Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-06-26

"You see," he explained, at is mat.
ter of self preservation. This French
admiral is making life burden for us.
Because we happen to be stranded
thousand miles from salt water he i'm
AGNES us capable of swallowing his
three masted lies. You must come down
and make him take water. Just heaye
to in the otfing until he gets well under
way and then cut him out. Crowd on
all sail and give him a run for his mon.
ey. When you have overhauled him
bring every gun to bear and squirt
broadside of gloom into his most vul-
nerable parts. You are the only man in
the State that is qualified to throw the
grapples into his rigging and board
him on equal terms. Remember, there
is to be no quarter. Make him strike
his colors or send him to the bottom.
OF course my words are only figura-
tive, but you can doubtless follow the
main drift of my remarks"
Now, | leave it to the most cold
blooded If amy one could withstand
such an appeal as that. No man Of
honor could hang back and see his fell
low countrymen put to shame by for
eign invader. Besides, there was every
indication of sport equal to an interna-
tional yacht race or a naval duel be-
tween two first class men-of-war.
Lead on" said; "this night will
deliver you from the jaw of the enc.
my"
When we eventually arrived at the
club the Frenchman had already hoist
ed his mainsail and was heading for
open water. At my entrance every one
smiled save the admiral He held to
his course and minded not the secret
signals which passed between the men,
bers. If remember correctly he was
loaded with rum and teakwood and
had half the crew down with scurvy.
waited until he had drifted for three
days. without a cloud in the sky and
the sea like huge shield of FURNISHED
brass. Then Bradlee gave me the wink.
Sand no one," l said, "can better ap-
preciate such a situation than myself
l have lived through it day by day,
hour by hour, minute by minute On
Feb. 49,
Just then the Frenchman made a
noise in his little black beard which
sounded like the explosion of wet
firecracker. He cleared his throat, he
stamped his foot, he said things which
are fortunately untranslatable. 1t was
all to no purpose. By that time was
in latitude 80 degrees and some min
utes, and the most terrible storm
which had ever visited the southern
hemisphere had just sheared off oul
masts like so many pipestems. Seeing
that he was clearly outclassed, the ad
miral relapsed into an armchair anC
never again opened his lips until the
crew of the Gloucester whaler pulled
the German passenger off the metalli,
life raft and threw the first mates
| thigh bone to the sharks.
Then the little man sprang up.
Yer good" he cried approvingly-
"ver' good and absolute true! But Vol
mistake in this-ze passenger wa,
French, not German"
briggs laughed boisterously A few
OF the members Joined in his Ill timed
mirth. But 1 still had round sho
left in my locker
You are laboring under delusion
Sir" l replied, without so much a.
! glancing in his direction "There is n,
question as to the passengers nation
atty. was that passenger"
Upon this the Frenchman whipped
out an official looking document, al
covered with seals and red tape an(
scrawly writing.
Gentlemen said he, with forcet
I calmness, "will you have the beneyo
lence to read of suchY