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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 1902)
The Promotion of the Admiral (Morley Roberts, in The Strand.) (continued rrom last ween.j When the admiral woke, which he did after half an hour’s shaking, ad ministered in turns by three of the California's crew, who were anxious to know where he had stowed his bot tle of rum, he was still confused by the "dope” given him ashore. And then he rose and rested on his elbow. "Where am I?" "On board the California, to be sure.” “I’m dreaming," said the admiral, "that’s what it Is. To be sure, I'm dreaming.” The admiral sat up suddenly, and by so doing brought his head into vio lent contact with the deck above him. This woke him thoroughly just in time to receive Mr. Simpson, mate of the California, who came in like a cyclone to inquire after his health. "Did you ship as a dead man?” asked Mr. Simpson, "for if you did I’ll undeceive you.” And with that he yanked the admiral from his bunk and dragged him by the collar out upon the deck at a run. He rose at the end of his undignified progress and stared at the mate. "Who—who are you?” he said. Mr. Simpson gasped. V "Who am I—pb, who am I. Well, I’ll oblige you by statin’ once for all that I’m mate of this ship, and you’re my dog. Now, you lunatic, take this here ball of twine and go overhaul the gear on the main. And if you open your mouth to say another word I’ll murder you.” And though he could not believe he was doing it, Sir Richard Dunn crawled aloft and did what he was told. He was stunned. “I—I must be mad," }thought the admiral. “Now, then, look alive there, you dead crawling cat,” said Mr. Simpsou, “or I'll come up and boot you off the ya. Do you hear me?” "Yes, sir,” said the admiral, meek ly, and he murmured, “I suppose I oever was an admiral after all; I dcn’t seem to know what 1 am.” And the hardest nut among the ad mirals of the active list wiped a tear with the sleeve of his coat and came down as he was bid. When the crew were at breakfast next morning trouble began. “Say, are you an admiral?” asked Knight, the biggest tough on board ex cept Simpson and Wiggins. "Mind your own business,” he said. And Knight hove a full pannikin of tea at him. This compliment was re ceived very quietly, and the admiral rose and went on deck. "Takes water at once." said Knight; "he ain't got the pluck of a mouse." But the admiral went aft and inter viewed Mr. Simpson. "I wish to have your permission to knock the head off a man called Knight, for’ard. He hove a pannikin ^ of tea over me just now, and I think a thrashing would do him good and con duce to the peace and order of the fo’c’s’le." “Oh, you think so?” said Simpson. “Very well, you have my permission to introduce peace there.” “I thank you, sir,” said the Admiral. He touched his hat and went forward. He put his head inside the fo'c's’le and addressed Knight: “Come outside, you bully, and let me knock your head off. Mr. Simpson has been kind enough to overlook the breach of discipline involved.” And Knight, nothing loth, came out on deck, while Simpson and Wiggins stood a little way off to enjoy the bat tle. And in five minutes his mates car ried Knight into the fo'c’s’le. "I don't know when I enjoyed my self more,” said Simpson, with a sigh. After that the Admiral had peace and learnt something every day, and not least from Knight, who proved by no means a bad sort of man when he had once met his match. The Admiral and Simpson never had a cross word till they were south of the Horn. Then by chance the mate and the captain had a few words which ended in Simpson getting much the worst of it. As luck would have it the Admiral was the handiest to vent his t epite on, and Simpson caught him a smack on the Bide of his head that made him see stars. And when the Admiral picked himself off the deck Simpson made a rush for him. The Admiral dodged him hnd shot up the poop-ladder. At any other time Bla ker, the captain, would have gone for the seaman who dared to escape a thrashing for the moment by desecra ting the poop, but now he was willing to annoy Simpson. "Well, what do you want?” he roared. “Well, sir, I wanted to know whether Western Ocean custom goes here. I’ve been told that if I thrash your mate I shall have his Job. They say for / ward that that's your rule, and if bo, sir. I should like your permission to send Mr. Simpson forward and take his place.” Capt. Blaker laughed. He went to the break of the poop and addressed the mate. “Do you hear, Mr. Simpson?” he in quired, genially. “Send him down, sir,” said Simpson. “Are you sure you can pound him?” Simpson gritted his teeth and foamed at the mouth. “Kick him off the poop, sir.” "Are you willing to stake