Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-09-17
THE MADMAN.
By K. 1.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

fuli sense of the phrase. She was well
differed and manned, and the treatment,
discipline and morale Of the whole ships
company were such as to make the yoy-
age a pleasant one.
joined her at Coquimbo, on the coast
of Chill, shipping simply for the run.
At Tongoy, where she received her first
installment OF cargo, man was shipped
who signed his name Edward Barry.
But Jack never goes as far the ships
articles to seek name for new ship
mate. From his grave. serious express
sion Of face and certain little peculiari-
ties of manner, Barry received the title
OF the, Parson;" and as Parson' was
he known and addressed thenceforth
Parson was a tall. muscular fellow and
good seaman. But he was moody and
reserved. acting very strangely at times,
so that the boys stood in fear Of hin and
the men shook their heads sagely de-
claring that Parsons ballast wasn't
properly slowed and that there was
something cranky" about him.
He would go aside from his watch
mates and walk the deck by himself for
hours together. sometimes tapping his
arms about and gesticulating furiously,
and again folding his hands behind his
back and marching with his face upturn-
ed to the sky.
He was also given 70 a sort of walk
ing sonnarhbrlism during his watches
below, and was likely to be found in the
most unlikely and out-of-the-way places
when Gallo at eight bells. Thus, it was
no uncommon thing to find that he had
while on several occasions he had been
discovered astride the flying jibboom
end. and once on the lee fore-yard arm.
But while acting under any direct or
der he was intelligent and willing, and
always respectful to his officer
slept under his bunk, instead of in it;
We had quick passage round the
Horn and had run down into the low
latitude on the Atlantic side. when one
night II was Parsons turnout wheel in
the middle watch, and he was not to be
found where every well-conducted sea-
man is supposed to be at such times
snoring Justify in his bunk. Search was
made for him at first without success,
until the boy Tonawauda $50 called
from the name of Philadelphia ship in
which he had sailed), looking over the
bows, discovered him riding the chain
bobstays, with his back against the surve
of the ships head and his long legs
dangling almost in the water.
Halloo. Parsonr l hailed, looking
over the head-sail
'Halloo back again. Is the watch
oalled?' ne inquired, in an absent way,
as if just waking.
yes. It's your turnout wheel, you
know"
"Ay ay; so It's" said he "An
right"
And climbing in between the knight
heads. he wcht stridirg aft with his head
thrown back and the point of his nose
erect IN AIR, answering not a word to
the Questions and remarks of his ship
mates. But we had all become accus-
toned TO see his eccentricities and had
nearly ceased TO regard them with fear
or anxiety. They furnished rather a
source of amusement to US.
'Loco," said little Chileno. Augustin
touching his own forehead with conf
cal leer.
"Ay, you may we'll say il" said old
Bolt. the man-o wars man. Hes the
loco-est chap that ever | was shipmate
with. That is TO say, he shifts his bal
last the oftenest; but he always rights
again
Presently the ship came flying up in
to the wind, with head-sails Stating.
All back, forward |" sang out Bolt.
Parsons star-gazing," he added. in a
lower tone
Mind your helm there, Parsou What
are you doing - shouted the mate.
lizard Up, quick, or you'll have her
The sentence was cut short by the
sound of a heavy fall. and the next mo-
meut tine ParSon, hatleSS. with his long
hair flying in the breeze. dashed among
use with a cleaning sheath knife clutch
ed in his hand
We needed 10 ask no questions.
single look was sufficient; we all
felt that we were in the presence Of
madman
We Involuntary shrank hack to give
hisl ROOM as he rushed through tn
group. Old Bolt received back-handed
cut IN the face from the sheath-knift
AuguStin measured his length on deck
under 4 blow from the swinging left
arm; the maniac cleared the windlass
at bound and leaped down the open
scuttle into the forecaStle.
There was no light burning below, for
we were on allowance of oil The par
son had as yet uttered no sound. but had
flashed among us like meteor. and then
vanished into the blackness of darkness.
where no one dared 10 follow him. We
Shuddered as we thought of our COM
rades OF the other watch sleeping be-
low.
The captain. as well as everyone else
in the cabin, had been reused BY the
unwonted sounds overhead. and had
found his way on deck to learn the
cause. Armed with all sorts of weap-
onS, We mustered forward in a sort OF
irregular phalanx, to beat the jungle
for the tiger, as the second mate. an
old East Indian cruiser. quantity EXPIRES
sed IL
Tonawanda. who had been slyiy lis
tening near tue Scutte, reported having
heard the sound OF someone nov ng the
fore-peak hatch; but after this ceased
all was still as the grave.
Steward bring = light here from the
cabin, said the captain. ct Won't do
10 SC down there IN the dark"
But al this moment one OF the men
below. disturbed BY the buSle. reused
up and crying What's tins row about?"
struck match and lighted the lamp.
Look cut, Jones = said half dozen
voices from the seck TOO. out for
ParSon; he's crazyr
"Parson he blaInedr' mu,tsred Jones.
with his ewes half open and oAat Of tenn
per at having his slumberS Interrupted.
don't see no Person. Why. Parson
relieved me at the whcei-hs 10 what's
the fore-peak seuttle of for