Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-25
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
BY JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL.
THE CHIEF MATE.

flames Russell Lowell, .lslo.1saI.
today ~ a poet. HIS Vision of Sir Laun-
fal is famous. lie was The first editor
States Minister la Snain and 10 ENGLAND.
following The Civil War;
My first glimpse Of Europe was the
shore OF Spain. Since We got into the
Mediterranean We have been becalmed
for days within easy view OF 1t. The
landscape is beautiful--but, after all
nature has nothing more entertaining
than man, and the best thing l have
seen and learned at sea Is our chief
mate.
My first acquaintance with him was
made over my knife, which he asked
to look at. and after critical exam
ination, handed back TO me. saying:
Il shouldn't wonder II that ere was
a. good piece O stuff"
Since then he has transferred a part
OF his regard for my knife 10 me. Its
owner. like folks who like an honest
piece OF steel. and take no interest
whatever in famous paintings. and the
like. There Is always more than the
average human nature in q man who
has hearty sympathy with iron. II
Is manly metal. with no sordid asSo-
citation like gold and silver.
My sailor fully came up TO my ex-
pectations on further acquaintance. He
might well be called an old salt who
had been wrecked on Spitzbergen be-
fore ! was born. He was not an Amer
lean, but / should never have guessed
IL by his speech. which vas the pures,
Cape Cod. and reckon myself q good
faster OF dialects. Nor was he less
Americanized In all his thoughts and
feelings. n singular proof o! the ease
with which our omnivorous country as
Stimulates foreign matter. provided II
be the stun Of an American citizen.
He used to walk the deck with his
hands In his pockets, In seeming alb
straction. but nothing escaped his eye
How he saw. l could never make out
though had theory that il was with
his elbows. After he had taken me
Tor my knifel into his confidence. he
took care that / should see whatever
h deemed OF interest to u landSman.
Without looking up. he would say
suddenly: There's a whale BLOWN
ciearn up TO wizard" Or else. "Ihem's
porpoiscs To leeTard~-that means
change o wind"
lie IL impsrviots 10 cold as the polar
bear. and PAGES the deck during his
watch much as one of those yellow
hummocks goes slumping UP and down
his cage. On the Atlantic. IL the wind
blew gale from the northeast, and
II was cold AS an English Summer he
was sure 10 turn out In calico shirt
and trousers. his fuzzy brown chest
half bare, and slippers. without stock
ings. But lest you might fancy this
To have CHANGED by defect OF his ward.
robe. he comes out IN a monstrous pea
jacket here In the Mediterranean When
the evening Is so hot that Adam would
have been glad TO leave of his fie
leaves.
Its kind o. damp and. unwhole'
some I'm these ere waters He evi.
dentiy regarded this inland sea rs a
vile standing pool. In comparison with
the bluff ocean
At means he Is suburb, not only fol
his strength. but his weakness. He
has somehow or other come to think
me wag. and II ask him TO pass
the butter detects an occult joke. ant
laughs AN much rs Is proper for mate
For you must know that our socia
hierarchy on shipb0ard Is precise. ant
the second mate, were he present, wout
only laugh half AS much as the FIRST
The chief mate always combs hi
hair aud works himself into BLACK
trock coat con Sundays he wears 4
waistcoat) before he comes to meals
sacrificing himself nnhly and painful,
To the social proprieties, The second
mate. on the other hand. who eats
after us, enjoys the privilege OF shirt
sleeves. and Is. think. the happier
| man Of the two.
We do not have seats above ant
below the salt. as In old time. hti
above and below the white sugar. The
chief mate takes brown sugar al
| ways and 10 Is delightful To see how
| he ignoteh the existence Of certain deli
| cafieh which lac considers above I'LL
! grade. tipping hla head on one sid'
| with an air III abstraction, 80 that II,
may seem not Ia deny himself. bul
| 10 omit helping himself from mad
| Veftencr or absence NJ mind, Al auel
| times he wrinkles his forehead III il pc
| culiar manner, ingGftitable at nIat
! but easily read after You get the kay
lie seems 10 say something like this,
Il know my place, ] do "A heigh
| NJ wisdom attained by few. Whatevel
YOU may think. | really do not aee tina
currant Jelly, nor that preserved grape
Especially, Il KIND Providence has mad,
me blind Ia bowls oI white sugar. ans
deaf ~ the pop at champagne enrks
| A mefeilul dehtiny gives me u senhe o
| The hue ~ Havana, and the nuddle
| giirfie Of beer, Are there pnttat
meats? MY physician has ordered III,
three pounds OF minced salt Junk al
every meal"
There N such thing you know. al