The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-04-17

and that Skipper Buzbey In a Mt OF
passion struck Skipper Hawker, who
fell overheard and was drowned,
forms the long and luminous tail to
escape the baleful light of which Skip
per Buzbey had fled in the darkness
and had hidden in a cockroach haunt
ed box The mate CURLY told the
crew that the skipper was sick and
they interpreting the statement to
mean that the skipper was drunk,
were rather glad of it and got under
way with will. The skipper kept in
his box until Cape Henry had been
sunken, and then crept at nightfall
into the cabin.
There's no danger now" he said,
in quavering tone.
mot less they sends tug arter
u.s." replied the pessimistif mate.
"Hi1l keep the locker all ready in
case you sight a steamer" added the
obliging cook.
"Whenhever you see the skipper
you look like you wanted to laugh. =
said the cook Indignantly to the mate,
hits no laughin' matter to a mai
what's tryin' to save is neck"
I'm sort of humorisc. cook" re
torted the mate, "and you amt"
The nervous system of the skipper
remained tense during the voyage,
which owing to batting winds was an
unusually long one, and when the brig
entered the harbor of st. Johns the
master reposed in the galley locker
until the cook reported the harbor as
containing only an English barque.
The poor skipper, in a vacillating
way, debated with the mate as to
whether he should remain on the
island and try for a berth on an Eng
lish vessel GRAND neither could gel
beyond that 'or," in fact there was nc
getting beyond it.
The cook came hurriedly from his
galley and called down the cabin
stairs, There's a schooner comm in
| skipper, with the Hamerican flag 8
flynn. and knows that schooner a
mile away. She's the John Gray and
Cap'n. 'Awker was her master"
The skipper sprang 20 his feet, "the
dead mans schooner" he calculated
They have tracked me. What car
l do?"
The mate looked pityingiy at the
pale-faced man and said: BE easy
captain. I'll fix it all right"
But the skipper, poxing his head
out of the cabin door and seeing thai
the crew were in the hold, scuttlet
forward and slipped into the galley
locker. The schooner came in, let &c
her sheets and dropped anchor two
cables lengths from the Iris. Imme
diately boat was lowered and pulled
for the brig.
When burly bewhiskered man trot
the deck of the Iris the cook let fall {
pan of hot water over his legs, bu
didn't feel the sting Of it, staring Al
the man.
"Cap'n. 'Awker, Cap'n. 'Awker.' hi
murmured tc himself.
iS khdtS <AtCHoSu 1lS Hduu. 1idt
to see you, Cap'n. Hawker,"s be said
Where's Bob Buzbey?" cried Capt
Hawker, in the same tone he would
have employed to hail man at tn,
crosstrees in gale.
The mate induced him to go int.
the cabin and then impaired the goot
news to Capt. Buzbey in the gale,
locker. That gentleman FASTENED at
accompanied by two or three cool
reaches, which chung to his coat.
Hello, bully boy" Numbered Capt
Hawker, on beholding his friend
Looked for you next morning, Blu
you had sailed. Did you think wa
drowned when ] fell of the wharf O
were you too drunk to think?'
Capt. Buzbey muttered somethin
unintelligihle.
well, / pumped down in boa
full Of junk and it felt SO good an
soft that / slept there all night"
To Capt. Hawker's amazement Cap
! Buzbey flung his arms about his mech
You see," said the mate to tn
cook" one can carry q joke too fal
When l went ashore that mornin
after we thought Hawker wa
drowned I peeped in the saloon an
saw him drinkin' at the bar. wante
to have some fun with the old ma
and never told him. but when We &c
to sea was afraid to tell him and 9
it went II Hawker hadn't com
aboard / might never have told hin
If you ever tell anybody about it. cool
I'll he the death of Won"