The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-28
THEY KNOW KIPLING.
The Poet Remembered In the Old
Town of Gloucester.
DIETER to Philadelphia Inquirer.)

Letter to Philadelphia lnquirer.)
When / was introduced TO the captain
he was seated in his little shop and sur
rounded on all sides by toy vessels of va
rious sizes-the work of his own hands.
A funny little man was the captain. with
a fringe of gray whiskers around his face
and with stubby fingers which amazed
one by their dexterity with the needle.
But he was very hospitable and | was
Immediately provided with a chair.
The Juvenile yachtsman by whom !
had been introduced wanted the captain
to talk, as he had not only a fund of in
teresting stories and an inimitable way
of telling them. but he had knowledge
and command of the English language
that was remarkable.
Finally. after a pause caused by the
exertion of threading his needle, the
captain waved his pipe in the direction
of a square of paper fastened to the wall
and said: Perhaps you'd be interested
TO read that miss"
took 1t down and read the directions
for model of a fishing schooner-very
particular directions being given that
everything on deck should be perfect to
the smallest detail The one article that
stands out in my memory is curry
butts"-there We're althousand other ar
ticles mentioned. but ethat alone remains
to rise up and haunt. Curry butts!r
But when | arrived at the signature /
exclaimed. Why. it's Rudyard Kiplingr'
which was very absurd remark for me
10 make. but l was excited.
''Of course II is answered the captafn
as If l should have known it all along.
OF course 1t is. Those are the directions
for ship / was to have made for him
so he could have it by him and he could
refer to 1t when he was writing his story
Captain Courageous l had the rheuma.
tism so bad couldn't finish it," he added
How did you come 10 know him?
What did he look like? What did he
say? How did he taik?'' I asked.
My questions did not feaze the CAPTAIN
in the Slightest found out afterwarci
that he was married.
why, was here in the shop tending
to some young gentlemen about his size. -
he said, waving his pipe in the direction
of the Juvenile yachtsman. when three
gentlemen came down the walk a-laugh-
ing. Well. they came and knocked at the
door-they didn't come right in, mind you;
they knocked-and when | says, Come
in. gentlemen one of them-he WASH
Mr.. Kip,ing-says, why, we can't come
in till we know how you stand on the
money question:
We'll. gentlemen, I says. I can't tell
now / STAND on the money question until
/ know what you want
We'll. at that they all laughed, and
the jolly one that had done all the talk
ing said: Well, guess you're the man
We want
$50 in they came. and he introduced
me to Mr., ktpling and the other gentle
men; / never saw three joll!er gentlemen
all the time letting off jokes on each
other. and now and then one on me.
well. finally they told me what they
came for, which was about my making
the boat-'just like one I'd been on my
SELF they said.
81 said I would if could. And I tried
good and hard but I had the rheuma-
tism so bad l couldn't finish it."
What do you-what do all the people
of Gloucester-think of Captain Courag-
eous?'' / asked.
why. Miss" said the captain. leaning
back in his chair and waving his pipe
eloquently, 1.-The very first chapter of
that story was taken and just dissected
right here In Gloucester. And 1 will say
this much, that it's fairly surprising how
much he does know about the banks
and the life up there