The Marshall republican., 1909-03-05

Tor 1t. The officers. who knew SIR
; Peters CAPACITY for picking up his
anchors at short notice, were general.
! ly prepared. and were but little sur.
prlsed at the sudden departure OF the
ship. The men, however, are never
prepared to 60, and the ship was be-.
} sieged, from the time she showed the
blue peter until she set her topsails,
by the usual crowd of bumboat women,
sailors wives. tavern.keerers, shop deal.
ers, and ell the people with whom Jack
! trades, and who are lOath to part with
him for eason Of low or money. AL.
though all Of the stores we're on board,
I there were market supplies to get. and
the midshlpmen were In the boats con.
r.ept,y until the last boat was hoisted
In, Just as the music called the men
to the capstan bars. II was a brilliant
moonlight night, a good breeze was
blowing, and the Ajax got under way
with an unusual spread of sail. AS we
passed out the narrow entrance into
the roads, the wind freshened and the
great ship took her majestic way
'OScH N'S SSN "a vi NhIl-
vas showing from rail to truck. The
nrst few days ! was overcome, as II
were, with my new life and its duties.
Two other midshipmen, junior to my.
self, had joined, so | was no longer the
exclusive butt OF the cockpit. We
spent most OF our spare time express
Ing the greatest longing for a meeting
with the French, although for my own
part, wen while | was Dragging the
most, | felt "a sickness at the heart
when I imagined a round shot enter
Ing my vitals. Giles Vernon was still
the dearest object OF my admiration
and observation-disclosures excepting that
divinely beautiful Lady Arabella. But
this was rather the admiration OF a
glowworm for a star. I had no one
else to love except Giles, and even a
midshipman must love something.
did not much trouble myself about
that meeting, so far in the future, be.
tween Giles and Overton. Youth has
no future, as II has no past.
Naturally, ! did not see much OF my
great-urcle. the admiral. He was a
very strict disciplinarian, probably be.
cause he was used to discipline at
home, and busted himself more with
he conduct Of the ship than the cap
tain liked. The other midshipmen al
legged that there was no love lost be.
tween Capt. Guilford and the admiral.
and the captain had been heard to say
that having an admiral on board was
like having a mother-in-law in the
house. Nevertheless, Sir Peter was a
fine seaman, and the gunroom joke
was that he knew how t command,
from having learned how to obey UNI
der Lady Hawkshaw's iron rule.
One day the admiral's steward
brought me a message. The admiral's
compliments, and would | dine in the
great cabin at five o'clock that day?
| was frightened out of a years
growth by the invitation, but of course
1 responded that / should be most hap
Dy. This, like my protested anxiety
to meet the French, was a great lie.
At five O'Clock | presented myself,
trembling in every limb. The first
thing | noted In the cabin was a large
portrait OF Lady Hawkshaw as a
young oma She must have been
very handsome.
Sir Peter gave me two fingers. and
turning to the steward. said: Soup
Soup was brought. We were mostly
out Of fresh vegetables then, and it
was pea soup. such as we had in the
cockpit. Sir Peter grumbled a little at
1t, and ii was soon removed and a leg
of pork brought on; a pig had been
killed that day.
Aha" shifted Sir Peter. delighted.
lY. This is fine. Nephew, you have
NO pig in the gunroom to-day"
Which was true; and Sir Peter
helped me literally. and proceeded to
do the same by himself. The stew
ard, however, said respectfully:
Excuse me, Sir Peter, but in the in.
terview | had the honor To have with
Lady Hawkshaw before sailing, sir,
she particularly desired me to request
you not to eat pork, as II always dis
agreed with YOU"
"Wh.wh-what!" roared Sir Peter.
II am only repeating Lady Hawk.
shaw's message, sir" humbly re.
sponded the man; but l thought l saw,
under all his humility, a sly kind Of
defiance. Sir Peter had no fear OF
either round, grape. or d~ouble-headed
shot, and was Indifferent to musketry
fire. Likewise. It was commonly said
Of him in the service that II he were
ordered to attack hell itself. he would
stand on until his jfbs caught fire;
but neither time nor distance weak
ened the authority over him of Lady
Hawkshaw.
Sr Peter glared at the steward and
then at the leg OF pork, and. suddenly
jumping up. seized the dish and threw
II. pork and all. out Of the stern win.
dow. As I had secured my portion. i
could view this with equanimity.
CTo be Continued.)
Edgar Barnhill last week
bought the store at BIO ser ard