The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-15
EPISTLES TO ST. PAUL.

When William Pitt Murray was younger he
was something of a traveller. trihe OF 81
years or so ago he was in South America.
He knocked about. good deal and had
some adventures-which might be worked ur
| into several different narratives. but which
nave nothing to do. with this one.
Ho was in Venezuela and in those days they
used to have revolutions there. Somebody
| has said that they were good for forty reyo-
lut!ons minute. They had several that
came under the personal notice OF Mr.. Muir
ray, and there is tail appended to one oil
tnem He was once at a seaport town where
they were indulging In little revolution
OF their own. Mr. Murray was not paying
much attention to it. and neither was anybody
else, except the fellow who was in and the
other fellow who wanted to get in power.
one day there came along whalingship
Inc captain OF the ship had been instructed by
It's owners to tranship his cargo to another
vessel and continue his cruise. and he was
to meet the other ship at the port where
Mr.. Murray was sojournng. The transfer OF
cargo was made and the skipper OF the
whaler being out of New Bedford. did not
like the idea of sailing on the day he was
READY, because 1t was Sunday. So he gave
number of his sailors shore leave.
The sailors We're knocking about engaged
In the delectable occupation Of getting rid
or their money. after the fashion OF drunken
sailors. when there was another revolution
carried to successful termination. Now
the fellow who had come into power had
round the treasury looted and he was hard
up. He thought it would be very proper
way to reolenish his empty Golfers by seiz-
ing the Americans and making the skipper
of the whaler pay ransom. They were seiz-
thrown he
skipper notified that he could have them by
paying for them and proving that they had nc
designs en- the government that the presi-
dent had been informed that they proposed to
turn him out in favor of his enemy, the
man who had been president that morning.
The skipper waited until Monday, then he
did some nautical and naughty cussing, and
sent word to the president that he would
have him hanged as soon as he could get an
American mar O. war the spot. He would
not pay what was demanded and he had
the American consul report the matter.
The consul did so, but the American navy
was busy that day and the matter was for
gotten 1t some months afterwards that
an American man o war came along and
the revolution that resulted on her appear
ance set the Sailors free.
The skipper of the whaler thought he had q
good thing. So instead of sailing away in
a bill against the Venezuelan government for
his time while5he was away and also indi-
vidual claims FOR the men who were impris-
| oned. Mr.. Murray had been an interested
spectator OF the affair and he watched the
case for some years.; but finally lost sight OF
it. III
'The last time | was in Washington" said
Mr.. Murray, after telling the ta.e, 81 was in
| the state departmentgand remembered that
had a friend n hestcla:ms division. I went
to see him and asked him about that Vene-
zueian Calm. He had forgotten, but 1 re-
freshed his memory.
:" oh. yes" said he, that is almost settled
All the parties TO It but one are dead. The
one is dying and L expect we'll be able to
pigeon hole the case presently"
Bail;f Tom Mcmahon, of the municipal
court ushered man into Clerk Conroy's Of
flee yesterday afternoon. Here, Mccarthy, u
he said, this man wants a notary" Nc
Carthy signed the acknowledgement and the
man laid down quarter. Tom seized the
quarter. ''1'.l give you credit for that John
ME, he sai5, and be disappeared. Then the
story came cut
About four years ago it occurred to Tim
othy Reardon that towels in the city hall
were calculated to pamper the tastes of the
officials and being chairman of the ways
and means committee of the assembly, he
shut off the towels by refusing to o. K. the
laundry bills. Tie employees about the build
|, ing could do nothing else so they got a
laundry supply company to. furnish the
towels, and they made up the monthly bills
by assessments This, was the arrangeme Mt
| made in the municipal court, and each of the
officers were assessed at the rate of fifty
cents month. One day Mccarthy went to
Mcmahon.
'Give me fifty CENTS he said.
what for?" asked Tom.
"Towe-s," said Johnnie. Tom gave up.
Every month the same thing occurred.
But Tom never knew that Reardon lost his
grip and that the towels were paid for by the
city. Mccarthy and the rest of them would
need cigar or something Of that kind and
Mccarthy would go and assess Tom.
This had been going on fer coupe OF
years when one day Tom got a look at the
office accounts and found that Mccarthy had
only paid for the towels one month. He
ragged. but he imr otent and he would
rot forgive Mccarthy. When he was very III
on one OCCASION Tom Conroy went to see him
world-for it was really thought he would
die. He said that he was.
Did you ever forgive Mccarthy" asked
Conroy.
Il did," said Tom, and he added after five
| minutes silence, but if ever get out of this
I'll make him pay me the twenty-five dol
lars he got il / have to take it out of his
hide The Philistine