St. Tammany farmer., 1906-11-03

seDh B. Bowles.)
who seemed to be of different cut
from most of them Dagoes. ! knew he
was a Rooshian the minute set eyes
on him. He had the same beard that
every one of 'em has, including the
car and all the rest. OF course,
stood ready with the old musket in my
hands and the flag Of freedom flutter
ing just above my Sunday hat. I was
prepared to repel boarders, but tht
boat stopped when she was in good
hailing distance and the chap in the
stern stood up and shouted to me IN
English. d.
! els re gentleman he says, that
has re honor to address, ze captain Of
ze schooner
Il turns to the Rooshian and in an
swer to his question I says briefly:
I be- You see at that stage of the
game / didn't propose to waste no
words and say something might be
sorry for afterward. Thereupon tho
man in the boat begins again.
"1 have re honor to inform re cap.
tain,' he says, I have re honor to in
form ze captain (meaning me, you un-
derstand) zat ze submarine boat to
which re captain has made fast during
re night Is in my charge. I present
my compliments to ze captain, and re-
quest that he will delivaire re sub
marine boat to me, its rightful pos
sessor.'
Well, now,' said, I have the hon.
or to inform you'-by Jehookibus, we
can be just as polite down in Friend
ship, Maine, as any foreigner that ever
sailed the Seven Seas-so sez to him,
I have the honor to inform you that
having found the aforesaid submarine
derelick on the high seas. I, Solomon
B. Peabbles, of the town of Friendship,
in the grand old state OF Maine, have
legally taken possession Of the said
derelick, and anybody desiring to
prove claims can do so by appearing
before the proper authorities in the
courts of this great and glorious coun-
try
And then by way of wind-up just
shouted at him, so that he would know
that l knew what was talking about,
And God save the United States Of
America!'
"Then the man in the boat spoke
once more.
Would re Captain Pibbles nego-
tiate as between friends without tak.
ing ze matter into ze courts?'
"Thet's where them foreign chaps
has the advantage Of us. They're
mighty smooth spoken. OF course, he
see the game from the start l met
him halfway; but I warn't taking no
chances. So I seq to Bill: You get
aboard this craft and keep the flag
a-flying while I receive this gent on
the Polly p
when we'd changed places, seq
to the Rooshian: Step aboard I SEE,
and he warn't slow about stepping. I
showed him into the cabin and we set
down. He begun his little chanty the
he got aboard, but I stopped
him. There warn't going to be
northern irregular about them nego-
tiations.
Before we proceed sez, I must
respectfully remind you thet We didn't
let one of your visiting cards float
down on the tide
1T would pretty near killed you to
hev' seen him then. He bowed and
scraped like dancing master. Thou
sand pardons,' he sez, but is it neces.
sary thet reveal ze incognitto?
"'Well,' sez, you can keep that II
you want to, but guess ye'd better
say who ye be-
HE looked at me minute, right in
he eyes, and then he see I meant
business and he give in. He kinder
yrinned and said he was Lieut.. Razor
oackski, or something similar, and
.het he had come here to get them
which was to be taken to
Rooshy in thet Dago steamer. Then
1e delicately points out thet it warn't
10 ways necessary to go to law and
stir up trouble between friends.
"Well, amt telling jest what hap
oened during them negotiations, but |
here amt no mortgage on my place
lown to Friendship an my girl Polly |
las got new pianner. When that |
lieutenant had gone over to the steam
IT and come back with bag which
;hinked when you shook it, l felt SO
rood that got out leetle something
had on board for fear me or Bill |
night be took sick. And then mem
he lieutenant crooked our elbows,
,nce for the president and once for
he car. And after the Rooshian he'd
,one and the submarine had been
owed back to the steamer, mem Bill
ust took another to the mikado. SOS
here shouldn't be any i'll feeling any
where. @.-
"Thet's why changed the nams of
he Polly to Submarine, SOS thete'd
'e a sort of record of the affair. To
'e sure, it's secret. Mem Bill, n
'ou n the folks to home, n the
s all that knows 1t. The
don't count. Them Rooshian
ailors are good ones to keep secrets
fter they get round to meet the Japs;
ouldn't tell secret il they wanted to.
Nov don't you let on about that
ecret," said Cap'n Solomon, but there
YES a twinkle in his eye when he
aid 1t.
|