The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-09-08
A Humble
Irish Hero
Who Returned Good for Evil and
Died Valorously in the Line
OF Volunteer Duty.

The crew of the British gunboat
Condor when stationed at Alden some
years ago, had the reputation OF be-
ING the best disciplined and most ef-
fcient body of men in H. M. Naval
Service. This reputation was mer-
tied. The crew for the most part
was made up of bluejackets on
final commission, which was to ter
inmate their twelve-year terms of
enlistment. Naturally they were sea
dogs, old seadogs with pronounced
conservative ideas of nautical kind,
with predilectionsf for balmy weather
and aversions for squalls.
The climate that reigns at Alden,
like the mirages that are sometimes
seen on the adjacent desert, is un-
stable and misleading. One day when
the Condor unsuspectingly dropped
anchor in the beautiful harbor with
it's golden strand, it's mosques, and
luxuriant evergreens, wave OF
cholera swept athwart her bows and
before nightfall of the same day a
large part of the crew had been bur-
led. There was nothing to do un-
der the circumstances but stand out
to sea and wait till the epidemic sub
sided.
This was done, and a month or so
later batch of recruits were hur-
ried from Malta to replace the de-
ceased. With the recruits came Jack
Holden, able seaman. That was not
all. Jacks reputation came also and
it was an unenviable one. Jack was,
in the parlance of the mariners, a
shark. Which means that Jack was
endowed with peculiarities which or,
dinary human beings view with dis
favor. After awhile they learned
something of his history. He was
the son of physician, and uni
versity graduate, who for reason
they were unable to discover had en-
listed as stoker in the Royal Navy
and was afterwards transferred t(
the deck. In appearance he looked
Just what he should have been;
gentleman. He was an excellen
conversationalist, a fair musician, p
at various kinds of sport-in fact
he possessed all the attributes of
gentleman except decency. By de
cency 1 mean that sense of fair play
manliness and loyalty. which win
our respect even where we are no
particularly enamored. Jacks poll
cy was, Every man for himself, tn
Devil take the hindermost." Thi
policy is perhaps an excellent one t
practice in the more intelle c tua
sphere of the Stock Exchange, bu
for the narrow confines of gun boa
it is too expansive and is apt t
awaken strain that is distinctly Il
rine.
When he first came aboard h
glib tongue and pleasant smi
aroused suspicion as to the veracit
and disinterestedness of his m;
ligness. Seems decent sort OF
fellow" was the opinion that We
passed. Most probably misunde
: STOOD" they said. In this belief tt
tars with the generosity of their kin
ever ready to atone for an act tn
savors of injustice, opened the
hearts to Jack and he became sha
er in their condolences, their folli
and their wisdom. Things wei
smoothly for awhile, then stran.
uneasiness was observed among tt
crew. Somebody was playing do
BILE. or as the tars expressed it, blo'
ing fore an aft" Several of the oil
er hands had been hauled before t
Commandant for petty offences th
the non-coms had previously been
the habit of overlooking. Trivial {
fairs they were, that only became {
fensive when reported. OF cour'
they were admonished, but that