THE ILLUSTRATED BEE.
Norrmber 15, 1903.
The Illustrated Bca
Published Weekly by The Bee Publishing
fmrnjr, Boo Building. Croatia, Neb.
Price, 60 Per Copy Per Tear. $2.00.
Captain Larsen on the Other Tack
Entered at the Cms ha Posloftlce os Second
Class Mall Matter.
For Advertising Bates Address Publisher.
Communications relating to tmotnraphs of
article for publication snouM be sd
dressed, "Editor Tho Illustrated Be.
Omaha."
Pen and Picture Pointers
UNE brides have boon celebrated
In aong and prone since that time
11 when no man's mind runneth to
'wt-"dj the contrary; but brides are nl-
waya In seaHon, and will be so
long as there Is marriage and giving In
marriage, and no particular reason exists
why the bride of June should be exalted
over her slater of any other time of the
year. As a matter of fact, society la chan
ging now In some of its usages, so' that the
bride of autumn is becoming fully as
much of a feature as the brldo of June.
Disclaiming any Intention of Instituting
comparisons, and again expressing its In
terest In the bride of any season of the
year. The Bee this week presents a pic
ture of the Autumn Bride, and submits
that she looks, with her bouquet of fall
flowers and bridal robes of lace, as sweet
and winsome as she who was led up the
church aisle to the chancel rail In the time
vf early summer.
The new army post at Fort Des Moines
was formally dedicated Saturday, Novem
ber It, the prlr.clpnl participants In the
ceremonies being General! Bates, Corbln
and Young. The event was marked by a
big barbecuo provided by citizens of Des
Molncs, closing a three days' celebration of
the event. The army post Is located about
four milts south of tho'clty of Des Moines
and 400 acres of ground has been secured
by the government. The land was pur
chased by a fund raised by renld-mts of
Des Moines, because of their belief that
the post would lulp the city. The govern
ment has fitted up the pout for cavalry
purposea and when 'completed the cost will
bo about U.OOO.oro. Tho buildings are of
the latest and best design, modern In every
respect. The quarters for tho efneers, the
bnrracks, the barns, the hospital and the
riding hall are nil complete and have been
turned over to the government. The Elev
enth cavalry has boon assigned to first oc
cupy the post and a detachment will be
sent there very soon. Tho post is reached
by a street car line from Des Moines, and
boulevard rood will be constructed. The
rifle range for practice la three mllea from
the post.
Another young Nebraskan who has
gained credit for himself In his chosen
vocation is Frank Bresnan, who has re
cently been made boatswain on the flag
ship Rainbow of the squadron Rt Manila,
lie was servlcg on Wisconsin as chief master-at-arms,
when he was promoted to be
boatswain on Rainbow. Young Bresnan en
tered the navy In 1883, enlisting as a sea
man. Ills rise has been steady, and In 1894
he was a successful applicant for admis
sion to the school of gunnery, from which
ha was graduated the next year. Since
then he has seen service In every quarter
of the world and has served as a warrant
officer with every rate. Ho ran away front
home In the first place., having quarreled
with his older brother, but has long since
been In communication with his family,
and his mother, Mrs. David Murphy of
Platte Center, No., one of the pioneer
women of the state, Is very proud of the
record her boy has made. Ed P. Bresnan
of South Omaha Is his brother.
Levi . M. Carter, who recently died In
Omaha, was one of the pioneer builders of
Nebraska. Coming to Omaha at an early
time In Ita hlatory, he was active always
In the business world until incapacitated
by the advance cf years, clthough. he had
not formally retired at the time cf hit
death. Mr. Carter was best known for h!a
connection with the Carter White Lead
company, the only successful rival of the
great white lead trust. Nearly twenty
years ago he engaged In the business of
corroding lead, hsvlng come Into the con
trol of a new process. From the very start
the butlness waa a success, and coon the
nterprlae was reckoned among the great
eat of its kind In the country. Twice the
plant was destroyed by fire and each time
It was rebuilt, larger than before. At the
time of Mr. Carter's death he waa presi
dent of the company, having two plants,
one at Omaha and one at Chicago, the com
bined capacity being greater than any sim
ilar institution In the world. Mr. Carter
had engaged in other lines of commercial
and buslnera activity and his nam la
cluaely Identified with the development of
Omaha from the condition of a froatkr
post to Its present metropolitan Importance.
In private life Mr. Carter was decidedly
unpretentious, but among his rhctea asso
ciates he waa greatly, esteemed for h'.a
many aterUag qualities. He cava anuoh 4a
charity,--but 444 -Ma alma -so unostenta
tiously that none except those through
Wiuun ha gave knew, of his giving.