everything on your flgbtln’ abilities, Mr. Simp ^ son?” And whan Simpson said “Aye” tnrougn tiis teeth, the Admiral jumped down on the main deck. Now, according to all precedents, the fight should have been long and arduous, with varying fortunes. But the admiral never regarded precedents, and inside of ten seconds Mr. Simpson was lying totally insensible under the spare topmast. To encounter the ad miral’s right fist was to escape death by a hair’s breadth, and it took Charles Simpson, able seaman (vice Mr. Simpson, chief officer), two hours and a quarter to come to. “And I tho't he could fight,” said the disgusted skipper; "come right up, Mr. What's-your-name, you’re the man for me. There ain't no reason for you to trouble about my second mate, for Simpson could lay him out easy. All I ask of you is to work the whole crowd up good. And I don't care if you are an admiral, you are the right sort all the same. I guess that Simpson must have reckoned he struck a cy clone.” And Blaker rubbed his hands. Like Simpson at the fight between the ad miral and Knight, he did not know when he had enjoyed himself more. He improved the occasion by going be low r.nd getting far too much to drink, as was his custom, and the promoted admiral took charge of the deck. “Ability tells everywhere,” said Sir Richard Dunn. “I didn't rise in the service for nothing. Ship me where you like, and I’ll come to the top. If I didn’t take this hooker into New York as captain and master I’ll die in the attempt." ne naa quae come to nimseir, ana was beginning to enjoy himself. His natural and acquired authority blos somed wonderfully when he took on the new job, and, as Blaker never swore, the admiral's gift of language was a great vicarious satisfaction to him. Wiggins accepted the situation without a murmur. Even Simpson himself boro no malice when his sup planter not only showed none, but after knocking the bosun’s he*4 wgniaet a bollard gave his pine." *o tn» tornieT mate. Though he kept the men work ing, and goC the last ounce out of them, nonne* them were down on him. “I tell you he's an admiral, sure,” they said. "He's got all the ways of one. I own,” said Bill, an old man-o’-war’s man. "I spoke to an admiral myself, once; or, rather, he spoke to me.” "What did he say?" asked the rest of his watch. “He said,” replied Bill, proudly, “he upped and said, ‘You cross-eyed son of a dog, if you don't jump, I'll hash the ugly head of you!’ And you bet I jumped. Oh, he's all the ways of some admirals, he has!” “Well, admiral or none,” said the rest of the crowd, “things goes on pleasanter than they done when you was mate, Simpson.” And Simpson grunted. “And he gets more work out of us than you done, either. Simpson, for all yer hammerin' of us.” “I’ll likely be hammerin’ some of you again shortly.” said Simpson. And as he was cock of the walk in the fo’c's’le, whatever he was In the ship, the others dried up. Nothing of great interest happened till they' were well east of the Horn and hauled up for the northward run. And then Blaker took to religion (or what he called religion) and rum in equally undiluted doses. “I’m a miserable sinner, I am,” he said to the Admiral; "but, all the same, I’ll do my duty to the crowd." He called them aft and preached to them for two hours. And when one man yawned he laid him out with a well-directed belaying-pin. The next day, when it breezed up heavily and they were shortening sail, he called all hands down from aloft, on the ground that their souls were of more impor tance than the work in hand. “Come down on deck, you miserable sinners,” said Blaker, through a speak ing-trumpet. His voice rose triumph antly above the roar of the gale. "Come down on deck and listen to me. For though I’m a miserable sinner, too, there’s some hopes for me, and for you there’s none unless you mends your ways in accordance with what I’m tell ln’ you.” Even with tne speaking trumpet he could hardly make himself heard over the roar of the increasing gale and the thunderous slatting of the tnree top sails in the spilling-lines. “Don’t you think, sir, that they'd better make the topsaib fast before you speak to them?” said the Admiral. "No, I don’t,” replied Blaker, “not much, I don't not by a jugful. For if one of ’em went overboard I’d be re sponsible before the Throne. And don't you forget it.” “He’d mad,” said Sir Richard, “mad as a March hare. She’ll be shaking the sticks out of her soon." He leant over the break of the poop and called up Wiggins. “Mr. Wiggins, one word with you.’’ Wiggins came up, as Blaker roared his text through the trumpet. “Will you stand* by me, Mr. Wiggins, if I knock him down and take com mand?” “I will, but mind his gun,” said Wig gins. “When he’s very bad he’ll shoot.” It was not any fear of Blaker’s six shooter that made the Admiral hesi tate. To take the command even from a madman at sea is a ticklish task, and may land a man in gaol for all his be ing a Shanghaied admiral. “I tell you, Mr. Wlggin3, that Simp-1 son is a good man. I'll bring him aft again." And Wiggins made no objection whan Simpson was called up by the Admiral "Mr. Simpson,” said the mate, "thle la getting past a Joke Have you any objection to taking on your old job if 1 secure this preaching madman and fake command?” Simpson was "full up” of J<e fo'c’s’le, and as he had a very wholesome ad miration for the admiral he was by no means loth to return to his old quar ters. “I'm with you, sir. In another quar ter of an hour we shall have the sticks out of her.” And still Blaker bellowed Scripture down the wind. He was still bellow ing. though what he believed was not Scripture, when Simpson and Wiggins took him down below after five min utes of a row, in which the deposed captain showed something of his an cient form as the terror of the Western Ocean. As they went the admiral, now promoted to being captain of a Cape Horner, picked up the battered speak ing trumpet and wiped some blood from his face which had been in col lision. 'Tp aloft with yon, and make those topsails fast,” he roared. "Look alive, men. look alive!" And they did look alive. For ' Dick ey Dunn” never needed a speaking trumpet in any wind that ever blew. When things were snugged down and the California was walking north at an easy but tremendous gait he felt like a man again. He turned to Simp son and Wiggins with a happy smile. "Now we’re comfortable, and things are as they should be, Mr. Simpson, let the men have a tot of grog. And how's Mr. Blaker?” "Waal,” said Simpson, cheerfully, “when we left him he wasn’t exactly what you would call religious nor re signed.” But if Blaker was not nappy tne Ad miral was thoroughly delighted. “Now you see what I said was true,” he declared at dinner that night. “If I hadn't been an admiral and a man horn to. rise, how could I have been shipped on board this ship as a fore mast hand and come to be captain in six weeks? I’ll be bound you never heard of a similar case, Mr. Simpson.” And Simpson never had. “Was it Shanghai Smith, do you think, as put you here?” he asked. The admiral had never heard of Shanghai Smith. “When I get hack I’ll find out,” he said. “And if it was I’ll not trouble the law, Mr. Simpson. I never allow any man to handle tne without getting more than even.” “You don’t,” said Simpson. If his manner was dry it was sincere. "But I don’t bear malice afterwards. Your health, Mr. Simpson. This kind of trade breeds good seamen after all. But you are all a trifle rough.” Simpson explained that they had t<J be. “When the owner’s scheme is to have one man do three men's work, they have to get men who will make ’em do it. And when the owners get a had name, and their ships a worse, then men like Shanghai Smith have to find us crews. If you could get back to San Francisco and hammer an owner some of us would be obliged to you, sir.' “Ah! when I get back,” said the Ad miral. “This will be a remarkable yarn for me to toll, Mr. Simpson. I still feel in a kind of dream. Would you oblige me by going to MY. Blaker and telling, him that if he continues to hammer at that door I’ll have the hose turned on him.” And when Simpson went to carry this message the Admiral put his feet on the table and indulged in a reverie. "I’ll make a note about Shanghai Smith and settle with him in full. But 1 shall rise higher yet. I know it’s \v me, Steward!” “Yes, sir,” said the steward. “I think I’ll have some grog.” He drank to the future of Admiral Sir Richard Dunn, master of the Cali fornia. Ancient London Church. With a history reaching back to the days of Alfred the Great, a special In terest attaches to the Church of St. Thomas, quaintly situated in a back water of Regent street, and which is now celebrating its bicentenary. A site granted by Alfred's niece to St. Peter's church, Ghent, was in the reign of Henry V., in accordance with an act for the suppression of alien priories, settled upon the Carthusian Priory at Shene. In 1530 Henry VIII. appro priated it to the Crown. The next stage was reached in 1687, when Thom as Tenison, afterward Archbishop of Canterbury, secured the old property and built, first a wooden “oratory,” and then in 1702, the present building At length the Charity Commissioners thought fit to upset the original scheme and with the funds of the trust built the Tenison Schools in Leicester Square. Thanks to the present vicar, a freehold site has been purchased and parish buildings have been erected at a cost of about £8,000, where the