The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-07-15
THE RICHARD III. !.

Thornton j. dnlnS III 1SbHe WepAASs .
The big Indlaman Richard III. was
rolling slowly down the northeast trade
wind, one bright morning In October.
twenty days out from Liverpool, bound
for Calcutta. The captain had Just
gone below to get his sextant to take
his noon observation. and the mate was
squirting and straining away at the
sun with an old quadrant that made the
bright orbs Of day dance and Jump
about the horizon in an unaccountable
manner. HIS features were undergoing
alarming commissions, and had Il not
been for the ample quld Of tobacco in
his cheek, the man at the wheel might
have thought he was trying to bite Of a
large piece Of the Troplc Of Cancer. In
fact, he was SO engrossed in an astFono-
nical feat that the man at the wheel
took advantage of the opportunity to
bite on a piece Of navy plug and ex-
pectorate voluminously Into the corner
Of the wheelhouse gratings. Then, wip-
ing his mouth carefully with the back
OF his hand, he smiled 'complaeently
add cast his eye along the weather.
leech Of the mizzen sSysall and let 1t
wander down slowly over the whole
vast fabric Of stretching canvas until II
rested upon the main deck Here some
thing attracted his attention, and he
kept his gaze fixed SO long at one spot
that the vessel lufed-to nearly three
points before he knew what he was
about, and, had the mate been less busi-
~ occupied, he would have received
sharp reprimand.
The objects that interested this toiler
Of the sea were the figures OF two APP
prentice boys engaged in lively scuf-
fle on the main deck. Just behind the
deck house from where the mate stood.
They clinehed and pummeled one an
other Justify. but the bigger Of the two
was fast getting the best OF 1t.
The big boy was stout built, and his
sun-bronzed face was ugly with pas
sion. The smaller one was a thln-faced
little runt of fellow. with big eyes and
a mouth that dropped sadly at the. cor
ners. He was perfectly cool and tried
to keep the big fellow of. every now
and then lashing out with right good
will at his opponents "side-ltghts''-
parts OF the human anatomy known on
shore as eyes. While this was going on
ana the helmsman's attention was 50
dangerously diverted, bow-legged
form rushed suddenly up the starboard
gangway, welding lrnotted ropes end.
This was the, second mate. and he land
ed the ropes-end on the stern-sheets Of
the big boy with such a hearty good will
that he turned with a yell and jumped
out OF the way Of a second blow aimed
at the same spot.
NOW see here, ye young dlvvils. said
the second officer. trying to look severe,
'ifit's fghtin we be after. Jest wait till
tn watch s called an I'll see yez git
enough, but mind yen wait TIL tn bell
strikes" Saying this the good-natured
second mate went back to his work.
The big boy stood looking at his re-
treating figure a moment and then turn
ed to his former opponent.
"rn bust yer yet, you see II I don't.
III teach yer who's goin' to run this
here mess. I'll give yer er good one fer
thls."
"Thats all right, me boy; Hi'll see yer
everytlme," said the little fellow, as he
started for his msss-kid.
Eight bells!" roared the captain
from the poop. He had come on deck
and taken the sun while affairs were
getting mixed forward.
Eight bellsI" baWled the mate, with
q quizzlcal look at the quadrant.
Eight bells!" echoed everybody for
ward, ana a sailor struck them on in
pairs on the ships bell with such yigOr
that the black cook popped his head out
Of the galley-door and grInned. Down
the gangways trooped the starboard
watch 10 the galley with their empty
mess-lids, and as the cook, or doctor
dealt out chunks Of salt beef and panni-
Nins Of baked beans, they seated them
selves about the deck and fo-castle to
eat The two boys who were fighting a
few minutes before, and who belonged
to different watches, now attacked their
f'salt- junk" with vlgor. The larger one,
who was known as "Bll' among his
ahipmates had signed the ships nrti-
cles as william Coleman. He was the
only son Of widow whose husband had
died while the boy was an infant, leav-
fng her In moderate circumstances.
william, however. as he grew up, miss
ed the restraint of fathers care. He
refused to study, and worried his poor
mother 30 that, at the advice Of a
brother-a clerk in a shipping house
the boy was apprentieed to Captain
Gantllne, master and part owner Of the
good ship Richard III.
Captain Gantllne was an easy-goIng
old skipper, and had the reputation OF
being father to his crew. He was
70 good-natured, in fact, that when a
thIn-faced. half-stRrved looking little
orphan boy came on board his ship just
before she sailed and told pltful story
OF suffering and hardship. and begged
to be shipped, he so FAR gave way to his
feelings OF generoslty-the shipping
master being a little bit unreliable as TO
a crew-that he had the boy signed or
for his mess and draught on the ''slop-
chest for a suit Of clothes. This was
the little fellow called Tom, who strove
30 hard to keep from being buIlIed out
Of plug OF tobacco-whIch the second