contained a large amount of flour, canned goods, soap, ice and kerosene. The loss was $3500 insurance, $1750.
 The second building to the east was occupied by Jones & Son, druggists. The rear end was damaged and the asphal- tum roof of the Leon Cerf Company, li- quor dealers, was partly destroyed, 10 gether with large number of empty bottles.
 Numerous persons In the vicinity sur fered slight losses. A. D. Steward sus- tained damage of $50. The dwellings of T. H. Jones and M. Oliver barely es- caped. The tailoring establishment of Madison & Ruggles was scorched as was the building occupied by Miss Gandolfo as a dress making shop. The goods were removed from all these buildings
 The fire lasted over an hour. The Chi nese Fire Department did great work. This was the third disastrous fire this year, over $6o,0 900 having gone up in smoke