Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-08-01
NUMBER 81.
We're not going to stay here and be

ment the mutinous firemen were shout
ing. But they could not seem to out
argue the swinging bar Of steel which
defended the only available means Of
exit.
"Stoke upv' continued the red neck
clothed giant, whom one Of the others
had addressed as Patsey. "Its shame
and not towards this ship nades. Stoke
up he repeated in furious tones, "or
I'll brain We one by one. Faix, yell
drown anyway. above or below, II the
ship goes down, so We moight as well
run your chance here and save me u.s.
in up my strength In putin the bit Of
stale on ye. Stoke up, byes! It's bether
to die workin' than Whist! Who's
calm me"
"Patseyw once again feebly ejacu-
lated the sadly battered Mortimer.
"Howly mither. 'Tis one OF the Off
chers maxim social call on the loikes
Of u.s." cried the big stoker.
"Hould yer hush, byes, while I con-
varse wild him."
So saying and still keeping watch
ful eye upon the little knot Of badly
stampeded coal beavers, Patsey came
and stopped down alongside OF the
PROSTATE lieutenant
"Roight We are, sir" he replied to
the hurried whispering Of Mortimer.
Its yersilf that
The rest of his sentence was lost in
another lurch OF the badly mauled
ship, accompanied by the reverbera-
tlons OF the heavy cannOnading, in
creased thousandfold by the conduc-
tivity of the steel decks overhead.
"Niver mind the coal, byes" shouted
the giant eXuberantly. vet making no
move toward relinquishing his formi-
dable weapon. "In wild the margency
sthuff! And may the saints in hivin
help the man that gets to worruk lasht
Of all" he added piously.
Partly from habit. a little by reason
of shame, but mostly through the de-
sire of evading the certainty Of Pat
sey's terrible blows, the stokers now
stuffed their furnaces with that mys-
terious compound Of cotton waste, oil,
resin. and what not. known as ''emcr-
scncy fuel" Its effect was IT one
apparent. The stc"EI gauges fairy
lnaDcd, while the Intensely hot haE'S
belched outward in spite Of latchcl
doors and licked the meal ceilings for
half their breadth.
Staf - stl
meath the shock of tie enamy'i can
nonade.
WHAT'S the matter wild our gun
ners:" suddenly Gcman I'd one OF the
most unruly workers. they've scarce
ly fired at all. and we've been takin'
rounds by the nn'ircd.'
ITS diShab,ed all our peppers be.
darl.nt," cried Patsey joyously, 50 we
are goin' to ram tie blo1dhy onid
With howl like Il pack vi hungry
wolves. the tircmcn ruihed in body
for the ladder of exit.
"Rhun fur all yer worth, bycs,' COM
men,cd Patsey, half under his breath.
as he leaned upon his weapon and
made no further effort toward restrain
ing them. Its little | care now that
the sthame be up fur il she don sink
us-bad cess 10 her.-well do the thrlck
fur her, and it'll be more by the same
token II we don't both of us 20 to the
botham anyhow. Howly murther-that
ivcr | shoud"-
With the ..ound OF rendiDg plates and
crashing supers ,ru, tu;c', the ship heel
ed far over 10 port. tLcn r!glted ana
commenced 10 roll regularly from side
10 side Si6kcrS, patscy. the injured
lieutenant and all the debris Of the FUR
uare room wee thrown in single
hc.p with small regard for their per-
sonal convenience.
Ip in his coming tower Lieutenant
BercSford looked mournfully out
through the eye Sits.
1T seems cold blooded work, but
then they would play ducks and brakes
with my rifles" he murmured as he
noted the huge rent in the opposing bat
tleship's side, with the water pouring
into 1t like Il mill sluice. Then he
dashed hastily back through the over
tapping passageway that led out OF his
safe nook and gave the order, "All
hands to save life.'
But without boats, life buoys or even
ropes this matter was not capable or
being conducted very satisfactorily.
"Enemy's flagship has hauled down
ensign, and the others are following
her lead, sir" reported one Of the petty
officers.
Not till that instant did Beresford
notice the complete cessation OF the
cannonading. The battle was over, and
the American fleet had won the day.
Far different from the trinity painted
and polished, sp!ck AMI span craft
which had sailed away from port so
proudly and detiantly some few short
weeks ago were the cluster OF battered
and shattered steel hukS tossing and
walowing about in .he heavy sea.
But the saddrst scenes Of all were
within their ruined casemates and
had best not be described.
Hello remarked Hughes as he
picked his way among the dead and
wounded. What Oh earth has this
man got around him."
ITS Obadiah Todds, SIR" replied the
orderly, bringing his hand to the sa-
lutte 1T was his own invention. A
bullet proof coat, sir"
"Eh?" shifted the surgeon grim.y.
"And spent piece Of shot has rico
chetted from the deck and driven some
Of the body armor into his vitals. II
he had only been stripped like the rest
it would have been n simple confusion.
AS it is, the man is practically as dead
rs n doornail."
Upon the return to port of the Vic
torious American fleet number OF the
seamen and marines were made blind
drunk by well meaning but rather too
enthusiastic civilians. incidentally this
resulted I'm the dishonorable discharge
from the Unlted States service OF
red neckerchiefed stoker named Pat
sey.
WOmen's Clubs.
The British husband regards wOm-