(Copyright. 19)3, by Albert Sonnichaen.)
""sbs r T 13 111.. M
B I falrn on the Pacific Co.int me ins
1 v j uu 11a. v v lit tvi VI ui l lltj j IfsV
walian bark. Aloha, Aloha
has had many commanders, but
it is not worth while to burden jour
memory with any of their names, ex
cept that of Captain Krle Lat--M. who. I
bcllevo s:lled It until annexatl in brought
It under American colors. Cap aln Lar
son's name will be handed down t- 1 cal
famo for many years to come. When a
master mariner has a reputation It mains
that he Is either a most extraordinary go id
seaman and has a ke?n nose for fair winds,
or that he does things aboard ship not
pleasant for decent, shore-abiding pcoplo
to contemplate.
Captain Larsen's reputation was an ex
ception; it was not esrecially due ta either
of these causes. His fame was gained by
his power to convert the wicked of heirt
to the true- coarse of righteousness.
Previous to Captain Larson's advent on
the Pacific COast ss mate of a large British
four-master. Aloha had been com
manded by a bold, hardhanded Irishman,
who divided his time at sea between Ink
ing whiskey and committing assault and
battery on his sailors. This latter pastlne
of his made life miserable to the marina
hospital officials In Ban Francisco and Hon
olulu Whenever Aloha put Into those
ports. That sort of thing went a good "
ways those days when maritime liws
were vague and seldom enforceJ, but
finally Aloha became too notorious
even for those parts, and the owners were
obliged by public opinion to remove Kan
aka Hogan from his command. From ona
extreme they went to another. To take
his place they engaged the meek and gentla '
Larsen.
On the first trip he broka Aloha's
previous records between 'Frisco and Mel
bourne, and that placed him in hlsh favor
with the owners. But by his brother com
manders of other ships Captiin Iirse: was
regarded with supreme contc-npL A re
ligious master mariner la never resptcteJ,
more especially if he belongs to the Sal
vation Army, as did the toad and pljuj
Larron.
When the Aloha lay loading or dis
charging In Honolulu Captain I .arson
spent his evenings ashore at Salvation
Army headquarters, and he even Joined
the red-ahtrted soldiers of ChrlHt In their
street corner demonstrations. There the
seafaring population of Honolulu would
often behold Aloha's skipper, his bare
head and broad ahoulders towering above
his fellow Salvationists.
To the popular disgust he would some
times step forward to deliver his testi
mony, bashfully at first, later warming up
enthusiastically, exhorting the scandalised
seamen to mend their ways and be saved.
He invariably began thus:
"Dearly belofed bredern and shipmates:
It Is almost Impossible to express de Joy
of true salvation. I haf never been so
happy as since I found Jesus. Vunce I vas
a bad man, far from dc road of righteous
ness. Vunce I drink visky and use bad
langvldge, and vas not good to my sailors,
but now, tank de Lord, I have found sal
vation, and i don't be so vicked any more."
Naturally, such sentiments could not be
well received by West Coast skippers. That
a eallorman should declare whisky and
swearing wicked was, to their minds,
nothing short of treachery to the brother
hood of seamen.
In San Francisco ' Captain, Larsen's
piousness proved equally objectionable. He
always insisted that the boarding masters
send him Christian, God-fearing seamen
who never swore and would not object to
prayer meetings In the dog watches. Such
men were naturally scarce, but so long as
Aloha's owners stood good for the
la 1 ge shipping fees, they tried to humor
the ecccntrto Norwegian skipper. Those
were the days of blood money.
But one day there came a change of
management In the office of Aloha's
owners, and, among other things involved.
Captain Larsen must henceforth manage
tho financial part of shipping the crews
himself. That waa the cause of the trouble.
The religious scruples of Captain Larsen
and blood money - wouldn't mix in the
same pot.
In those days the boarding masters of
'Frisco stuck together as thick as thieves,
and the shipping commissioners stood In
with them. All this was for mutual benefit.
Any skipper that refused to put up their
prices brought upon himself their united
displeasure, and that was something no sane
skipper ever cared to do. Then, It was
usually to a skipper's advantage in a finan
cial way to stand In with the boarding mas
ters; It was another case of mutual benefit.
But Captain Larsen conceived the idea
that blood money did not chime In with the
moral schema of things, so he gave voice to
that opinion Just about as he voiced his
testimonies on tho street corners of Hono
lulu. He met Seattle Mike and Al Black, presi
dent and shipping master for the Boarding
Masters' association. In their office, parti---tloaed
off la the Fair Wiada saloon.
"Two months' ad vane for each rain,"
demanded Seattle Mike. "Just HO 120 for
us and VO to square up tha men's aceounta.
