The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-06
THE PROFANE CLASSIC.
Accommodating Variants Of the Yarn which
No Two Men Remember Exactly Alfke.

No Two Mel Remember ExactIy Aiiho'
To THE EDITOR OF THE sUN-Sir: lie no
the hour approaching for establishing ina
best of stories in permanent formf VII
| not you, with such expert assistance as yo'
may be pleased to command. now adores'
yourself to the task Of preparing an au
thorized version. svsiling yourself OF TN
material which Is now at m onoos
ing what Is good and obviously responfiV'
TO approved tests and discarding the rest
h~armonizipg. codifying. restoring mere ano
celebrating there. and finally quo
for postsrity a product which shall be denn
ttiye2 TO be sure notes. addenda ana tne
ike may be furnished too from the mass
of material In order that future controver-
~sialists may not lack information that ID
the preparation Of the authorized version
the issues they would raise have been duiy
considered. Let us have at your earii-
est convenience. taking cognizanee Of the
importance Of the a that you be NOT
rushed about It. a version which, while
in some respects compromise is inevitable,
will yet be generally acknowledged a. COM
plete, satisfactory and enduring.
The several commentators have refrosheo
my own recollection Of the story as toto IN
Chile, so that my confidence that i then
heard 1t In practically unimpeachable form
is sustained; For example. the captains
pretended explanation that 1T Is BLOWING a
little peart like an I dom see httin' fer tor
lower" must surely appear In the hnsi YER
sion. Its flavor amply accredits 1t. 30
also the repeated remark Of the mate: An
/ goes forrard." There is much in the repe-
tition to creatA atmosphere and fetch the
listener into the proper mood for relishing
tho tale as it becomes accelerated toward
IA - nl..-x .k~,,ll khA nnfA QfriVA
to get permission to lower away. ~ The
man In the crows nest sings out: Thar she
blows An goes aft an says to the skip
per, 'Cap'n -, thar she blows: shall /
lower?' Mr.. -, says he. it's a-blowtn'
a little peart like n I don't see fttin' fer
ter lower An ! goes forrard." t2) The
man In the crows nest sings out again:
THAR sho blows, an sparm at that Ire
peat, mate and skipper. like q strain IN Q
Sousa maroh-tho skipper more sulkiiy
determined. the mate more eagor-snd dis
gusted when he soes forrard). 49, Thar
she blows, an sparm at that-a d
and fifty bari whale!" This clinches the
matter; though perhaps Trinity House.
Nantucket will ad wise you whether the man
In the crows nest should discover that II
80 SO b .I"!1 Or eoDtfariwise: this detail must
Of course b. settled accurately. In either
It is: Lower and be - from the
'a 10 ssem as e, nj ssi tSa st there is only on. e,..
material for selection That relates to the
!ptroduotioni Obviously this Is important.
The Kelsey. while [ hold that tie ssttins
Of the stage should be more convincing
my which has YET been submitted. Here
Is the way II creeps out OF my memoFv cells
md assemblies for Judgment: IT was on the
sSfSSa sa,R ls.' sSre s't days Z run anf from o@sf &sds 3:
fresh, the good ship bowling along over
waters in romantic ATTITUDES, all in
The action begins at once with the hall OF
the man in the crows nest.
Please fix it up ut and c p5cpes; ,ssrn
PROVIDENCE. r. L.. May :.
To THE EpIroR OF THE suN-sir: The
naneled versions Of that whaling yarn
my fellow readers OF THE Sun have
been dishins up for the past day or 60 move
me to indignation. Here is the story:
Twas on the good ship Mozambique. One hun.
dred and forty days at sea we were without q
irop OF lie. And the man on the lookout says:
Thar she lows"
goes aft, -Cap'n Comm" says ]. the man on
he icekeu. s.ys Thar abe hle%s.' shsi! I !s-s.'"
"Mr. Skinner" SEE he, "lt's a-blowIn' too peart
and | see not ntten for to lower"
And ! goes forsrd. and the man on the lookout
Thar she blows. and breaches"
goes stt. "Csp'n Conn" see ]. the man on
he lookout SCI Thar she blows and breaches
Shall ! lowerl"
"Mr. skinner. ye may not over. It's a-blowtn'
peart and I see not ntten for to lower
goes forrard, and the man on the lookout scr:
Thar she blows and breaches and she's .
goes aft. "Cap'n Comm" seq I. "the man
IN the lookout ser Thar she blows and breaches
md shes Q spermer.' Shall I lower!
Mr.. Skinner ser he. Its BLOWN too peart and
sec not ntten for to lower, but II so be you zee
,uen for TO lower. why. lower away and be good
- - to ye."
S'aal, I lowers; and we chases that ere crister
nto the middle Of the next watch. drove the
ron and II TUX.
We returns 70 the good ship Mozambique. Cap'n
,onnn a.standiu' at the rail, the tears as big ss
,orse apples a. rorlln' down his checks.
"Mr. Skinner" ser he, we're the finest mate
ever sailed on the good ship Mozambique.
Below at the stabboard side OF the cuddy AFT
ell ind a chest with Yankee tobaccer. blue
ihore clothes and the best OF old New England
UNI; them's yourn."
"Csp'n Conn" seq I. II want meme Of your
iankee tobaccer nor yer blue shore clothes nor
'er best Of old New England rum. All I want
: si-viiity. and that Of the most est ordinary
,rand."
This story should be told in a low, rapid,
voice, and Ia then very cd ective.
writing II down 1 find that one or two
phrases have slipped my mind,
nd trust that some reader may be able
o supply them. But the original story 10
substantially Is above. BERMUDA.
BLOOMFIELD. Nj. May 4.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: Along
n the early 'O0s the occasion demanded that
leave the ranks OF the modest Constant
teadsr- c and assume fn a loT s, tse m9 IN s,., tass
/ spot on THE Sun which had developed
he Bat. sufice Il to say that the Ave
which I added, thereby giving the
moment Of sending, cheerfully received and
Now after seventeen years. during which
period the Constant Reader list has
merge, merge once more and insist upon the pres.
On Thursday. April 20. you very properly |
,alled attention to what. you, too mildly |
empts at relating the happenings and dla-
osue on thai historic day between the cap
ain. and the mate Of the world famed
| respsctfu,ly submit thst wen you
! salient point here and there. and I would
nd with your permission the true account
u the folklore. OF. southeastern Massaohu.
'etts II almost had said the common school
81 shss S2s' s,yes Massachusetts wh.,.r.,
s sassaer IRON WHAT .as r. sGHns1sfi In p.1 1a 5os.scs
were II known down there that the
mpes'Sss, s nS NJ btstnrs ns*Sf OF Mr;