Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-31

loudly commanding that the cook stop the
morning coffee until further orders. The
cook came to the door with a ten-inch cary
ing knife Look heah," he said, with
sparkling eyes. II know you, YOU no
count white mar. My father used to go
into the forest an kill gorillas like YOU
fore the traders got him. ! was a slave
u l was big 'nough TO run way. Then
Killed an overseer IKE you. Now I'm an
American. You heah me? I'm an Ameri-
can. l signed heah to cook for all hands
an give EN- coffee at turn-to. I'm goin to
do it. / sharpened This knife the day YOU
Joined an I've kept it sharp. If YOU run
foul o me, I'll cut you into little bits. You
heah me?'
The officer heard. and understood He
went aft for revolver and the cook fol-
lowed to the cabin door with the knife, and
met him when he appeared. But the pis-
TO! did not leave his pocket. The cook
was as large a man as himself, and there
was an earnest look In his sparkling ewes
Ihat dominated other influences. SO the
days work began without disturbance
FROM this on, though he carried his re-
Voiver oStcntatiously for the cooks benefit
and cursed the men explosively night ana
day, he oheyed Capt. Haskins' injunction;
until the last day of the passage he struck
n" man. But in the case of George no
longer exempt. the vocal abuse had the
effect of reducing him to a state of chronic
terror, which found expression In a will
llngness to betray 20 Mr.. Arbuckle all that
was said in the fOrecastle in the hope of
mndlng favor with him. The mate would
listen, of course, and abate none of his
contempt for the informcr while the crew,
easily surmising the object of the nightly
discourse al the weather main rigging made
me 1t burden to George in the watch be-
lew Never too wholesome In his attitude
toward his fellow men, he welded 10 the
pressure. and became an illogical irrcspon-
sibie animal. Never TOO cieaniy in his per
sonal habits. he became an offense to the
eye and nostril, and this induced the mate
10 Apply heroic Ja h
with buckets of water in the morning
washing down of the deck, and this NOT
aEalIns, he collared him one dark night
when he had crept aft with a new tale
marched him TO the taffraiI and in snite at
MS screams, tied him to the end of the
mainsheet and lowered him over the stern.
stacking away until the poor wretch was
immersed to his waist Occasionally lift
Ing sea would bury him. smetberine his
cries; then, as the stern arose, he would
uansle, dripping and gasping, from the ND
right rope until another sea came to over
Whelm him. Mr.. Arbucklo watched from
the tafrail, and might havo pulled him in
alter he was presumably cleaner; but q
sudden squall and shift of wind renuire5
nus attention and the work of the watch
below for two hours, during which George
remained overheard. forgotten by all Int
the man at the wheel. At last it was Mar
tln, barely recovered from his beating. who
informed Mr.. Arhuckle that If he did not
hoist George aboard he would becket tho
wheel and call the captain which induced
the officer to curse Martin luridly but as
secondary consideration, to rescue the
Involuntary bather. George would not talk
when he was pulled In He smiled volu
mnously In the light from the pinnacle and
muttered incoherently, but would not talk
IN spite OF the stern command of the mate
10 tell how he felt and to state his future
intentions with regard to soap and water.
Ihey led him forward, where his Mortified
shipmates stripped and put him in his bunk
10 drivel himself into the sleep of utter
exhaustion and idiocy. He awakened twelve
hours later and, though he still gibbered
~heh spoken to-often repeating the words
OF the speaker-he showed no sign of brain.
m ,h or soul behind the words. They found
mat he could pull rope If put in his
hands, and would Delay when told He
could not be trusted at the wheel but
learned to express himself on seeing a light
ana became available on the lookout, If
properly watched he could paint, tar down
tiSging, sweep and scrub the deck but
couid DO no work requiring the Intelligence
OF pack-mule. Yet, in spite Of the en-
pareo on his tongue, he could sing the
soEss ne had known in a soft. plaintive
voice Whlch moved these rough mon in
ears ana In spite of the terrible experiences
tnat hao wrecked his mind he DISPLAYED NO
more rear OF Mr. Arbuckle; he never avoid
ca MN. out would smile into his face with
me innocent candor of babe,
what Mr.: Arbuckle thought Of his hand,-
Molh FOUND no expression in his manner or
discourse. He was still the strict. arhitra.
~, profane critic OF the crew that he was
petore What Capt. Haskins thought could
De surmised by the fact that he spoke No
more 10 his mate, and entered the incidene
IN dis Official log. The men were less guard.