You've got to pony up aame's the rest of
'cm."
"You bet," ndJed Al Black, drinking his
beer with a dark frown, "we doesn't stand
no foolln'!"
Captain Larsen's mild, blue eyes wandered
wearily about the dingy office.
"Twenty dollars' shipping fee Is too
much," he protested meekly. "I am willing
to glf the men a month's advance, but I
von't gif you more dan 13 apiece as ship
ping fee. Dr.t is choost vat do law allows."
"Two dollars!" snorted Al Black savagely.
"We say !0, and we mean It. If you don't
come up with that price, you get no men."
But they came to no agreement. Aloha's
skipper returned aboard with a war against
the Boarding Masters' association on his
hands.
Next day he opened negotiations with
Chinese Charley, for a crew of Kanakas
and Chlnnmen. The United Boarding Mas
ters smiled that meant trouble for Captain
I-arren with the union. For a while they
decided to let It go at that, but Seattle
Mike conceived a plan whereby they might
have even a mora complete revenge. This
he at once communicated to his associates
and they grinned more broadly than ever.
It was a game they had played before and
always successfully. Perhaps you have
heard of the mutiny of Harvester.
Next day tney sent a note to Captain
Larsen stating that they acceded to his
terms a month's advance for each man.
"And a nice Christian crew we'll send
you," added the note.
"We'll give him Throe Fingered Jack for
bos'n" chuckled Seattle Mike significantly,
and the Idea sent the beer down Al Black's
wrong throat.
"An' Lager Boer Pete," suggested Al
Black, when he recovered. "Ho gets out
of choky tomorrow; an' we'll give hlnvthe
Ave chaps off Sioux Queen and Bill Sim
mons and Big Btcve."
Whereupon the two plotters chuckled Im
moderately over their beer and nudged
each other in Joyful anticipation of what a
shore person would consider a ghastly
Joke.
Next day the crew of Ataho went aboard
sixteen notorious ruffllans. Trig Olafecn,
Aloha's chief mate, received them at the
gangway. Olafsen had been on the coast
a long time, and he knew most of the
men. Perhaps ho even then reaKted the
game that waa being played on his com
mander, but If he did, his stolid, kljh
cheekboned face betrayed no Indication of
the discovery.
That afternoon Alaho was towed out
to sea. On the glass-covered venndi of
the Cliff House, overlooking Seal Ro:ks
and tho Golden Gate, sat two men, sipping
brandy and soda. Taking turns through a
braes binocular, they were watching Aloha
set sail.
"They'll never get beyond the Farel
lones," remarked Seattle Mike, as the big
topsails of Aloha were being sheeted home.
Tho tug had left It, and alone It ducked
to the big blue Incoming rollers. One by
one Its white sails were loosed and bellied
out to the northwesterly breeze, driving it
through the water at Increasing speed. AH
the square sails were set; then one by one,
arose the topsails. The two boarding mas
ters watched with keen Interest.
"Why fell don't those fellers begin tha
fun?" growled Al Black, irritably.
Ills companion took the binocular.
"They're at it!" exclaimed Seattle Mike
suddenly. "Tho ball Is openin' up!"
Aboard Aloha strange things were hap
pening. Its foreyarda, braced up on the
starboard tack, swung loose, swaying until
the wind had them aback. Through the
binocular Seattle Mike made out. figures
on deck in violent commotion. The poop
was clear, but amidships some great event
was taking place. A confused mass of
mcu were surging about the deck, but dis
tance made It Impossible to distinguish
just what was taking place. Suddenly tha
lee clue at the mainsail, which had been
raised to tha yard, came down on tho
run, and hid the acena of trouble from
view.
"Now, he's getting it," chuckled Seattle
Mike.
Al Black seized tha glass gleefully.
"They'll be raising police signals pres;
ently," he remarked.
"Yes, or squaring In for shore," prophe
sied Mike.
But none of these things happened. To
the amazement of the two boarding
masters, the foreyards of tha bark were
suddenly braced up again and It plowed
on to the southward, sending out long foam
whiskers from its cutwater.- Smaller and
mailer It dwindled, until It waa hull down
on the horlson, beyond the Farellonea.
Thon Al Black and his companion arose
and returned cityward, much perplexed and
not well pleased.
Aloha waa gone for almost a year. The
usual reports of Its safe arrival at Mel
bourne and Port Adelaide were cabled by
the underwriters, hut beyond that no news
came to 'Frisco of Captain Larsen and hla
crew for a long time.
- One day the Hawaiian mall steamer came
' in." and the passengers aboard told that
Aloha had reached Honolulu. But mora
astonishing waa tha report that it still re
tained the same crew shipped In 'Frisco.
