Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-07-01
SHORT STORY FOR
EVENING HOURS
BROCRIsG the CAPTAINS RUM

crossed Que leg over the other as he
seated himself on an upturned bucket
IN front of the furnace.
This life ashore. Jack. is certainl- |
killing me-" he said. Il need excite.
ment TO keep ME going. It's nice to
work for man like you, and taking |
care of u furnace is not what you'd !
cad strenuous. but ! certainly do miss
the days when was my own boss. as
well Ms that of thirty or forty other
people. Why" he continued, as he
settled himself FOR what ! saw was to
he a long story. Il never did anything
for myself after got far enough along
10 command my own ship. II used to
he beneath the dignity of frstclass
skipper to have any member of the
crew see him waiting on himself, and
] even made one high and mighty top
mar put the buttons in my shirt for
n month. Just TO show him was boss.
He'd been considerable sullen over
little matter or hOlystoning the deck
one morning. and wanted him to find
out what privilege II Is for q man to
do a mans work. Not that ! ever
had much trouble with my crews. We
pretty generally managed to get along
with one another after we'd been three
days ont and the sea air had cooled off
their shore heads That was because
] most generally kept the men happy
Giyc crew hot coffee when they turn
cut Tor the early watch. and a bit OF
grog once week. and they'll go to the
end OF the world and back for you.
No; I never had much trouble with
the crews. ! was terror with my
Captnins, though, when | was a mate"
The captain paused to sort some
clinkers from the ashes in front of
him. and then resumed his monologue:
Il used 10 ship with the Neville
Brothers. big merchants they were in
the early days. The home Offices were
in New York. but they had big square
riggers trading to every port of the
seven seas. ! was a pet OF the elder
Neyille's. through having served nm
as cabin hoy gu Que of his ships. They
pushed me ahead from cabin boy to
able seaman. and finally to the com.
mand Of their fastest packet. After
had been mate long enough to know
how TO handle my ship they kept me
pretty much all the time on vessels
commanded by old men they hadn't
the heart to bounce, but didn't put
much confidence In. That was the
kind of people they were.
We'll. maybe | didn't have some
gay old larks with those shippers
Why. Jack. will you believe IL. there
wasn't trip passed during fifteen
years Of my service, when | wasn't re.
ported for crimes on the high sea run.
ming all the way from INSTRUMENTATION
to open mutiny. After every report
I'D get my pay raised pretty regular.
There vas one old fellow they put
me with for Eve years steady running,
that ! had more trouble with than all
the rest together. He'd been with the
firm fifty years. boy and man, and
they hadn't the heart to lay him on.
The first time | was put aboard his
ship as first mate. Mr.. James Neville
he was the senior member OF the
firm-sent for me.
"'Mr. Jepson.' he said we are going
10 ship you with Captain Kettle. He
will be drunk from here TO Liverpool,
and We shall expect you to look out
for the ship
Sure enough. when the skipper
came aboard ne was very well fixed
indeed. I'D seen cask of rum ship.
ped to his cabin the day before, and
knew pretty well what to expect when
he wasn't on hand for dinner. We had
a terrible trip for the first five days
out. and the second mate and ! had
been standing watch and watch. hop.
ing against hope that the skipper
face outside his cabin door, though.
except TO call the steward to bring him
more rum. On the fifth day decided
ia stood enough, and pounded on the
old mans door until he opened II 10
see what was the matter.
~Tm tired out, and SO is the second
mate l said. You'll have to turn out
and stand watch
az am feeling under the weather,
he said, and don't wish TO be disturb
ed
AT that he slammed the door in my
face and locked II on the inside. | was
30 mad and tired could have killed
him us turned away. Right in front
OF his door, In the angle Of the com
panionway. stood his barrel of rum.
III fix you. said to myself as
caught sight OF II. turned the faucet
full on and slipped up the stairs as the
liquor began to run out on the floor.
II was waiting around the compan'
ion ladder pretty much all the after
noon. TO see how the old man was go
ing to take II. There wasn't a sound
from his cabin though, and decided
no must have found the liquor run.
ming and turned II off. About o'clock
I was standing by the wheel, when the
steward came aft. looking like sick
cat
"'Oh. Mr.. Jepson, he cried, what
am ] to dol What am to do? I've
u.Es L., har nd