pa rochial work involved in caring for the three thousand people of the parish— most of them poor—can be carried on The vestry has an interesting collec tion of portraits and prints of the vari ous interesting people connected with the church. Sir Isaac Newton, for in stance, was a trustee. Here Canon Knox Little served his curacy. The amount of money in circulation in the United States to-day Is $2,250, 256,230, or thereabouts. Share and share alike, this is $28.78 per capita. The problem with the enterprising man is to get as many per capitas as he Jan WAS REFERRED RACK DECLINED TO INDORSE WIDE OPEN RECIPROCITY MEASURE. fc’«w Y ork ( limnlirr of C’on»mpir«* Hindi* i ful of tlio lact 1'h>«( th«* Interests of j Importer* Hint Vurrlgn prci|;tit Car- ! rler> Ihuultl Not Alouv lit* CouxiUoreil, The New York Chamber of Com merce has declined to pass the follow ing resolutions teported hy a commit tee whose chairman is Gustav II. Schwab, agent of a foreign line of steamships: "Resolved. That this chamber here by expresses Us disapproval of the ac tiou taken by the National Reciprocity Convention at Washington ou the 20th ultimo, as subversive of all attempts to bring about closer trade relations with our sister nations, and to open new J and wider markets for our products; j and be it further "Resolved, That the Chamber views ; with apprehension the policy advocat ed by the reciprocity convention, as likely to invite hostile legislation on the part of the other nations against this country to the great detriment of Its commercial interests.” For once the New York Chamber of Commerce seems to have had the pres ence of mind to recognize the fact that it is not wholly committed to the inter ests of importers and foreign freight carriers. Present at the meeting were two gentlemen who had served the chamber as delegates to the reciproc ity convention. Messrs. Charles A. Schieren and James Talcott demurred to the proposed expression of disap proval, and in this they were support ed by Cornelius N. Bliss, w.io said he favored a proper system of reciprocity, but he did not think that the chamber was sutliriently informed to discuss or take action at this time on so import ant a question. The rebuke was indi rect, and all the more effective on that account. Three hundred of the leading manufacturers of the United States, after six weeks of preparatory consid eration and two days of thorough de bate in convention, had, with but two dissenting votes, and one of these a delegate from the New England Free Trade league, decided in favor of such ■ ^ - — — — — of Teddy" doubly iHsrounts It In h*. gnbriety.— Mt.. Verson (ill.) News. Yes, Indeed. Under Grover fro* traders consoled themselves that plants were shut down und more than two million wage earners, out of a job, were facing semi-starvation, while under Toddy bread winners can obtain work and wmges all over this broad land. If there ir. anything that fills the circumambient atmosphere with lugubriety in the mind of free traders it is the noise of humming spindles, the racket of looms, the shriek of locomotive whistles, the smoke Issuing from manufacturing plant chimneys or the song and whistle of workmen with full dinuer pails. Yes, yes; the free traders’ out look is indeed somber. L«t It Alone. The best way to treat the tariff is to let it alone. The most amazing thing in the world is this persistent attempt to have it tinkered. There is no more sense in it than there would be in a movement to revive the free silver issue on the ground that the country, having prospered under the gold standard, ought to have a change. The two things go together. It was the Dingley act. iii conjunction with the monetary legislation oC the Republican party, *hat brought the' country out of depres sion and established its fortunes anew. These two are the twin pillars of the temple of prosperity. Why should either of them be shaken? We hope and we believe that loyalty to country as w’ell as to party will be strong enough to cause this view to prevail. Walt until some harm comes from the tariff, instead of untold bless ings. before we think of changing it. There is danger to the people and the threat of ruin to the’ Republican party in every assault upon the tariff.