The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-10-30
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ES = any Olle duuOuuCeu Ill IuG cap
"a tains' room at Hallett's that a
man could leave that sanctum
shortly before turning out time
and be forthwith kidnapped in the open
streets of South Shields, every master
mariner within hearing would have
put him down contemptuously as
gratuitous liar. All opinions in the
captains room were expressed strong
ly and with due maritime force Of Ian
guage.
The place seemed to it's frequenters
the embodiment of LONELINESS and Sc
curity. There was faint smell of var
nish in the atmosphere and always had
been within the memory of the oldest
habitue, and shipmasters came back to
the odor with a sigh of pleasure, as
men Go return to the neighborhood of
an old and unobtrusive friend. Captains
met in that room who traded in all
parts of the globe, talked and soon
found acquaintances in common. It
was sort of informal club, with no
subscription and an unlimited member
ship. The holding of masters stick
et'' was the only entrance qualification,
and it was not considered polite to ask
your neighbor whether he was at.that
moment in or out of employment.
If you were a genuine master mari
ner, but of an unclubbable disposition,
you did not go to the captains room at
Hallett's a second time, and always
made point of getting rather red and
speakings.of it rather conte1nptuously;
when the place was mentioned after
ward. If you did not hold Il masters
ticket, even if you were that dashing,
thing, a newly fledged mate, the bar
maiden on guard spotted you on the
instant and said, THAT door is pri-
vate," and directed you to the smoke
room down the passage.
Into this exclusive chamber Captain
Owen Kettle had made his way that
day after tea and over two modest half
pints of bitter beer had done his share
In the talk and listening from till
1890 of the clock. He had exchanged
views with other shipmasters on car
goes, crews. assurances, climates and
those other professional matters which
the profane world not in the shipping
interest finds so dreary, and had been
listened to with Difference. He was a
man who commanded attention, and,
though you might not like what he
said, you would not dream of refusing
to listen to it.
That special night, however, Captain
Kettles personal views on maritime af-
fairs were listened to with even more
Difference than usual. A large, red
haired man swung into the captains
room some few minutes after Captain
Kettle had seated himself, and after or
dering his beverage and a cigar nodded
with a whimsical smile in Kettles di-
rection and asked him how he liked the
neighborhood of Valparaiso as a resi-
dence.
81 forget" said the little sailor, dryly
enough.
"All right, captain" said the red
haired man. "Don't you mind me. I
never remember too much myself
either. Only you did me good turn
out there, although you probably don't
know it, and I'd be proud if you'd have
drink or smoke with me now in re-
membrance."
you're very polite, captain"
'Don't mention it. captain" said the
red haired man, and he struck the bell.
Same? Half pint of bitter, please,
miss, and one of your best fourpenny
smokes"
The general talk of the captains
room, which had halted for the mo-
ment. went on again. One worthy
mariner had recently failed to show a
clean bill of health in Barcelona and
had been sent to do twenty days pen
ance at the quarantine station, which
is in Port Mahon, Minorca. AS natu-
raj consequence, he wanted to give his
views on Spain and Spanish govern
ment with length and bitterness, but
somehow the opportunity was denied
him. The red haired man put in a SEN
tence or two and question, and it was
Kettles views on the question to which
the captains room found itself listen
ing. A salvage matter was brought up
| by stout gentleman in the Baltic tim
Der trade who was anxious to air his
sentiments, but the red haired man
skillfully interviewed, and "Kettle on
salvage" was asked for and heard.
And so on all through the evening.
/ The red haired man did his work clev-
erly, and no Que resented it.
Now, Kettle was a man who liked
being listened to, and there is no doubt
that his vanity was tickled by all this
Difference from his professional equals.
There is no doubt also that the snug
security of Hallett's lulled his usual
sense of wariness, which may in part
account for what happened afterward.
And so, without further excuse for
him, it is my painful duty to record
that an hour after he left the captains
| room the little sailor was entrapped
and kidnapped by what to a man of his
knowledge was one of the most vulgar
of artifices.
He emptied his tumbler, stood up and
said he must be going. The red haired
man looked at the round cabin clock
on the wall and mentioned that it was
his time also, and together they went
outside into the damp. dark main
street of South Shields.
Going back to your ship, captainP r
asked the big stranger.