The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-09-25
HOUSTON DAILY POST SEPTEMBER IS 1895

cable ladder for the purpoAe He was just
about to make the last few rungs OF the
iaddsr, when a tousled, Wild LOOKING head
peered over the gunl OF the fighting top
platform. The head wasn't more than a
foot from the ascending head OF the ma
rine officer.
"Pake- alb boot said a voice In ths head.
II was Donavan. Donavan was still con-
sidcrably more Jagged than he had been
when he came aboard the shin on the pre-
yious evening at Nice. Donavan was SIM
ply hilarious. The marine officer was 90
startled at the apparition that he nearly
fell to the deck But Il didn't take him
long TO recognize ponavan. Uoaavau. az
ter his greeting. fell back inso the fight
Ing top and showed disposition TO re-
sumo his nap. The marine officer climbed
over the gun'l and found four empty bot
ties OF French brandy--uuarts. He put his
hands to his hips and let out howl.
The fighting top, there!" shouted the
executive officer. who heard the marine Of
ficer's laughter What's all CT this mir b
about at this hour OF the morning."
The marine officer struggled below and.
holding his sides pretty hard, he told wha.
Re had seen. The Jimmy Legs went up AMI
got Doravan down ana doub d -ironed him
at the shippers order Donavaa so; o. ly
ten spot"-nayy term for a ten-day tr ok
in tbs brig. He had crawled under cover Of
the darkness as the ship was making its
wake In the harbor of Nice into fghting
top, In order to have an undisturbed sleep.
He had 1t and he was content.
i've go, a coed mind to break you,
Doravan," said the skipper when noaav n
was brought 10 the mast. sohsr, but not
particularly repentiut looking
AN a good Job. sorr," said Donovan.
"o behave oim maxim too mooch money
wit me- rate"
But he couldn't be spared, being one of
the best men of his rats in the service, and
roravan is still chief carpenters mate
urder another Mulligaa name than Dona
van, however as he always has been.
Another Mulligan, bosun's mate.
whose name is too well known throughout
the service to make the mention OF his
name desirable. had about $1,000 saved
when he was paid off at the Mare Island
navy yard a few years ago, and he said he
was through with sleeping ir an old bag,
etc. the same general line of tax that
most men o wars men re, off about the
service when they are about TO wind up an
enlistment. So this bo'sun's mate. VIII was
genuine product of the Old sol and vety
lopuiar and efficient man, went over 10
Vallejo, across the river from the Mare
Island navy yard, and opened up ratner
swell gan mill. He got all OF the patronage
OF the man-o' war men, and he neted
$50 day after he had been IN business
month. But he was not content. HI sun
announced his determination to Let the
'frigites" aore, but he listened TO the
man o'-war news retaled in front of his
bar by former shipmates with perpetualN
cooking of the ear
When are you going TO ship AGAIN." his
old shipmates used 10 ask him in banter.
"Niver!" was the reply.
Three months after he had started In
bus mess this bo-sun's mate appeared aboard
the receiving ship independence one day.
'Oi want III o yeez fellers,' said he TO
all hands serving on the receiving ship, ~
be prisint at me lin. acrost til way this
evening Yen fond 1t worth yere whole.
He Went 10 every ship lying ut the yard
docks and repeated the invitation. The
blucjackets thought the old man was cee-
bIating his birthday, and was going to blow
them on. When about 500 man-'o wars
men assembled at his saloon that evening.
the Mullgan was logged out in one OF his
old bluejacket rigs.
Help ye-selves" said he to all hands
"Oi'ye got twinty barrels gv good whisky
down in me cillar, barrin' what ye sees
here. an the soft stool such rs champagne.
an the rid wine an fancy thruck. OF
wa ant yeez { help me git rid av It,"
He did not need TO make this invitation
any longer. The gang jumped in and
cleaned out the stuff IN jig time, with tho
help of about four-fifhs OF the male popu-
lation of Vallejo. AlorS toward midnight
said the Mulligan bo'sun's mate
AN while yeez is about IT, we may smash
me mirrors an enjy yeeDselves."
Here was another invitation that needed
no repetition. The wreck the pack of blue
jackets made of the place within ten min
utes was some thing wonderful TO see
The next morning the Mullgan bo'sun S
mate was aboard the receiving ship indie
pendence bright and early. and he shipped
at his rate for his ninth three-year cruise.
The sea is ever calling calling for her
own" remarked the recruiting officer who
shipped him to another officer