Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-02-24
old SALT COULD
SPIN SOME YARN
ENTERTAINS PASSENGERS WHILE
TELLING TALES 70 SMALL
BOY ON TRAIN

London, Feb. 23.-An old sailor en-
tertained the passengers in an under
ground train between Blackfriars and
Hammersmith the other night by
spinning a yarn" for the benefit of
a little boy who happened, to be sit
ting next to him. He was dressed in
blue jersey and REFER coat and hell-
bottomed trousers. An odoriferous
pipe and a twinkling eye completed
the picture of an old "shellback."
Noticing that the child had story
book under his arm, the old sailor be-
gan to talk of the adventures which
had befallen him in the years he had
been at sea-
81 reckerlect," he began, "a strange
thing that 'appened off the coast Of
Africa, nigh twenty years ago. l wos
in barque bound for Cape, and We
wos in the 'doldrums' We 'ad been
almost two days whistlin' for breeze
O wind when We saw a sorter cloud
comm across from the BASTARD. 1t
came nearer an nearer till we could
see it wos 'uge cloud of mosquitoes,
'undreds of thousands of 'em.
Eat off Sails, .....-.
They flew round the ship for bit
and then wot do you think they did ,
They settled on the yards and before
we could do anythin' they 'ad taken
the sails clean off the ship every
blessed rag. Then they flew OFF an
disappeared and we wos left with
nothin' to do but 'ope as 'ow another
ship might come along an lend us a
few 'andkerchiefs to get into port
with.
Mex morning we seed them skeet-
ers again, and we 'ad to ave drink
each to make sure we weren't dream
ill., for every one Of the beggars wos
wearin' a sack overcoat made O can
vas.
eyes, sir; that's so. 'Owsomedever,
there wos more wonderful things to
come. That evenin' it was my watch
on deck, together with the carpenter
an four others. l wos lynn 'alf asleep
in one of the boats, where the second
mate couldn't see me. when the ship
began to roll. I put my 'ead over the
side Of the boat, an wot do you think
I saw? An enormous animile, like q
crockerdile, in the water. He was
nigh on a quarter of mile from stem
to stern, an is 'ead wos as big as
the ship"
Passengers Interested.
"My!" burst from the small boy,
and the other passengers listened at
tentively.
"The carpenter wos sittin' up for
ard diggin a nail out of the palm OF
is hand" continued the narrator, IAN
the animile spotted i'm. Then e
up the side of the ship and
whistled soft-like."
"He did that?" gasped the boy.
"'E did," averred the. old salt. odd
Chips looked up an sat as though e
were 'ipnotized. Then the animile
spoke to i'm. You'll get your sails
back termorrer,' he said. We CROKER
dies 'elps those skeeters to breed in
the swamps, an I've tole them If they
don't put them sails back I'll eat their
nests up. Tell your ole man e
needn't worry.
"'That's very good of YOU slut
tered old Chips.
ooh, that's all right SEE the croc,
an e slipped back inter the sea. Sure
nuf, mex day them skeeters come
back an put the sails back. Chips
swore ed take the pledge after thai,
but e wasn't drunk, e seed it all right
enuf, 'Ullo. 'ere's 'Ammersmith. So
long, Freddie; so long, gents"
Amid chorus of good-bys he left
the carriage, which seemed quite dull
without him.