The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-04-10

base of Mt. Etna. At noon on the third
 day the ship was ordered to go through
 the same evolution. Meantime, a petty
 officer named Hicks had been promoted
 captain of the foretop. He was one Of
 the finest men on the ship. His pro-
 motion was not wholly thing of joy,
 for the superstition of the sea gripped
 him tight. He was the third man and
 to most of us the number had an evil
 omen. Within an hour after his pro
 motion, the red flush had gone from his cheeks. He had been @ signal boy and
 an expert in flashing the electric light.
 He was unable to sleep and passed most
 of the night on deck with the sentries.
 It was noticed that he begged permission to monkey with the electric light sig naling apparatus aft on the poop. When we began the sail drill the following
 day, the attention of every man on the ship Was focused on the captain of the foretop and at the order-'Away aloft!- he sprang at the rigging like cat, we stood from under. The evolution was completed, and when the man of the foretop descended to the deck, half dozen men gripped Hicks, and hugged him and kissed him with tears in their eyes.
 'Something really did happen in the foretop that day-something happened 10 it's captain, though nobody knew just what 1t was. He came to the deck a changed man and those who knew him best. felt it most We could not anal we it-he could not himself. l got into the secret by accident. Some weeks later, it may have been months, an officer from another shlp was lunching with a friend in our ward room. I served the lunch and over heard the following conversation' "'Have you signal man by phe name of IIioLs-RilIv Hicks-On board!
 "'Yes, what about him? "sWeli" the officer said, smiling, we were ten miles out at sea few weeks ago when I noticed the signals flashlng all over the heavens. was oIricer or the deck. It was about seven bells m the first watch. l called my sisnal oi,ioul' ,I told him to take down what he read. lie pulled out his notebook, still smiling, ana, spelling out the words, read;
 God this is Billy Hicks. 1 ain't afraid of no bloomin' man nor devil l am afraid of no Davey Jones bleedin' locker. neither. I ain't like bawiin' papy a-fussin at his dad for sweeties. doaEt
 ask, you for no favours put Just one. hnis is it-when I strike the foretop tomorrow, let me do it with the guts of a man what is clean: and God dear God, from this here day on, give me the feeiin' use to have long ago when I nelt at my mothers knee an said Our Father. Good | night, dear God.
 II went into the pantry of the ward- room. jotted down as much of this as could remember, and it gave me splen- did introduction to the captain of the foretop.'
 MT. Irvine's book is full of striking in- teresting, thought-compelling incidents and remarks on men and matters.
 It is a good book. showing what man can do if he only will, in this day of trusts. trials and tribulations. the social- ists and MT Irvine Cat times) to the con- trary, notwithstanding. Although the latter should take another southern trip
 to get better acquainted with the facts
 down here, peonage or no peonage.
 Bronson of the Rabble," by Albert F. Hancock. (J. B. Lippincott Co.) This is a political tale discussing the campaign and election of Andrew Jack son to the presidency of the United States in general and dealing with local | conditions in the state of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia In the interval between 1872 and 1928 left blank, so to say, by Dr. S Weir Mitehells "Pe' City and Winston Churchill's "Coniston.' | Old Philadelphia as it then existed. with | the former names of the old highways adds to the attractiyeness of the book
 which really deals with George Bronson,
 though a blacksmith's son clean politi- clan and very high minded character He
 was strong in his convictions and voiced them fearlessly all the while conducting I himself as a dignifed gentleman, though | tatiifed by tfie would-be aristocrats as @ humble smith and a representative of the