A Badge Of Office

Sylvanus Cobb, Jr., the anthor of eountless tales of romance and adventure, was a printer by tarado, and on one occasion especially his printer's rule served him a good turn. At 17 years of age he had entered the navy, where his duties were arduou% and monotonous. He was serving on the sloop of war Pairfield when it was cruising along the African coast, and one day. desperately tired of his duties, he stood leaning against a gun, his oíd composing rule in his hand. , "What's that?" asked an abrupt voice, and turriing with a start young Cobb saw that the captain was watching him. "It's a printer's rule, sir," was the repiy- "Are yon a printer?" "That's my profession, sir." "Do yon know any thing about proofreading? Could you take a manuscript and pnnctuate and arrange it so that a printer would know jiist how to put it iu type?" "I could once, sir, and I think I have not forgotten." "What are vou doins' now?" "I am ou duty here, in charge of your calrin, sir, and of the ship'stime." "Yes, I know. Mr. Dodd," he calle to the offlcer of the deck, "will you hav this man relieved? As soon as you ar at liberty," he adde:l. addrëssiag th young man, "report to me in my cabin. The yonth did so and was given mass of notes referring to various voy ages and travels in foreign lands to b sorted and arranged for the printer This work occupied him during the en tire voy age. Thns he had found, thank to his printer's rule, the easiest berth 01 board the ship.-