The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-05-17

r-.S E. KiSer in Cleveland Leader.
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he big battleship was rolling. ma
jestically to and fro. several miles OF
the coast when the fiery sun appeared
above the horizon and bathed in golden
hues the stunted palms and deserted
shores Of 3Cuba The Sbluejackets had
been: turned to earlier than usual, and
the work. of the morning watch was
already completed On the forecastle
The idlersa and marines were performing
their nssrning ablutions, while the
iackies who had been washing down
decks and cleaning ship. were gathered
III picturesque groups forward OF the
big turTets. excl edly discussing the
news which Ed been brought forward
$bysso ssomeo the wardro oom boys.
THE FIRST luff has: been ordered to
get out & al steam launch and a cutter
and send some. one into the harbor's 8
mouth toal cut aIcasle. will be q dan
ss,i gerous job, for the boats will have to
grapple for the cable right in range Of
The Spanish batteries s,
Here, att last, was an end to the mo.
notony OF bloekading service and a
chance odo something. For weeks the
Hbiig ship had been steaming idly back
and forth houts once firing ashot or
even chasing al blockade runner. Itlwas
NOT strange that the news the ward
! room boyss were telling created q furore
of ite1nent among the jackies on'the
Eforecastle,s and the early appearance of
fhe yonns Officers on the deck showed
THAT steShage had also been Informed
off the intended SeSped dition.
Among others who heard the story
ON The Xorecast1 was Cockswain Welch,
who, Ith his trousers rolled up to his
knees and his mnscull r aims barred to
ths should der, had just come in from the
third cutter, his especial; pet and pride.
where, with bucket and swab, he had
been removing some OF the traces of
cinders and SCOT deposited by the big
tunnels overhead.
Velchwas not. q popular man among
%his mates. He had brss recently Joined
I The ship, and, tq the disgust Of many
AN an old shellback, he had hardly been
sbilleted to the after guard when he was
rated "a cockswain vic Murphy, dis
rated for drunkenness land now had
charge Of the best cutter on board:
Many strange stories were being whis-
pered about among Welch' s mates con-
cerning the new cockswain. He was
Too young to; have been an apprentice;
and there were some who said he was
now serving his first enlistment and
had obtained his rating because Of a
pull with some Of the youngsters in the
I steerage. Others aVerred that WEIGH
was not the cockswain's s real name and
that, he had 8 story to tell whicn would
make a fine sensation for any of the
newspaper correspondents lowering
about the SQUADRON on the swift little
towboats could any one guess what it
was. f,nt Welch, by his quiet atten-
tion to duty, his reticence and gentle
manly manners, had hitherto remained
Z d mystery, which bothered the curious
ones among .5e jackies not little.
9Witbal, he seemed to be good seaman
and to have the confidence of his supe-
riiors, who, If they knew his secret, had
kept it well to themselves.
Pass Ehe word for Welch, the cock
swain Of the third cutterl" piped the
boatswain's mate. Lay after to the
quarter decki''
The message was taken up and re-
peated By the boatswain' g mates in the
different parts of the ship, and the
5cockswain, rolling down his duck trou-
sers and setting his watch cap squarely
on the top Of his head. hurried off in
response to the call.
Reaching the quarter deck, Welch
stood at attention. forward of the steer
age hatch. until his soldierly figure
caught the eye of the first lieutenant,
who was pacing nervously up and down
the weather side
..Welch!" the executive officer spoke
sharply and stopped suddenly in his
hurried walk.
The cockswain sprang forward, and,
bringing his bare heels together in the
correct posture Of "attention. = saluted
his superior.
.sWe're going to try and cut that
cable today and shall send in the third
cutter, with the launch, to do the work.
IT will require cool head to handle
the cutter under fire, and there are
many chances that she may not come
back unscathed. This work must be
done, and everything will depend on
the way the boats are handled. Lieu
tenant do Koven will have charge Of
the expedition. and Mr.. Karl will go
in the cutter. Only volunteers will he
taken, and I have sent for you to give
you a chance to go.
'sThank you. cir, said Welch. with
q tone Of self possession. though his
cheeks flushed.
'sYou may go forward and quietly
pick out eight men for your boat. Take
only volunteers and good, cool headed
men. When you have selected your
crew, report to Mr.. Karl That will
do. .