—Red Wing (Minn.) Republican. Why the Workers Don't *Ioln In* It. is a source of great disappoint ment to anti-tariff men that the cry against the trusts, so-ealled, meets with so faint a response among those who. if the cry were sound and true, ought to be aroused by_ it to defend their interests. If. as alleged, the trusts increase prices and depress wages, the wage-earners should be fully aware of it and should lose no THE HOME MARKET SANTA CLAUS. reciprocity as may be had “without Injury to our manufacturing, commerce and farming." Rightly Mr. Bliss could contend that snap jucjginent ought not to be taken against the deliberate ac tion of such a body of well informed business men as they who made up the reciprocity convention. So Mr. Schwab’s resolutions were “referred back,” a polito euphemism for “sat down on.” The free trade New York Times, dis pleased with this, remarks: “We cannot for the life of us see why this should have been done. They tell the indisputable truth In a straightforward way. The action taken by the reciprocity convention after its capture and perversion by the protec tionists is undoubtedly subversive of attempts to open new and wider mar kets for our products; and the policy advocated by that convention is just as undoubtedly of a nature to invite retaliatory action by other nations. As a statement of fact the resolutions are Impeccable.” Does the Times know of any policy so "undoubtedly of a nature to invite retaliatory action by other nations” as that of granting to one nation spe cial tariff concessions that are denied to competing nations? Does it not know, for example, that the new Ger man tariff now under consideration in the Reichstag contains a clause which provides for the imposition of double duties upon imports from any country which grants to another nation a lower rate of duties than those imposed upon the products of Germany? To state the case more explicitly, the ratification of the French treaty would be instantly followed by such an increase in the German schedules as would practically bar out all American imports. What then? Why, a similar reciprocity treaty with Germany, of course. And if with Germany, with all other nations, al ways excepting Great Britain, theinoBt liberal of all buyers of American ~t ports, but which, having no tariff, could not retaliate. In short, free trade, or tariff war all round. Of all policies calculated to provoke reprisals and re taliation. the special trade treaty pol icy Is the most provocatory. The New York Chamber of Commerce did well to “refer back” Mr. Schwab’s resolu tions. Free-Tr«de I.ueubrlety. “Four years more of Grover” was doleful enough, but "three years now timo in uniting for the regulation, if not for the suppression of a gigantic evil. But the fact is that a great army of men and women is employed by the concerns called trusts,and these work ers are probably much better informed on the matter of wages and prices than the anti-trust writers. It is with them a matter of every day e»> perience and they do not Join in the hue and cry. Hardships there prob ably are, and neither small nor largo employers are always just to their people, but there seems to be no evi dence of oppressive conditions on a scale large enough to justify the dras tic punitory devices advocated by some politicians. la Thla Srnlllty ? Our venerable contemporary, the New York Evening Post, says editori ally of President Roosevelt’s message, under the head of Vagueness: “We are advised that reciprocity must be treated as the handmaiden of protection. Does that convey any idea to an expectant congress? It conveys none to us.” But it does to most people. Turn ing to its news columns of the same date, the well in which truth some times is found, we see that Lord Rothschild said in London to a repre sentative of the Associated Press: “If reciprocity is only to be a hand maiden, it will not do England much good.” What is the matter with the Post, anyway? Did it think it could keep from Americans knowledge of the fact that reciprocity was for the benefit of foreigners? For Frce-Tradera t® Answer. “Bank clearings are again above the phenomenal record of a year ago. Business failures for November have been of insignificant proportions. The crush of business upon the railroads does not abate. Demand in iron and r.teel continues so far in excess of supply that higher quotations are be ing reported in iron.”—Springfield Republican, Dec. 2. Will the Republican, or any of its free trade contemporaries tell us the reason for the above state of affairs? It cannot be due entirely to chance. Is there not some underlying cause for the continued record-breaJJng prosperity that extend* aver the vhnle country and to every branch of trade and Industry? And if there la a rea son, why not state it? HEIRESS TO MILLIONS.1 flISS NORMA MUNRO CLAIMS VAST ESTATE IN SCOTLAND. title of "t.adj of Dumfries" floes with the Property Which Is 8»l<i to lie Worth *900.000,000 — Young Lady !