Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-08-07
Cap'n Ben's
Spy Glass
r.
BY JONATHAN BANG
Of The Yl9iLonheS

Passing through the North station in
Boston on my way home one evening
last fall, I caught sight Of striking
figure that knew at once.
Taller than most men and slow in
his movements, his clothes a combina-
ton of nautical and rustic, he stood
out like lone pine tree In field. He
was the ideal type of the old-fash-
toned New England shipmaster, with
an eye as blue as the sky on a summer
day. I recalled how I had first seen
him at little town down East where
I was spending my summer vacation.
He was standing out on the wharf
looking out to sea through large spy
glass. We had got into conversation,
he had taught me how to use the glass
and I had learned how greatly he val
ued it and had carried it around the
world with him on several voyages.
Seeing him again now in the crowd
ed station, went up to him at once.
"Why, Cap'n Ben," exclaimed,
"where in the world did you come from
and what are you doing in Boston?"
"Oh, my daughter is married to a
Teller that works down in the market
district and I've been up here maxim
them visit. I'm goin' back tonight
on the train. I'd rather 60 down by
boat, but they have pulled 'em all off
on account of the war;"
'Well, how is the old spyglass?" I
said. II presume you 60 down every
little while and have a look around
just as you did last summer"
Cap'n Ben paused a minute before
he answered and then said, "There's
quite little yarn ter spin about that
old glass since you last saw her. My
train don't 60 for an hour and If you
have the time and would like to hear
it I'll spin it to yer" -
"Well, Captain, a real yarn from a
real sailor isn't to be heard every day.
I think that we had better take one
of these seats and you reel it off to
me-"
Old Man Did His Bit.
Eyer know" said Cap'n Ben after
being seated, II told yer last summer
that thought powerful lot of that
glass and didn't think that she and
I would ever part company, and now,
by lingo, I've sold her, or just as good
as sold her for a dollar"
why, Cap'n Ben" exclaimed, show
did that happen?"
swell, I'll tell you," resumed Cap'n
Ben. Ever since Uncle Sam went in
ter this war, I've felt meaner than q
skunk that want in it. 1 wrote to
Washington and to some kind of a
shipping board here in Boston offerin'
my services, but they wrote back !
was too Old. I amt but seventy-three
Mt that, and then, too, they said that
they wanted men who had experience
in steam and as I'd been. on a wind.
TANNER all the time I went to sea-
they didn't seem ter have aey place
| for me.
swell, Of course, like everybody else
was reading in the papers as how the
submarines were sinking vessels right
and left and how our boys on the de-
| strOyers had gone over to help the
English ter destroy that special breed
Of sea lice, and one day I saw piece
saying that the navy was mighty shy
Of marine glasses Of all kinds. II
seems that most Of them had been
made in Germany and we couldn't
make them here fast enough because
we had to have lot Of 'em right
away quick, and this article said that
If anybody had spyglass or a pair
of binoculars, If they would send then
to the navy department they could use
them to mighty good advantage; II
said that Uncle Sam would pay a dol
lar for the use Of them and return
them after the war, but If they were
lost the dollar was to be the purchase
price Of 'em. It seems that they had
to give you the dollar, for there was
some kind Of law that wouldn't lei
you give 'em to the government.
"Well, got to thinking the thing
over, and concluded that If they
wouldn't give me show, here was g
chance for the old glass to do her bit
and sent her along. My name was
engraved on it, had that done years
ago, and in about week I got letter
from this man Roosevelt who is as
sistant secretary of the navy, saying
| he had received 1t.
Glass Saved Thousands Of Men.
"Of course 1 missed the old gal 8
good deal, but didn't regret it fer 8
minute, although I'll admit I didn'1
bank much on ever seeing her ag'in.
"Well, do you know about three
weeks ago got one of these letters
from across that had been opened by
the censor; couldn't imagine who II
was from, and looked at it quite 8
while before I opened 1t, but when
did sure got good surprise. I've
got the letter here in my pocket ant
you can read it for yourself"
| He took out large, old-fashionei
wallet from an inside coat pocket anG
took letter from its spacious depths
and handed it to me to read.
Mr.. Benz. F. Buck:
"Dear Sir-1 have in my possession
aboard the q. S. torpedo destroyer
=, a spyglass on which your name
Is engraved. AS I am aware that q
great many patriotic citizens have con