Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-05-21
THE MERMAIDAND
THE SCHOONER


The following clever yarn" was written
By sidney Greenfield. a Harvard student
The story was written per order as part Of
Mr.. Greenhe!d's initiation TO the stan Of
the Harvard Advocate II had 10 be fin
isheG ia a specified time written about a
specified atmosphere. and be funny How
wen Mr.. Greenfield surmounted the dlf-
hcultles Is left 10 the reader.-Editor
"nAN'L, Dan1 I'm afraid you're a
Lillian" said the first old salt 10 the
second old salt, regretfully. 1T don't
taste right 70 call you that when I'm
a-drinllin' your good beer. but jest the
same, no mermaid never talked-not
even a she-mermaid."
well. all mermaids is she-ones,"
grumbled old salt No. 2, IAN wot do
+ you know about mermaids. anyhow"
"oh, not much, not much, Dan1. but
knowed one onct, an she never talked
all the time | knowed her she never
said word--iest smiled sorter sweet,
like ! would IL you was to order pot
Of arf-an'-arf."
Danl ignored the hint.
wen ae was A-NtAAAA Nbuf NNnb
on the old man, II knowed her when
was ON the little Scud. 1t was like
this. We was in the Doldrums-not
even driftin', it was that hot--but the
cap'n alters kept lookout at the mast
head. He said !. was safer, an, be-
sides, it shaded the deck some. Why,
he useter foller the shadder all over
a-tryin' to keep cool The lookout |
he said t wasn't fair 10 put him any |
nearer the sun, and he alters squirmed
lot, SOS to make his shadder wiggly |
an hard to foller round.
zone day it was jest noontime, an
the cap'n was gettin' mad, cause the
shadder ran right down the mast, an
the deck was SO hot he couldn't sit on
il, when George Che was the lookout
yelled down, a-wavin' lis hand:
Mermaid ahoy, on the port bowl
"'Wot's thatg says the cap'n, sar-
castle like, 'where'd you get your
Ticker, George?'
But George he yells the same thing
agin.
"'ow do you know it's a mermaidT
inquired the cap'n.
"'By her elo'es,. says George.
"'Wot's she got on?' says the cap'n
agin.
George he shippers a little-'Mostly
blue serge, cap'n,' he says.
"The cap'n gets his glass, an soon
we all sees her. She sure was a peach.
Long, easy strokes she was takin', an
all the time a-smilin' an a-combin' of
her wavy yaller hair. We seen George
was rightabouther clo'es. AFTER awhile c
she gets up reel close, an George he
,alls out:
"'Cap'n, / wanter come down often
he masthead
" L order you to stay, says the cap'n, /,
here's enough on deck already An !
he glares round at us fierce like. Go
below, ALL says he. this is a deficit
natter, an / must talk with the lady
n private $
$50 over the rail he leans an gives
Ter wot he thought was faseinatin' q
mile.
Don't be afeard, my dear he says. a
| got a purity little gal at home wot t.
ooks like you p
"'You amt says the cook, she a
ave yerl' II
AGO below, sir. an mind your own s.
,isness,' Numbered the cap'n. An you p
o too, saml,' he yells at me. u
II can't cap'n,' | says, as she was
-smilin' bewichin'ly at me. Il RELY got
er swob the deck
But il warn't no use, an down l d
ed ter 60. We was all down in the
o'c'sle a-cursin' him. when down
ONES George, all in heap, an we
cen the cap'n's boot sirouetted agenst r.,
he sky.
Boys says George, when he was y
imself agen. its simply outragis- g
hats wot it IS. / was a-settin' on the ..
lasthead an she a-smilin' up at me, 81
st like a stained-glass winder, so wot ID,
ould l do but smile back? The cap'n ! :,
e seen me. George" says he, reel =
oft. "come down here. George, an -
clip me talk TO the lady" Wen l :, n
OF down he grabbed me by the neck !,
n kicked me down the hatch, ike you y
zen. Take that" he says, fer fiirt-
ig."'
while we was all sympathizin' with OF
gorge cook he sneaked up to the hatch G.
n peeled out at the cap'n. eI
" 'Wot's the old man doing we asks, "
5 he come back sudden 81