The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-02-11


shipmates looked black and swore.
Steve could swear, too, but he did II
| in such q humorous way that the foul
| words on his lips lost their worst sig
nificance. Even when he had a grow
with the captain it usually ended with
! the captains laughing and granting
; the demand.
Usually an optimist is not a favOrite
, in ships forecastle, but Steve could
give everything such humorous turn
that his shipmates would laugh in
spite of themselves. During the second
dog watch he kept the men in contin-
uous roar of laughter with his tales
! OF past exploits.
We had passed the doldrums and
,, were well down into the southeast
trades, where the steady breeze made
it seldom necessary to pull a rope or
to touch sail. In that respect il was
almost like steamboating. Our dog
watches were never disturbed. and
every mans artistic ability as story
teller was in full demand.
One evening the conversation turned
10 hard-case Yankee packets, of ships
where men tale and give blows with
deadly intent. Each man told of the
bucko mates he had known, and as al
most every one had known Dick
Hardy, Or Black Jack, he and his mys-
FERROUS fate became the principal sub
ject for discussion.
He was bad 'un, commented
kanaka Joe; blessed if he weren't.
I've known harG-case mates, but most
Black Jack weren't; he was mucker;
he'd hit man 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 O 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 immoderately as each man
presented his method.
Come, Steve" said Kanaka Joe.
how would you have him cooked"
Steve laughed uDroal iously, while his
mates grinned in anticipation of palN
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 cOckney sailor,
encouragingly, lets ave the joke;
cont be a-Heepin' it all to yerself.
Why, ye blessed galoots," chortled
Steve at last, Il could tell We 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 Eeen 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
of good story, am goin' to oblige We.
Eye see, fellers, was bos'n's mate
of the Southern Cross the trip Black
Jack crOaked."
We'll, | be hanged" calculated sew
eral of the men together.
Steve chuckled at the establishment
in their faces.
You bet he continued AN | am
the boy as can tell ye a few things
about that trip.
1--WE left Liverpool for Frisco with
general cargo an crowd O green
cockneys aboard as didn't know the
spanker boom from a marlin spike.
Naturally, Black Jack piled into EN-
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.
ut so happened as I was next to
him, but he didn't know it was me-
Well, something happened to rifle him,
and first thing 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 I told him as how he had hit me
by mistake. But, blast me, he didn't
see the joke.
Good for ye,' seq ne.
well, naturally, that kind O riled
me, bein' taken for bloomin' green
horn, an 1 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 funny idea struck me as
was a-pacin' the deck. Ye remember,
Black Jack was bow-legged, an l was
larfin' to myself, wonderin' how he'd
look swimmin' with them bow legs.
Ever see a bow-legged man swim?
Funniest thing yet. But Black Jack
ha ho,