St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-01-14
From Roof to Roof.


o>~~~>~>~>~t
IVES. sir. guess you're right, it is
. pretty little show, and almost
too good for the likes of me. When
Joined the navy, now nearly 20 years
agone, l little thought should find
such . nice little spot to moor in. But.
lor. sir. it's opportunity, that's what
it is! They say you can do anything
II you only get the chance. A favorite
observation of my old dads was that
.Bonaparty would have been king of
England If he'd only had the oppor-
tunity.'
II expect you wonder how an old
shellback like me Chats what they
calls US in the navy) came to be herthed
fore-and-aft in snug little cottage
like this. with nothing in the world to
do but open the gates for the cap'n or
his lady--bless her heart!-whenever
they drives through. But. as said
afore, it's just pure luck. Why, It was
worth nm hours fighting to gain such
a missus as mine, not to mention the
lodge here, and the pension, or the cop
per cross which the dear old wildly
herself pinned on my blouse.
''Of course It was the cross our queen
pinned on my breast-not the cottage
or the pension. / dare say my talk
seems queer to q fine gentleman like
you, because 1 can't express my mean
In like those London chaps what sits
in their drorin'- rooms and writes grand
stories of adventure for Answers and
sech like, when mebbe they've never
been further than Margit.
'sHowsumdever, 1 reckon can spin
Q yarn with the best of them. only it
wouldn't be dished up in such fine
dressing like. but simply plain truths,
and, IL you care to hear how Capt.
Grahame and me rescued they who was
to be our future missuses from host
Of bloodthirsty demons, you had bet
ter heave-to ON yon seat and help your
self to the 'bacca, which can guaran-
tee as the genuine broad-arrow brand,
and calc1ated to wurm the cookies OF
any man what is man.
Il dare say you know more about the
iDs and outs Of the Egyptian AFFAIR oi
's2 than do. An ordinary able-bodied
seaman don't go into no question OF
polytics. He leaves that to the OH
GERS. All I knew was that there was
q row on about a cove what called him
self sAlibi Pasha,' or some sich outla nd
ish name They are all 'Pashas' ont il
Egypt, excepting a few copper-colored
chaps who goes by the names OF
.Shrieks' and 'Cakes'-I hear our Tom
mics have been making 'em groan BIT
lately-just the same us everyone is
count or markiss in Italy, and kernal
in America.
As usual, England and France was
mixed up in the scrimmage. l was
serving aboard the Thunderer at that
time, and we was stewing at Malta
when the welcome order came for uf
to proceed south with all speed. We
men knowed there was something
brewing by the eager way the officers
talked to one another, and We conclud-
ed it must be serious by the extra cut
lass and gun drill we had to do.
I'VE reached Alexandria in time tc
take part in the bombardment; but
OF course, you know all about that
Poor devils! It warn't such fun fol
us. They had some very good guns
but they were badly served. and aftel
the first half hour they were nearly al
silent, only just splitting occasionally
Eve stood on and knocked all their
old forts and moskies to smithereens
setting a good part of the town aflrs
before they would give in. Then, wheE
the signal TO cease fire was flying, AND
L was reckoning 10 enjoy rest, bt
blowed If l warn't ordered to join =
short party which the admiral was
sending to put out the flames our guns
had caused.
ut warn't no joke, can tell you, tc
have to work in binding smoke pulling
down the old houses and temples, sc
that the fire should not spread, special
II as some Of the cowardly riff-raff were
taking pot-shots at us from the mar
row streets all the time. There we was
elaving away, with the perspiratior
dropping of us and our parched
tongues hanging out of our mouths
and not a blessed drop Of nothing te
drink all the time.
presently I felt some one touch my
arm. Turning. saw young Lieut.. Gra
hame with his face as white as chalk
that is, as far as could see through
the smoke and dirt with which he was
grimed. Saunders, says he, come
along Of me at once; that is. II you're
man. I've got permission. and there's
E10 for you If we find her.
".Ay. ay, SIR says I, wondering WHIT
we were to find. but knowing my bet
ters too well to ask questions. and be-
ing only too glad to get out of that he'll
OF smoke and flames.
"The captain-leastwise.h he was only
lieutenant then-snatched up broad
service cutlass. and we started at dog
trot into the thicker part of the town
II can tell you it was no bloomin
picnic, even at the start. The streets
we're narrow and quite bewildering
and the further we got from our men
the worse did it become. On every side
we saw scowling yellow faces peeping
at us from the windows and roofs of the
tall houses. You see. we had not yet
occupied the place, and 1t was full Of tn,
defeated Egyptians and worse scum
always SO plentiful in these foreign
stiles. Just by way of change, every
now and then we heard the ping OF Z
bullet rs it dew past our ears. and Ill
The time We knew IL would be just q
.asy 10 force . rat out Of his hole as "a
try and discover the rascals who nfed
It us. hidden ausx - they were in the