■ Already Very Wealthy. A New York glri. Miss Norma L. Munro, is now in England pressing her ,'lairns for an estate and title In Scot land. The fortune is an enormous one, $-00,000,000, which If obtained will make her the wealthiest woman In the world. The story of her claim to this vast estate is interesting. When her father, Norman L. Munro, the New York publisher, died he was engaged in claiming his right to the estate of the ancient family of Hume which lies in the county Dumfries, on Solway Firth, Scotland. George, the last Lord Hume, died intestate and the greater number of his heirs died one by one before the bitter and protracted quarrel over the division of the estate was settled. Land and moneys therefore reverted to the British crown, with the provi sion that they be restored to the re maining heirs should they ever come to an agreement. At the time when Norman Munro discovered that, as grandnephew of the last Lord Hume, he was an heir to the Hume property, there was, it appeared, only one other existent heir —a Scotchman whose home was In Edinburgh. These two were on the road to a perfectly friendly agreement, when both died within a short time of each other, the Scotchman leaving no descendants. Miss Norma Munro therefore is, her lawyers say, plainly the present exclu sive heir not only of the property, but of the title which has always been borne by the ladies of the house of Hume—that of lAkdy of Dumfries. The title, by way, does not appear In the peerage, as It Is only of local signifl cance. This double claim Miss Munro reeenly went to England to press. Apart from the Scottish fortune Miss Munro is wealthy, having inherited many millions from her father. Vain* or flutter Eating. One of the favorite remedies of physicians is cod liver oil, and why Is one of the mysteries of the world of medicine, when all there is about it is an old fatty substance is wanted that is easily digested and quite as easily assimilated, fish oil being appropriated with a small outlay of digestive power. Why cod liver oil. a product of the de composition of fish refuse, should have ever been chanced upon, when butter and cream are nature’s supply, and at once the most readily obtainable, is un explainable. While any one can take cream or butter, the consuming of fish oil requites the fortitude of a saint and the heroism of a martyr; and as we know the oil does not agree with many, and Is hard of digestion In others. Now, it has been demonstrated that fresh, unsalted butter is rather more digestible than oil, and Is pleasant to take on thinly-cut slices of bread, and as high as four ounces a day of this butter can be eaten with impunity by even delicate persons, and cream can be taken to the full desire of the pa tient. When one is recovering from pros trating sickness and the body needs nourishment this fresh butter, it is now asserted, has no equal in building up the wasted tissues of the body, and as a stimulant very hot, fresh milk is without a rival, outside of the use of alcohol, which last is better left alone when possible, says the Pittsburg Dis patch. Growing children may be great ly benefited by indulging in generous amounts of butter, though it may seem expensive, but it may prove the cheap est in the end. Either of these reme dies can be taken without r. doctor’s prescription, and is outside of the "kill or cure” warrant. A New Kellc of Burns. There has come to light in one of the auction rooms an interesting relic of Robert Burns. It is an ordinary businesslike tumbler, inclosed in an oak case lined with velvet and secured by a Brahmin key. The tumbler has engraved on it the following inscrip tion: "This glass, once the property of Robert Burns, was presented by the poet’s widow to James Robinson, Esq., and given by his widow to her son-in law, Maj. James Glencairn Burns. 1840.” The James Robinson to whom Jean Armour gave the relic was a Sun derlar»1 gentleman, who became by marriage connected with the Burns family. The box is made from one of the piles of the old London bridge, with some lighter pieces of oak. relics of the Royal George.—The Scotsman. Uttle Girl's Unconscious Wit. Ex-Congressman Cable of Illinois has a charming young daughter, who is receiving her education in France, When she was several years younger her father took her on his knee one day and said to her: “To-day a man asked me if I would not sell little brother. He said he would give me a whole room full of gold. Shall I let him have little brother?” The child shook her head. “But,” persisted her father, "think how much money this room full of gold would be. Think how many things you could buy with it. Don’t you think I’d better let the man have little brother?” “No,” said the daughter; “let’s keep him till he's older. He'll be worth more then."— Washington Star. Do not read great authors solely with a view to Inoculating yourself with their idea on a certain subject, but rea son the matter out and form your own opinion.