Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-19


cept for tho weekly tests. from tho
time the capture OF the Manila till
they were set to work in hurry try
ing in vain to keep the pirate from
but the sail were kept clcwcd up for
the most while.
Yet it was not really unintercsting.
for all the anxiety OF il and the fears
the Interest is stronger now than then.
Few conditions give you chance to
study men az shipboard docs. and here
were men of all kinds-and chiefly
one man OF one kind. Graf Won Luck
ner. first name Felix. active captain
lieutenant
1t was hot We were in the dold :
runs: IL rained at any time II felt like
it. and We had nothing to do cxcept
TO walk up and down and falkland
wish--but the commander Of the alder
more than once proved relaxation.
not only 10 talk TO (,or he was an
afable fellow when he wanted to be)
but TO watch.
martinez. IL ever there was one
product of the military caste sys-
TEN. Yet he had had the corners
rubbed. II not OF. at least sufficiently
TO give him a touch OF courtesy TO
those in his power
don't want 10 give the impression
that this Graf. who had sent fourteen
or hftccn merchantmen 10 tho bottom
was a mean man. But he had TO be
rubbed the right way-and every Ger
man. from the pctticst 70 the petty
officer up did all the towing he
c"uio. They never approached him
without bowling and scraping, and
saluting deliberately while addressing
him as Herr Graf" lie took il as his
due. and often IL seemed TO inc tina.
this dirty old tub, lettering where it
had no business to be- was a little bit
Of a German principality. with Won
Luckncr for prince.
sun, while he could be a pirate in
decd and in manner. and whilo he was
vain and hragEart and a gorgeous
mar and ono who treated his men like
the scum OF the earth. we must give
him his due. He could have put on a
good deal more swaggcr. He might
have worn monoclc. but he didn't
lie might have been less kindly in such
sentimental affairs as providing a paper
flower bouquet for the captain Of a
ship h" had captured. and was about to
sink. lie was 10 a large extent, when
not crossed. good fellow.
Count he was. and there's no telling
ohhand how many generations Of
counts there have been before him In
his family. but put him in overalls
and blue shirt and with his big lanky
frame he'd look like nothing so much
as lum berjack.
Personally wieh him no i'll will.
and whether he's in Suva or Auckland.
or a; the other end Of the earth. hope
lie gets from his captors the courtesy
he showed nc when was his prisoner
And yet, wouldn't have liked to
have beaten him at checkers That
vas ono OF his many failngs. Between
whites in piratinE he played the game
for all tho world as IL the Seeadlcr
were his private yacht with no other
purpose but TO provide him n nice
warm spot on the ocean in which to
indulge himself at the little board OF
squares.
CREW on TIE JUMP WHEN
CAPTAIN LOST At CHECKERS
Now and then. by nishap. ono O, his
officers would take game from him;
:,
he wouldn't speak except to bcrate
and give orders that would keep the
whole ships company on the jump.
We've got to he careful about it,"
one Of the officers told me: "if one
% us won a game on purpose. we
wouldn't speak TO him"
Nor wns tho count less exactinS in
matters touching him more personally.
We American captains were at break
fast one day in our own mess when
there was terrible hula baloo.
They've mutinied At last, by jingo.'
| cried, and raced up the steps two
at time. But they hadn't. There
was the coun, aft on tho poop and
there he reigned for an hour. making
thorough examination into the qucs-
ton in hand Officers. petty officers.
cooks. walters, masters at arms-ali
these and moro were brought before
him for questioning.
what happened? Are we lost"
Captain Petersen asked ire. and only
after many minutes could set enough
sense from tho din to answer.
His Grafship had been served a pam
cake made from un.ifted -four. and in
II he. buccancer, sea rover. any term
you will, had found a maEgot
How they spotted him! And he too
solemn ever to guess il. He was tho
biggest liar on earth. Hlling one with
talos OF wonderful German inventions
that were going to end tho war of his
each time tho number OF ships sunk
own exploits. Of anything that came
into his mind-and stealing your own
fairy tales In retail to others.
He had story OF a German torpedo
boat that could sail without a crow
picking off enemy warships. 1t never
failed TO please him 10 toll this. and
in the specific test no boastcd Of in
creased.
How many is that" he would ask,
Jottins off tho names of his fingers,
and then he'd add Il fcw. and tho next
week still more.
lf on" jollied him along. saying,
Can it hc?' and Most amazing thing
ever heard" he'd treat you like a
brother.
He lmped, and was proud Of il. tell.
ing one how he was In the battle of
Jntland and was hit by she'll He
described IL rapidly-the lines OF bat
tleships. the smaller vessels scurrying
like terriers. the booming, the great
distances. the loss of ships and the
ala A.