The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-05
Memphis (Tenn)

Memphis (Tenn.) Cor. New York Sun.
When the Unitel States monitor Arkansas
stopped here on her way down the river, on
the recent ante-June rise, after being mud
bound near the ancient town of Ste Gene
We've, No. for nearly a MONTH Vinegar
Bill, " who officially and in private is William
Kirky, one Of the ships apprentice seamen,
RECALLED the Memphisians with many tales
OF the sea. But his stories of the people who
the river and her stay at St. Louis during
the Worlds fair dedication ceremonies, were
the most entertaining. ~
All along the voyage UP from New Orleans,
point the monitor made a side trip, the in
landers piled the crew with questions some
Of which were peculiar. These inland peo-
pie look upon q war vessel much as they
might regard a monstrous meteorite dropped
from the skies; only once or so in a lifetime
co they see either, and they want to know all
about the the sky visitant or the fighting craft
These landlubbers are queer ones" said
Bill, taking hitch in his trousers. ''H list
me with steam winch If they don't know
kansas mudhole hog knows about the
wardroom Of the ship Alabama.
when a9. we anchored at Vicksburg long,
of tarred rope on end, came aboard and
hove to alongside the forrard turret and
looked up at the smokestack, which was
TO cut off eight feet of it to get under a
bridge in the Ohio river on our trip back
from Evansville.
says to me- that thar is the dad blamedest
mast I ever see on any ship, s. help me.
How do you uns hang the sails on that air
thing thing? Looks to me like it mount be big
"But the mistake the Kentucky country
man made while we were at Paducah,' con-
tinued Vinegar Bill, "shivered my timbers
for fair. He came aboard US with a KNOWN
air, if he was acquainted. He walked
around half an hour or so, gon' over the ship
three or four times, but lookin' mostly at
that part Of the vessel as If he expected some
thing to happen up there: Finally he came
around to me and said: Partner, Wien do
they call time nex'?'
said So, Hain't that yon the lghtin'
top?' he inquired. Sure, says l. WILL
says the Kentuekyian. then bain't you-ail
you mean?' / asked, supposin' the man
wanted us to fire the big guns for him. 4
mean come on this here steamboat to see
Iays Moa ahon to see It, De
sailors fight with the mitts on, an 1 wanted
to see hit done. So reckon as how it's about
time you-all was a-givin us few rounds
"Then I tumbled. The man thought the
fghtin' top was the ring where the sailors
had boxin'. Say, wouldn't that spike your
guns?"
Vinegar Bill was compelled just here to
turn AROUND anu graz Dy the nape Oh the neck
a young fellow from East Tennessee, who
was walking down a gangway.
Private quarters down there, sir,' said
Bill: sorry, sir, but it's orders
The Tennesseean regained his footing on
the gun deck after the seaman had set him
down, and remarked contemptuously:
"Well, III be switched clean often the
track II I didn't think this here house be-
longed to me an the rest Of Uncle Sans
folks. was goin. to see this buildin' from
garnet to cellar. / Just come down from the
roof, an If you-all hadn't stopped me- I'd
a ben down in the basement by this time"
boarded us at Cairo" Vinegar Bill resumed,
whine the youth had passed on "She asked
one of the boys how to get downstairs as
she called It.
There's hatch open forrard.' says the
sailor, II you want to go below, Sma-am
" The woman stared at him. The hatch is
OPEN he repeated