The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-28

saw his astonishment. and meant
to carry it off with a high hand be-
fore he could recover.
You see l know YOU said I, "and
all about you. What l want is your
story Of how the Nancy Lee was lost
below Honolulu two years ago"
a look of admiration crept into his
ishy blue eyes.
We'll. SILVER my spanker!" said he,
how did you guess it?"
Never mind that. what l want is
the story"
well. bat my lead eyes" he re-
joined, but who are you?"
I'm a reporter from the STAR said
I. feeling a little important over the
announcement.
Il strike my colors.' NE cried. Come
to the table and sit down, and I'll spin
the yarn"
Elated at my p~erspicacity and my
easy victory. | followed him TO the
table indicated. / was delighted with
the nautical roll Of his walk. and was
overjoyed to observe him, just before
seating himself. hitch his trousers up
fore n aft, as in the first steps of the
hornpipe.
And now, my hearty" he began.
m came to a dead stop. | followed
the direction of his eyes. They were
riveted mesmerically on the barkeeper.
Wont YOU drink something?' l
asked.
He frightened at once.
"Grog,' he growled in a hoarse
voice.
This must have been n mere figure
of speech, for the barkeeper brought
him straight whiskey. He drank it off
at a gulp. looked sadly into the empty
glass, and turned TO me.
And now. my hearty." said he,
what is it you want to know"
Il want to know about the loss OF
the Nancy Lee in the South Seas two
years ago-and about the mutiny,"
said | boldly.
IT'S n long yarn" he sighed. drop
ping back into his chair, and IN a
poor talker-leastwise except in a
friendly way and among friends like
with a pipe, and maybe a social
glass" He paused. l motioned 10
the barkeeper. Thus encouraged he
commenced his tale.
Il wasn't always as you see me
now" he began with a shake of the
head, no indeed
hastily produced my notebook and
began to inscribe in shorthand. This
art / had acquired as part of my pre-
limlnary training. l have since been
informed that reporters do not GUS
tomarily take down verbatim inter-
.t, NJ. la1fas IN ftC nIAlgahflfN
however, especially when, as in the
present instance, dealing with un-
familiar technical terms, remains un-
broken.
TIL ~seafaring man broke off with
a deep sigh and continued to snake
his head.
You have seen better days?"
encouraged him.
Il has, indeed" said he.
"Your STATE in life has been loftier'"
"Tain't that" he explained, its
my iigger. Once ! was as slender and
graceful as the leapin' fawn, Now
look at me. 1t was weakness for food
that brought me to this pass, and near
to my destruction Keel haul my
t%affrail. but ! was clos, to death"
He slipped at his whiskey.
Il was horned on one of them little
islands in the South Seas jam full of
Kanakas, and date palms. and bread
fruits, and atolls, and ~parrakeets. and
copras swingin' from tree to tree"
Il thought copra was a sort of drisd
%cocoanut," l ventured to interpose.
He shifted his fshy blue eye to
mine.
That's just slang" said he; these
yere copras I'm tellin' you of lives on
nothin' 'but dried cocoanut: which
same they splits and piles up on the
bases of cliffs with a southern eN-
posure. That's where the folks first
learned about dried |Cocoanut being
good for anything, so naturally they
named 1t aft r the intelligent little
animals that first showed them" He
wiped his brow and slipped another
mouthful of whiskey. But horn
buckle my bowsprit, young Teller, do
you want this yarn or dom you?"
FASTENED to assure him of my
interest. After another sip he seemed
to regain his equanimity, and in a
moment he went on:
1.-THE natives Of that happy isle
loved me from n little child. They
took me with them on tn huntin and
their fshin'. I played with their
Riddles, and even Wallapo-Waloop,
the high priest, let me look into his
temple. 7 learned to speak the beau
tiful singin' syllahles of the island
langwldges. and was looked on by all
and several as like a prince of royal
blood | was young and handsome
then, and my figger was slim and
beautchus as a girls.
'But there come a time when |
must leave. The world called me, and
the Vigorous GOOD Of my antsisters
called. There was great sorrow among
them island people. They brought me
presents. and they made me feasts
where they serve me vans and other
furrin dellcacies and a rippin' good lot
Of drink"
lie paused and his eyes. like the
a,raa - m n,t,poana trnr1 A.. tho