Year: 1875

AoA oAA0 AOoo OA GuO A oAu AO1 SO VO l dinner; stayed away from supper until feel so much like member of the boats family now as before. However, my spirits returned, in installments, as we pursued our way down the river. I was sorry I hated the mate so, because it was not in (young) human nature not to admire him. He was huge and muscu- lar, his fnce Was bearded and whiskered all over; he had red woman and blue woman tattooed on his right arni-one on each side of a blue anchor with red rope to it; and in the matter of profanity he was perfect. When he was getting out cargo at landing I was always where I could see and hear. He felt all the sublimity of his great position, and made the world feel it, too. When he gave even the simplest order he discharged it like blast of lightning, and sent long, revefberating peal of profanity thunder ing after it. I could not help contrast ing the way in which the average lands man would give an order with the mate's way of doing it. If the landsman should wish the gang-plank moved foot further forward, he would probably say, "James, or William, one of you push that plank forward, please" Put the mate in lis place, and he would roar out, Here, now, start that gang plank for'ard. Lively, now What re you about Snatch it snatch it There! there Aft again aft again Don't you hear me2 Dash it to dash are you going to sleep over it2 Fast heaving. Vast heaving, tell you. Going to heave it clear astern2 WHERE re you going with that barrel .tor'ard with it fore I make you swallow it, you dash-dash- dash -doshed split between tired mud turtle and crippled hearse-horse

 wished could talk like that.

 When the soreness of my adventure with the mate had somewhat worn off, I began timidly to make up to the hum blest official connected with the boat the night watchman. He snubbed my advances at first, but presently ven tured to offer bim new chalk pipe, and that softened him. So he allowed me to sit with him by the big bell on the hur

 ricane deck, and in time he melted into conversation. He could not well have helped it, hung with such homage on his words, and so plainly showed that felt honored by his notice. He told me the f1aa1es of dim capes and shadowy islands as we glided by them in the solemnity of the night, under the wink ing stars, and by-and-bye got to talking about himself. He seemed over-senti- mental for man whose salary was $6 a week-or rather he might have seemed so to an older person than I. But I drank in his words hungrily, and with a faith that might have moved mountains if it had been applied judiciously. What was it to me that he was soiled and seedy, and fragrant with gin2 What was it to me that his grammar was bad, his construction worse, and his profanity so void of art that it was an element of weakness, rather than strength in his oonversation2 He was wronged man, 8 man who had seen trouble, and that was enough for me. AS he mellowed ped upon the lantern in his lap, and cried, too, from sympathy. He said he was the son of an English nobleman- not remember which, but believed he was both his father, the nohleman, loved him, but his mother hated him from the cradle; and so while he was still little boy he was sent to cone of them old, ancient colleges "-he couldn't remember which and by-and-bye his l property and "shook him, as he phrased it. After his mother shook him, members of the nobility with whom he was acquainted used their influence to get him the position of "lob-lolly boy in 8 ship;' and from that point my watchman threw off all trammels of date and locality, and branched out into a narrative that bristled all along with in credible adventures @ narrative that was so reeking with bloodshed and so crammed with hair breadth escapes and the most engaging and unconscious per sonal villainies, that sat speechless, en- toying, shuddering, wondering, wor- shipping. ...

 It was sore blight to find out after ward that he was low, vulgar, ignor- ant, sentimental, half -witted humbug, an untraveled native of the wilds of Illinois, who had absorbed wildcat literature and appropriated it's marvels, until in time he had woven odds and ends of the mess into this yarn, and then gone on telling it to fledglings like me, until he had come to believe it himself. IsUdira