Wit and Humor of America, The Vol 08

<h2><SPAN name="THE_FORBEARANCE_OF_THE_ADMIRAL8" id="THE_FORBEARANCE_OF_THE_ADMIRAL8"></SPAN>THE FORBEARANCE OF THE ADMIRAL<SPAN name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></SPAN><SPAN href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</SPAN></h2> <h3>BY WALLACE IRWIN</h3> <p><span style="margin-left: 1em;">I ain't afeard o' the Admiral,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Though a common old tar I be,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">And I've oftentimes spoke to the Admiral</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Expressin' a bright idee;</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">For he's very nice at takin' advice</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">And a tractable man is he.</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">For once I says to the Admiral,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Unterrified, though polite,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Don't think me critical, Admiral,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">But yer vessel ain't sailin' right;</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">For our engine should be burnin' wood</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">And our rattlelines should be tight."</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">But when I spoke to the Admiral</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">He wasn't inclined to scold,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">Though me words, addressed to the Admiral,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Was intimate-like and bold,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1em;">(But he was up on deck at the time</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">And I was down in the hold).</span><br/> <span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_1554" id="Page_1554"></SPAN></span></p> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />