Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1912 — MY SON BILL. [ARTICLE]

MY SON BILL.

Familiarity Allowed With the Consul Under the Circumstances. The captain of a second-class cruiser, which has lately returned to Davenport from the North American station to pay off, tells an amusing story against himself. The ship touched at one of the French islands in the West Indies, and the captain went ashore in due course to return the visit ot the British consul. On his arrival, says the North Mail, he beheld one ot the senior petty officers of his ship, to whom he had granted eight hours' leave, sprawling in a luxuriant chair on the veranda, puffing at a big Havana. The captain curtly asked him what he was doing there. The sailor, between puffs of his big cigaf, blandly retorted that he was there on a visit to Bill. “And who the duce is Bill?" snapped the skipper. “Why, the consul here —him as I allow you’ve come to pay your respects to.” How dare you speak with such familiarity of one of his Majesty’s Consuls?” thundered the captain. “Oh, Bill’s all right,” explained the petty officer, complacently. “He’s my son.” And as the captain fell back breathless with indignation and incredulity, the consul himself came in and exclaimed: “Ah, captain, I’m glad my old man wqs here to receive you!”—St James “Gazette.