The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-10-19
By w. L,
Alden.

! and ~ThompsOnN told the Old man that the
Methodist certificate wasn't any good. and
that he didn't recognize him. as a clergy
man OF any sort. Smedley didn't ike this
state or things. but he couldn't help him
self. and he vas bound TO keep in with
ThOmpsin' every time. so as 10 run clear or
the lawsuit that Thompson swore he was
going 10 bring against everybody concerned
in shanghaing him.
The day before we sighted Sandy Hook
the old man SAYS TO me: Mr.. Foster. I'm
! glad TO say thai Mr.. Wilson has given me
his word that he won't sue either you or
me"
You're talking Of Thompson. sir. OF
course. SAYS ], being middling mad at the
mans. cheek in promising not TO sue me. as
n I had had anything 10 do with shans-
haing him. You're sure, I suppose, that
he Is 4 clergyman"
Certain surer' says Smedley. And
what's more. I've a great deal Of respect
for the man, considering how nobly he
has borne the outrageous treatment OF the
men who shanghaied him
"WeIlr' says /. its no business OF mine.
but 1 shall always have my doubts about
Thompson, unless ! see him In the pulpit
or the church that he says he's master Of
that night we got into New York and.
as we were towing up the bay 10 an an.
choTage for the night. I heard a row in
the cabin. The second mate was on deck.
Is We'll as tue HllQLs ~ 4 JAAAAktA htApN ~
see what was the matter. There was Smed-
ley lying on his back in the middle OF the
saloon. with Thompson sitting on him and
singing a %profane song. and keeping umoI
by hitting Smedley on the nose. The stew
ard and the second steward were looking
on through a crack in a staterOom door.
too much scared TO call for help. and the
Methodist minister was locked In his room
and was yelling blue murder through the
vendlAtor. (
I hauled Thompson on. FOR I was prettyt
strong in those days and the liquor that the
ginning TO get into his legs 1 never yet
heard a man swear as he did while l was
locking him up in his room. though Id been
10 sea for twenty years and passed most
OF that time In the Blackbail Line Smec-
lev vas seriously injured. 50 the steward
and I nat sticking plaster on him and put
him in his berth. where ne stopped FOR
the next twenty-four hours.
Thompson. by the captains orders. was
allowed TO &c ashore the next morning.
He was sober enough then. and had
changed sis parsons logs for his sailor
ciotbes. He went ashore as smiling and
a. iupudent as you choose The old man
was in hopes that II he didn't have tho
fellow arrested he wouldn't spread the story
~ how he mad made a fool Of a R~lackhaiI.
captain and got a free passage in the first
cabin. But Thompson would to a certainty
have told the story in every sailor board
IN New York II il hadn't been
that he was arrested within an hour after
he went ashore. on a charge OF having
an old cOuntryman OF $1,000 by the
confidence game. You see. although he had
been a sailor when he was younger. he was
the leading confidence man in New York
AMI the biggest scOundrel unhung. ] evec
knew whether he had been s~hanghaied. or
'vhetP-rthat was all a pretense. Anyhow,
he played smart game on Smedley. and
after that II any man wanted to make the
old man mad all he had TO do was to asly
HIM abDut mis- friend. the Reverend Lame
Wilson Smedley would heave a lumber
or a bottle or a Delaying pin or anything
that came handy at his best friend n sucS
a question was love At him