By this time the game put up on Captain
Larsen was common knowledge among sea
faring men all over the coast. But the
laugh seemed to be turning on the Al Black
gang.
Then one flay the signal station at Fort
Point rciiorted Aloha standing In for tha
Gate. The custom house officers started out
to meet It in their launch, impatiently
anxious to learn the state of affairs aboard.
They, too, were on to the game.
They boarded Aloha a few miles off shore.
Captain Larsen received them at the gang
way with his habitual Christian smile and
mild blue eyes. But when tho Inspectors
beheld Three Fingered Jack, Lager Beer
Pcto, Big Steve and their equally notorious
shipmates briskly pulling braces, ye ho-ing
and clewing up sails in as crderly and ship
shape a manner as ever obtained abonrd a
man-o'-war, they swore aloud in their
amazement. Finally one of the Inspectors
got Three Fingered Jack aside for a
moment.
"I Bay, Jack, what happened?" he asked.
"Didn't you everlastingly lambant him"
"You're a child of wrath." retorted Jack
Indignantly. "We've learned the ways of
the meek and lowly, thanks to our nobla
captain."
"Oh, come oft!" exclaimed the revenua
man, impatiently. "Don't come any of that
guff on me. What happened?"
"Go soak yer head," responded Jack, with
a return of his old time manner. "Ye want
to know more'n what's good for ye."
And that was all the information' that
was forthcoming. Big Trig Olafsen smiled
significantly as the boarding house runners
boarded in the bay and the crew refused
to have anything to do with them. Aloha
dropped anchor off Mission Flat and with
scaraanllke promptness the men furled sails
and cleared up decks.
"The Lord loveth dose who are rndus
trlous," said the skipper, with ploua meek
ness to the harbor officials about him on
the poop.
That evening Seattle Mike nnd Al Black
sat Impatiently smoking big, black cigars
In the latter's establishment on Pacific
street. They were waiting for the appear
ance of Aloha's crew. The mystery must
be solved.
At about 10 they showed up the entire
sixteen all more or less drunk, and with
Three Fingered Jack In the lead. Tho two
boarding masters received them with sin
ister smiles of welcome, barely concealing
the impatience and anger within them.
They were, of course, too tactful to broach
the main question at once.
All hands crowded about the long table
and Al Black's bartender was kept busy
serving, first beer, but later whisky and
rum. The men were hilarious, noisy, ap
parently In excellent humor, but not a word
referring to their lato voyage came out.
The two masters waxed more and more Im
patient, especially as the drinks were as yet
not being paid for. Much against their wills
they had been obliged to drink with tha
crowd. Finally Al Black could no longer
contain himself. He determined to demand
an explanation.
"Boys," he said, rising and hitting tha
table with a mug, "I think it's up to you to
tell us what tht devil all this means. Did
you fellers flunk out there?"
There came a pause all hands turned
towards Three Fingered Jack. He arose,
shoving away his drink.
"Well, as ye nsk an explanation," he
said, "I might as well tell ye ws'vo coma
up here to have a few words with you."
"That's what you bet," broke in several
of the others. r
"Yes," continued Jack, "we have come
up here to make you see the sinfulness of
yer ways. We've come to offer ye the sil
vation we got through you. Ye once shipped
us on a craft wot ye said would be a home
for us. Yo told us the skipper was a kind,
fatherly of man wot would look well arter
our welfare. He did. He looked arter us
all right."
Here Jack pushed back the long hair
from over his forehead, revealing a long
white scar.
"But ye sinned against that same kind,
fatherly ol'. skipper, Al," he continued,
"an we want ye to repent. It was a sin,
Al, to work off a lot of wicked, wor'dly
men like us 'on that kind ol' man. But,
thank the Lord, he showed ua tha sinful
ness of our ways, Just as we're goln' to -show
you."
"What damned rot Is this?" broke in Al
Black, purple with rage. "What fell d'ye
mean, ye drunken swabs?"
"Hear the child of wrath," said Jack,
piously. "Boys, the time for the Lord'a
vengeance has coma"
The bos'n kicked back his chsir, and as
though this were a signal, all hands sprang
up, and in a moment the room was in a
savage turmoil, in the center of which were
Seattle Mike and Al Black. Both of the
crimps drew revolvers, but their weapons
were hurled across the room before they
could use them. Down the two went under
the feet of the mob, fighting fiercely. Tha
bartender and two runners attempted - to
he,lp them, but the first went down with a,
split scalp and the other two were trampled
Insensible in a second. Next the Infuriated
sailors dragged the two boarding mast era '
(Continued on Page Sixteen.)
