The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-04-02
FALLING BAROMETER.
It Foretold Storm. but not of the Regula-
ton Kind.
Hippincott's.)

1t is seldom enough that junior officer
finds himself in a position of advantage
with q senior who inclines to- be tyraa-
nic0l, but sometimes the unexpected does
happen, witness the following incident:
Years ago, before sails gave way to
steam, one of our men-of-war went out
as flag ship to the Asiatic Station, carry
for her Captain.
The Captain stood in wholesome awe
of the Admiral, but revenged himself on
the younger officers, whose lives were
made burdensome to them in ways too
numerous mention.
Halfway across the Pacific, however,
something took place which changed his
conduct for the rest of the voyage.
+. 1t was a fine day, and the ship was
proceeding under full canvas before a light
breeze. The Captain, having exhausted
the possibilities for annoying the officer
Of the deck, strolled over to where the
mercurial barometer hung, and having
noted the position of The mercury, stood
idly lingering the little chamois-skin bag
that formed the bottom of the tube. Sud-
denly, to his horror, it gave way beneath
his fingers, and a shining stream of quick
silver poured out on the deck.
The Captain uttered an exclamation Of
dismay, and then glanced hastily around
TO see il anyone had observed his mishap.
The officer of the deck was pacing the
bridge, his eyes fixed on the horizon, and
to the Shippers relief, he saw no one else.
Calling up sweeper, he bade him clear
away the mercury that was quivering
along in the seams of the deck and was
turning away, resolved that this should
go down in the list of unexplained acct
dents, when a face with a distinct grin
upon it rose from behind gun ON the port
side. The face belonged TO a young watch
officer. who had evidently been taking in
the whole scene with a great deal of en-
joymcnt.
The Captain stood for a moment, unde-
cided whether to humble himself by ask
ing for silence on the part of his junior
officer, or, by confessing his clumsncss, to
expose himself 10 the cutting remarks GER
tain to be made by the Admiral.
But while he paused the power of de-
cision was taken from him. The cabin
door was flung open, and the Admiral ap-
peared on deck for his mornings allow
ance of fresh air. 1t was his habit always
to consult the barometer before ascending
to the poop-deck, and this he now pro-
ceeded to do, focusing his eyeglasses on
''set fair" whore he naturally expected to
see the mercury. With growing astonish-
ment his eye Travelled down the tube but
he did not wait to reach the bottom. Whir!-
ing about. his face red with excitement,
he shouted:
Call all hands, Captain. Take in all
sail! Secure the guns! We're going to
have hurricane,'
For while everything was in the wild
est hurry. Men swarmed up the rigging
ard over the decks, the Boatswain's wills
tie rising shrill above the scurry and clat-
ter Of feet.
In an incredibly short time the ship
rocked lazily up and down under bare
poles, while away to the distant skyline
the sea stretched sapphire blue, with here
and there a little, white billow ruffling its
peaceful surface.
All stood in attitudes Of expectation
waiting for the threatened storm, and the
Admiral, having done all in his power to
avert disaster, turned again to the barom-
eter TO ascertain the exact point to which
the mercury had fallen.
To his utter surprise his gaze explored
the tube to the bottom, and still no mer-
curry. Down at his feet, however, shone
/ few tell-tale globules which the sweeper
failed to gather up.
The Admiral stared at them for mo-
ment in awful silence, and then, indeed,
the storm broke.
w" he roared. wheeling round on
| the unhappy Captain, "some internal, Iub-
berry scoundrel has broken our mercurial