Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-02-04

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trades, where the steady breeze made
1t seldom necessary to pull a o p or
to touch a sail. In that respect it was
almost like steamboating. Our dog
watches were never disturbed, and
every mans artistic ability as a story
teller was in full demand.
One evening the conversation turned
TO hard-case Yankee packets, of ships
where men take and give blows with
deadly intent. Each man told of the
buckle mates he had knoTn. and as al
mast every OILS mad known Dick
Hardy, or Black Jack, he and his mys-
ferrous fate became the principal sub
ject for discussion.
He was a bad 'un," commented
Kanaka Joe; blessed If he weren't.
I've known hard-case mates, but most
of 'em was on the square in a fight.
Black Jack weren't; he was a mucker;
he'd hit a mar when he was down."
"You bet," agreed another man;
"drownin' was too good fer him. He
should a been hamstrung first, then
hung by his arms in the main chains
an then billed in a pot J. tar"
Here each man gave his idea of a
fitting end for Black Jack, and some
were quite ingenious. That is, all did
SO except Happy Steve. He only
laughed immediately as each man
presented his method.
Come, Steve" said Kanaka Joe,
chow would you have him cooked?"
Steve laughed uproariously, while his
mates grinned in anticipation of a par
ticularly funny account of an imaginary
death for Black Jack. But Steve's
laughter increased; his face was red
with suppressed merriment.
Come, Steve" said a cockney sailor,
encouragingly, Tets ave the joke;
don't be a-keepin' it all to yerself."
"Why we blessed galoots," chortled
Steve at last, Il could tell we a story of
Black Jack as would make yer eyes
water, Here you chaps is a talkin' of
Black Jack, with me here as could tell
We more about him than any man liv-
in" And Steve shook with keen ap-
probation of the humor of it.
well why don't you tell us?" sug-
gested the cockney.
WELL" painted Steve, between
spasms, "seein' as how l am with a
crowd as can appreciate the funny side
Ola good story, am goin' to oblige ye.
"Ye see, ~fellers, l was bos'n's mate
of the Southern Cross the trip Black
Jack croaked."
well, | be hanged" calculated sew
eral of the men together.
Steve chuckled at the establishment
in their faces.
"You bet" he continued, IAN | I'm
the boy as can tell We a few things
about that trip.
I'VE left Liverpool for Frisco with
general cargo an a crowd O. green
cockneys aboard as didn't know the
spanker boom from a marlin spike.
Naturally, Black Jack piled into 'em
before we got clear of Ushant light,
an the scuppers was red with blood
night an day.
well, about five days out we struck
a bit of nasty weather, an one night
all hands was up aloft reefin' the fore
upper topsail. Black Jack was up
there in the bunt lookin' arter the job.
1T so happened as l was next to
him, but he didn't know it was me.
Well, something happened to rifle him,
and first thing I knew he landed on
my jaw an nearly sent me down on
deck. Fancy him takin' me for a blast
ed limejuicer."
Steve stopped for a moment to thor
oughly enjoy Black Jacks mistake.
WELL" he continued, when his
laughter had subsidized, when we got
down l told him as how he had hit me
by mistake. But, blast me, he didn't
see the joke.
Good for ye,' seq he.
well, naturally, that kind o. riled
me, bein' taken for a bloomin' green.
horn, an l told Black Jack right then
as how I'd fix him in Frisco. Upon
which he fetches me an upper cut that
sends me down to leeward into the
scuppers.
well, things went along that way
until we got down into the trades, an
one night a funny idea struck ME as I
was a-pacin' the deck. Ye remember,
Black Jack was bow-legged, an I was
larfin' to myself, wonderin' how he'd
look swimmin' with them bow legs.
Ever see a bowAlegged man swim?
Funniest thing yet. But Black Jack
was the bow-leggedest man We ever
see.
THAT idea stuck to me for a long
time, an whenever I'd think of it.
night or day, I'd larf. | was Just
a-hankerin' to see Black Jack swim
with them bow legs O. his a-waggin'
behind.
Zone night, in the middle watch, the
chap at the wheel wanted to be re-
lieved a few minutes, so l went and
took the wheel while he went ford.
Black Jack was pacin' the poop slowly,
it bein' a sultry night. Pretty soon he
goes up to the weather rail and leans
agin it, kind O. sleepy.
well ~fellers, them legs O. his never
looked so bowed as they did then. L
could already fancy him kickin' them
out as he was sWimmin'
THE more | thought, the stronger
idea got. Thinks I to myself,
here's a man wot makes the world all
The worse for bein' in it; why not give
lin a boost into a better world?'
AN / thinks O. the easy times wot
would come to the poor chaps ford
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