Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-08-21

old mans got the d. t.'s." the chief en-
gineer told the first officer. Il locked
him In his cabin last night when they
brought him off, and he's banging
things around there In great shape;
swears he's the ruler of Burma and
Sir Gimmel Somebody. won't let him
out till he gets all right again. for he'd
70 up to the agents with thls cock and
bull story. They'd cable home to the
owners. and he'd be taken out Of the
ship sure"
That's why Sir Lemuel tarried for a
day on the Newcastle Maid. Nobody
would 90 near him but the chief engi,
neer, who handed him meat and drink
through q portfolio and laughed sooth-
ingly ut his fancy tales.
After chota hazri next morning the
secretary brought to Captain Larry a
large basket of official papers for his
perusal and signature. That was Sir
Lemuels time for work. His motto
was business first and afterward more
business. Each paper was carefully
contained In cardboard holder secured
by red tape.
"The log. eh. mater said Larry when
the secretary brought them into his
room. ut looks shipshape too"
"This file. sir, Is the case Of Deputy
Commissioner Grant, first grade, Of
Bungaloo. He has memorialized the
government that Coatsworth. second
grade, has been appointed over his head
to the commissionership Of Bhang.
He's senior to Coatsworth. you know,
sir, in the service"
"Well, why has Coatsworth been
made first mate, then?"
Grants afraid it's because he offend
ed you, sir, when you went to Bunga.
loo. He received you In jahran coat,
you remember. and you were awfully
angry about it."
"Oh. I was, was I? Just shows what
an ass Sir Lemuel can be sometimes.
Make Grant commissioner at once
and I'll sign the papers"
"But there's no commissiOnership
open, sir, unless you set back Coats
worth"
"Well, I'll set him back. I'll dis
charge him from the service. What
else have you got there2 What's that
bundle on the deck?"
They're native petitions. sir"
Larry took up one. 1t began with an
oriental profusion Of gracious titles be.
slowed upon the commissioner and
went into business by stating that the
writer, Baboo Sens wife, had got two
children by "the grace Of God and the
kind favor Of Sir Lemuel, the Father Of
all Burmans," and the long petition
was all to the end that Baboo Sen
might have months leave Of absence.
Larry chucl1led. for he did not under
stand the complex nature Of Baboo's
English. The next petition gave him
much food for thought. 1t made his
head ache. The English was like
logarithms. Here" he said to the
secretary, you fi1 these petitions up
later. I'm not used to them"
He Strengthened out the rest Of the
official business In short order. Judg-
ments that would have taken the wind
out of Solomon's sails he delivered with
a rapidity that made the secretary's
head swim. They were not all accord
ing to the code and would probably
not stand II sent up to the prlvy coun-
Gil At any rate, they would give Sir
Lemuel much patient undoing when he
came into his own again. The secre-
tary unlocked the official seal and
worked 1t, while the captain limited
his signature to 81. Jones'"
"Thats not forgery" he mused; 1T
means Larry JONES'"
"The chiefs hand Is pretty shaky
this morning" thought the secretary.
for the signature was not much like
the careful, clerkly hand that he was
accustomed to see.
Sir Lemuel's wine had been a stand
ing reproach to Government House. A
dinner there either turned man into
teetotaler or dyspeptic, and ut tiffin
when the captain brOached bottle OF
Il he set his glass down with roar.
Hes brought me the vinegar" he ex-
claimed, "or the coal oil. Is there no
better wine in the house t..aI this?'
he asked the butler. and when told
there wasn't he insisted upon the sec
retary writing out an order ut once
for fifty dozen Pommery. Have 1t
back in time for dinner. sure! I'll
leave some for Lem too. This stuff
isn't good for his blood" lie said to
himself grimly.
.T'm glad Ms race meet Is OH while
I'm king" he thought as he drove
down after titfin, taking his secretary
with him. "They say the Prince OF
Wales always gets the straight tip,
and I'll he sure to be put OH to some
thing good"
And he was. Captain LushtOn told
him that his mare Nettie was sure to
win the Rangun Plate, forgetting to
mention that he himself had backed
TombOy for the same race.
Must have wrenched leg" Lush
ton assured Larry when Nettie came III
absolutely last, but as the secretary
wrote II o US" for all the bets he
made and as Sir Lemuel would be into
his own again before settling day ana
would have to pay up it did not really
matter to the captain.
The regiment was so pleased with
Sir Lemuers contributions that the
best they had In their marquee was
none too good for him. The ladies
found him an equally ready mark.
Mrs. Leyburn was pretty and had fish
to fry. II must do little missionary
work while the Ironclad's away" she
thought. Her mission was to install
her husband in the position Of port Of
ficer. That came out later-came out
at the ball that night. The captain as.
sured her that he would attend.
There Is always u sort OF Donny'
| brook Derby ut the end Of race day
In Rangun. Ponies are gently seques-
tered from their more or less willing
owners and handed over, minus their
saddles, to sailors, who pilot them er-
ratically around the course for con-
tributed prize. when the captain saw
the hat going around for the prize mon
Nka..v %, a