Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-06-07

iASe III tue luFoSS Oh curtin Oh July
celebration echoed across the quiet bay
where Captain Barnabas Fish and l
were pretending TO fish OF the break
water, when as a matter of fact we had
all fed from the annual village racket
Maria Fish was sitting in the bow
of the roomy boat, knitting away upon
the captains next winters mittens,
when suddenly she glanced up and
caught her husbands genial eye.
"Barnabas," she began. I've been
thinking"
"Well, don't do it again" he caution
ed. "Fust thing you know. Maria. you
will come down with brain fever and
| won't get dad blamed decent bit to
eat till you get well agin."
Maria shifted scornfully. and then
her face broke into pleasant smiles.
You remember that story you told
me about Ananias Slime and that can
nibal island?" she chuckled mirthfully.
The captain slapped his knee joyful
ly "Of course do he roared. ~
allow 1 never had a mate that did so
many queer things. It's kept me young
laughing at EN-"
well. you tell Miss Telham all about
it." advised Maria. and she winked
knowingly at me. Maria is aware that
it is my delight to listen to Captain
Barnabas while he spins his sea yarns.
and my visits to Ounce Harbor are
thus frightened accordingly.
~ am waiting" 1 smiled across at
the captain.
well, you mind my hook" he order
ed. and. lighting his pipe. which is a
most necessary adjunct to the story
telling, he pulled his cap down over
! his merry blue eyes and began.
at happened thirty years ago, before
sailed the old Indus there" He waved
! his pipe toward the fine old schooner
riding at anchor near his cottage on the
| mainland az won't bother you with
! details about what ports we was sail
! ing for, but we was long past the Fiiis
! when the monsoon struck US. Maybe
we didn't scud before that hot whirl-
wind!
THE poor little Susan B. leaked like
sieve from the beginning. and we
was all mighty thankful when just at
daybreak there came a mighty wave
and hove her spang up on the coral
beach of little island.
at was a pretty sight, I tell you,
when the sun rose out of the black
clouds-blue water and white beach
and green palm trees waving around.
an three hours we had breakfast,
changed into dry clothes. and then the
hull crew of us tramped around that
little island to see where we was.
"Of course Ananias Slime was head
tusker, as usual 1t beats all how
much nerve and executive ability my
first mate had. 1t was Ananias who
discovered the queer native huts hid.
den in the woods. and it was Ananias
who hypnotized the chief and brought
him salaaming and kotowing before us
liking Kauriru.' said Ananias, with
a flourish OF his skinny arm. 1t does
beat all how that fellow could pick Ut
languages. In FIVE minutes he was
grinning and gesticulating with that
greasy cannibal like a brother.
Then ~Ananias came over to me.
smirkinS and rubbing his hands. as
was his way when he was pleased
with himself.
"'Captain.' ses he. I've impressed II
upon these here heathens that we're
their masters-that we've taken this
island in the name of the United
States of America. and so they owe
allegiance to that country. Mebbe
none of you folks remembered that to-
day is the Fourth of JulyT
dad blame it, We had forgotten
clean forgotten, and Ananias. remem-
bering it took the wind out of our sails
So we just listened humbly to what be
said and agreed with him.
1--we been telling them all about
the birth of our republic simpered
Ananias. and about the Fourth OF
July, and now I'm going to teach them
to salute the flag. Watch.
"Ananias took a teeny little Ameri
can flag from his pocket and stuck the
stars and stripes in the sand. Inside
of an hour be had fourteen savages
bobbing their woolly heads in front OF
it / guess they thought 1t was some
new fetish The rest of the tribe were
I WOMEN anu CliIlul I'll. anu lucy WOuIuu
bob their heads to nobpdr except the
chief They knew where their brcad
and butter came from. leastways theii
vans and missionaries reckon" The
captain laughed silently.
How you do 90 on, Barna basr re
proved Maria, looking at him over bel
spectacies.
The captain knocked the ashes from
his pipe and refilled it,
That WAS only the beginning d
what Ananias Slime learned those
heathens to do. Before dinner time ht
had told 'em the history Of the United
States from the time Columbus sighted
land up to the latest political scanda
IN New York city. He recited all BIZ
could remember of the constitution
and the Declaration of Independence
and then he calmly opened a big boz
OF 6Seworks he had bought of Chi
nee in Singapore and showed 'em {
few tricks In the way OF noise and
planned that as today was the giori0u!
Fourth of July 1t was fitting and prop
er that they as new citizens should
celebrate tho Fffrth nf thatr cogfnf rvys