Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-06-28
THE PROFESSOR AND THE LION.

Bravery, Doctor, said my frlend the
third officer, isn't such a simple thing
as you think it. One man is brave in
one way, and another in different
one. Often enough, that which is cali.
ed bravery is nothing more than Gus
tom. You wouldn't go up on the fore
royal-yard in half gale to reef sail,
would you? Not you You'd be
afraid. Well, you might think me a
brave man because l would. But
then I'd be afraid to cut chaps leg
off, and you wouldn't.
That was what old Captain Hoskins,
whom l used to sail with, could never
understand. If a man was bit nerv-
GUS about the sea, he used to look
down on him as all sorts Of coward.
But there came day when he learn
ed better.
1t happened when l was with him
in three.masted sailing-ship, the Ar
row. We lay at Singapore alongside
Tanjong Pagan wharf, loading with a
general cargo for Liverpool. The
principal object in that cargo was a
lion that we were shipping for Lon
don. 1t lay III strong cage of wood
and iron, with door in the front
through which it could be fed. 1t
was fine, big brute, and every time
it stretched itself you could see the
muscles slipping over its sides and
the big, wicked looking claws peeping
out of the pads of its feet in way
that made you very thankful for the
bars.
We had a passenger or two, one OF
whom was young girl who went by
the name of Hilda Sandford. Directly
the old man set eyes on her trim fig
ure and her wealth of golden hair, he
was struck all of heap, so to speak,
and could see that he was promising
himself a mighty pleasant voyage.
The other passenger was strange,
lean, wiry man, who wore gold eye.
glasses, and kept peering about the
ship in a most uncomfortable way.
He gave his name as Professor Hay,
though we didn't find out what he
professed until later.
An hour or two before we started,
this Mr.. Hay came up to the old man
and began asking him a lot of ques-
tions.
Captain" he said nervoasly, II
hope we shall have quiet passage.
II don't see why we shouldn't"
said Hoskins genially.
Mr.. Hay looked up at the sky.
"There seems to be a good deal of
wind abont," he said.
"Pretty fair, said Hoskins. "That's
what's going to take US home. Not
being a steamer, we cant do without
it,"
you're sure it g safe ?" asked asked
Hay.
"Safel says the old man, getting
on his high horse, "safe I'm sailing
this ship"
The Professor smiled apolegotically.
"You will excuse me, Captain" be
said, 81 did not mean any offence.
The fact is l am constitutionally nerv-
GUS on shipboard. It is feeling
that have never been able to over
come"
The "old man" looked at him with
sort of good-natured contempt.
you've no call to be alarmed, he
said "we'll take you to England safe
enough"
The professor smiled again and
walked off into the waist, where We
had fixed up the lions cage. 1t
seemed to have sort of attraction for
him, for he stood before it for at least
a quarter of an hour. Hoskins looked
after him, and then turned to Miss
Sandford, who was sitting near.
"Nice sort of a chap to have on
ship" he said. "a man like that
ought to stick to dry land"
"Well, you know. l have fellow.
feeling for him, Captain" she an.
swered I'm afraid of the sea N.Y.
self"
"Ah," he said, "but you're woman
you see. A bit of fear is all right in
woman. It's natural to them. But
with a man it's different. A man
ought to be afraid of nothing"
"And are you not afraid Of any
thing, Captain2" he asked.
"Not l." said Hoskins. You can
have the biggest storm ever Matched
by the China Sea and I'll thank you
for it. 1t brings ont all the good in
a man"
at must be nice 10 be so brave,
che exclaimed.