Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-06-27
THREE SHEETS in THE WIND
-.. By MORGAN ROBERTSON
By MORGAN ROBERTSON

eS, LOT SOclaDllty or business, anC
then the smallest drink possible. It's
the damn fools in front of the bar thai
take all they can decentiy get into 9
glass, and then some more. And
think Of the cost at the end Of the
year. Why, the price OF one drink
will buy three loaves Of bread. and
three loaves Of bread will keep a big
man alive three days. That's the
foolishness of it. Poverty all over the
world and saloon keepers getting
rich. Frisco Frank has his house and
horses. Where's yours?"
"Oh, shut up! I've got what he
hasn't got"
"An education and a mates license
What does he want of them? He has
brains and money-all your money
I tell you, If it wasn't for the bar,
boarding masters would go out OF
business and Fo'castle Jack could ship
where he likes on his own terms. If
all men would swear off, saloon keep
ers, bartenders and every man con-
nected with making or selling the
stuff would take to the ground and
grow something that could be eaten.
AS it is, more grain goes into the
making Of booze than Of bread. Dead
broker"
nodded.
I'm not, even though I never had
your chance, not having any schooling.
I never signed above second mate
because I couldn't learn navigation.
But I've jumped above first mate and
skipper. I'm an owner-I employ
shippers and mates"
I looked at him in surprise. He
certainly was we'll dressed.
1--WE made money" he went on.
Never mind how. I've made 1t, and
taken a Chinese partner with more.
We bought a schooner from the
underwriters, patched her up, and
mean to make some more money with
her. She's up at the Carriage Drive.
I go out skipper, for can handle her;
but I want a licensed sailing master
with papers to satisfy the law. You've
got 'em. Want the berth?"
want drink more than anything
else," I answered, abandonedly.
"You want your breakfast more
than anything else, take it. But If
you'll ship with me I'll buy you a
drink of Frisco's grog 10 steady you,
and get your clothes, but there'l be
no advance; I'm too short. We can
get aboard just in time for dinner,
which will be breakfast for you. I'll
give you another bracer at five o'clock
and that will end it. We sail to
Yokohama in ballast for cargo to
Frisco. And, remember. in port am
managing owner and you are skipper;
but at sea I'm skipper and you are
mate. You are to navigate, keep the
log correctly, and oversee the ac-
counts and ships papers. What do
you say?"
"Tn go you," I said, rising. "Any
port in a storm"
"You mean any ship in port, I
guess; but that's as you make 1t.
Come on"
I was given a drink over Frisco
Franks bar, and after a few sharp
words between Frank and Edwards,
my chest was returned to me. Then,
in separate rigs, we rode up to the
wharf and boarded the schooner
shiny with fresh paint and varnish,
but on close inspection, showing un-
mistakeable signs Of age and decay.
She had been a yacht; but her long
overhanging, sharp lines, lofty spars
and flush deck were the only yacht
like characteristics left her. Her orig
inal cabins, dining rooms and state
rooms below had given way to cargo
space, and all skylights and compan-
ions had been eliminated or turned
into hatches-all but two Of the lat
ter. A companion just abaft the wind
less led to a triangular forecastle In
the bows containing hunks for five
and a stove for cooking, and another
Just forward Of the wheel, led to an
equally diminutive cabin that was
nothing but hall space at the foot OF
the stairs with a room one each side
one for the skipper, the other for the
mate. There was also a feature In
this craft that I had never seen in
any other. She was piped for gas
lighting; each room in the cabin, the
forecastle, pinnacle and even fixed
side and masthead lamps contained
wire enclosed burner, fed by tank
Of compressed gas under the cabin
floor.
1T seemed to work all right" ex'
planned Edwards when I had com
mented on the innovation, 80 left II
rather than spend fifty dollars for al
outfit of lamps and oil. And then
there are pintsch gas buoys every
where. We can always recharge the
tank"
This, and his refusal Of an advance
were not the only evidences Of Ed
wards shortage of funds. The dinner
he sat me down to was boiled rice anc
| weak tea-the same as he fed to hi!
five coolies forward--and when ht
took me ashore in the afternoon to ac
my part as sailing master in gettint
out ships papers, he would clear
at the custom house only for the rur
to Yokohama, and insure at Lloyd
only for the one month which 1 as
sured him was ample time. But with
the egotism of an uneducated maj
and the pertinancy o. a managint
owner, he insisted that the MONTH!
clause in the policy be changed to reat
for an even thirty days; so, as 1t wa
now the fifteenth of November, the In
surance on the schooner was made ou
to expire on the fifteenth OF December
at noon. With the schooner's rotteI
condition in mind, 1 thought at thu
time that he also ought to insure ou
lives, but did not say so; he nigh
have repeated his phrase: ANY shiI
in a port"
I did not see the Chinese partner
nor did 1 see any more of Edwards
until having nut in a dreary after