The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1903-11-06

kfveas the Tedious Hours of saiiors
While ON Voyages of Great
Length.


"You are invited to musicale on the
ship Orinoco, in Erie Basin, Friday even
ing, August %"
A number of persons responded to this
invitation cheerfully, for they knew tk
captain very well, relates the New Yor1
Times. He had been in the South Amer
lean trade to this port for numbero
years, married Brooklyn girl, ane
made money for the owners of his shiI
in spite of the number of steamers thai
bore down upon him. The mate received
the guests at the gangway, and the cheer
full captain and his wife did duty below
The captain displayed with pride new
piano presented by the owners, a beauu
full piece of polished mahogany, with
works of the best construction; plane
that he said would not move from it,
bearings if the ship turned turtle.
The captain further explained that h'
put aboard cheaper piano at the reques'
of his wife when they were married
Sailors love music, and the good enecu
of it were so apparent on the crew tina
the owners had decided to put them OF
all their sailing vessels, beginning witt
his. 1t is nothing surprising these day.
to~hear a piano on a good sailing ship
he said why, only the other day
heard the strains of piano coming from
an old canal boat over there"
When the musicale began the captain
his wife accompanying, sang in round
and pleasant voice Tosti's "Good-Dy.
Then the mate, with the same accom-.
PIANIST, played melodies Of South Amer
ica that seemed to make the ship roll ant
bow to the waves under the southern
moon. The effect of a combination like
that in a Fifth avenue drawing room
would be electric. A purser from South
American steamer anchored in the basin
played a horn solo, The captains wife
sang songs of the Amazon women. as she
had pictured them in her voyages, aHc
then came a rousing glee by the crew.
cit is rare thing now" said the cap
tain, "to find a sailing ship without 8
piano, especially If she belongs to good
line. Ocean liners haven't any monopoly
in that business, by a good deal. How
often do you find tramp or freight line
steamer with a piano! Women II
Orinoco get New York songs sooner thar
many of our American towns do. They
are very quick to play by ear, and some
of them copy from my wife's music and
from that of the wives Of other captains
When I got there on my last voyage
heard everybody singing: The Goot
Old Summer Time They caught ths
contagion from Liverpool vessel.
81 invite my men to come into ths
cabin when off watch and make use o.
the piano. All sailors on long voyage
have much spare time that they donr
know what to do with. They loll in the
fo'cssle and play cards. They smoke
more than Is good for them. Some o
my crew do that still, in spite of the
piano, but the most of them are in the
cabin whenever they can get there, sing.
ing and playing. They organized the
glee club, didn't. We have man who
can play the concertina, and another
who can do wonders with an old flute
that he bought in South street junB
shop 80 years ago.
Another thing-a sailor, like any
man, is more careful in his personal ap
pearance if he knows he is to appear with
lady. 1t is wholesome thing. in my
opinion, for captain to take his wife
| to sea-"