The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1834-12-06

sellers, who got together, and passed ~. ,b.e
'o''ow,ng resolution -" ut a iaree ami
respeetde!s meeting Of the grocer, of G,n~- 900
gy Harbour, held al the store of M S;SS-
60" Spicket, ii gas unanimously re.oir'% E
Mat we view 1ah deep rvgret he proes.J'
;.ngs q the SELF styled friends offemneyones
However, on the day appointed = ~rs..
many people collected. A cIsr,ss s.oa'
from neighboring town opened ,Lae & ma"
,ns WIN prayer, the minister of Groepv
HARBOUR having excused himself ON me-.
count OF lhd'sposItIon, and fear that the
,.'ehos ci temperance were going 900
Jas' ana TOO Jar.' The description Of ,b;s
temperance meeting Is executed in rho
authors bes. style. Many arpumen,s
were used pro and con, but The hest
speakers were all opposed TO inDoyo,;on.
ana II was doubtful how the affair would
end, when Captain Lane expressed f.
wish that the boatswain of his shin would
favour the meeting with his opinions on
the use Of strong drink va
6 Ay, ay, sir, said the old bootswa;,.
and all eyes were turned upon him n,
no arose, in his shaggy pea Jacket. and
with his clean shirt collar, and tidv bI.cp
silk neck cloth, loose gray locks and 90.
Gate expression Of face, he MIGHT have
passed tor the very patriarch OF the flood.
DO Tar as external appearance and pro-
iessional relation were concerned. tb;.
was the vsry.ol ator for Groggy Harbour.
II was clearly indicated, in The counte-
nance of friend Ephraim, that he was
fearful oi the result. But the confident
expression on the features Of Can't. Lane
seemed to say, IT'S old Morgan's watch.
and I'll sleep ut my eass.'
So Please your honour" said tho old
boatswain, 1--WE come down here bv the
captains order /; and if there's any thing
slowed away in my old, weather.beaten
sea-chest OF head, that may be of any
use to brother sailor, or a iandsmrn e;-
ther, they're heartily welcome. lii viii
do any good in such cause as this ,hat
you've all come here to talk about va
may 60 down below, and overhaul 49,
ers OF an old mans heart. 1t may seem
little strange, that an old sailor should
put his helm hsrd-a-port, to get ou, Of
the way Of aglass o. grog but if il
wasn't for the shame, old as am, I'd
be tied up to the rigging, and take doz-
en-, rather than suffer a drop 10 20 down
my hatchss.' BY this time, all ewes and
ears were rivehsd upon the speaker
Ills voice, though lie spoke at the na,u-
raj pitch OF It, was remarkably clear and
strong aud his whole manner was cnl-
culated TO create . feeling Of respect
lie stood az 6rmly az a msinmast and
well carved image Of him, pea Jacket
and all would have made a glorious fig-
ure head for Old Iropsides. Father E
phraim's coontenanee began to lose its
expression OF anssety, aud the old sailor
continued, as folIovs:
"' Please your honour, it's no very
pleasant matter for poor sailor to 90
over the old shosl where he lost a fine
ship ). but be musl be . shabby fellow,
that wou!dnt s,ick UP . beacon, if he
could, and fetch home sovndings and
bearings, for the good Of others, who may
sail in those seas. I've followed the sen
for fifty years. l had good and kind pa
rents-God bIess 'em both They bro't
me up to read the Bible, and keep the
Sabbath. My father drsnk spirit spar
ingly. My mother never drank any. -
Whenever ] asked for taste, he wss al
ways wise enough 70 put me off, Milk
for babes, my lad, he used to cay 'chil-
dren must take care how they meddle
with edge tools' When I was twelve, I
went to ssa, cabin boy Of the Tippoo Sa-
Id; and the captain promised my father
TO let me have no grOg and he kept his
word. After my fathers death, begun
to drink spirit ond l continued to drink
till was forsy-two. ] never remember
to have been tipsy in my life but was
greatly afflicted with headache and rheu-
mstism for several years. got MARRIED
when ! was twenty-three. We had two
boys one Of them is living. MY elder
boy went 10 sea with mo, three voyages,
, and fine lad'-just then something
seemed TO stick in the old boatswain's
throst but he was speedily relieved, and
proceeded IN his own remarks,- used
= to think my father was overstrict about
!. spirit, and when il was cold or wet, I
d didn't see any harm in giving lack a lit
: tie, though he was only fourteen. When
= lie got ashore, where he could serve out
r his own allowance, gave him talk
G lie promised 10 do better, but he didn't
y l gave him another, but he grew worse ;
: and finally, in spite Of oil his poor moth
:, er's prayers, and my own, he became q
c drunkard. II sunk my poor wife's spirit.
= entirely, and brought mine to the water,
e edge. Jack became very bad, and
p lost all control over him. One day, ! saw
l. a gang Of men and boys, poking fun at
poor fellow, who was reeling about in III,
ic middle of the circle, and swearing terri
e. bly,. Nobody likes to see his profession
IN dlshonored, 80 l thought I'D run dow,
T. and take him in tow. Your honov
to knows what n snilor's heart is made OF
l. IL \ r.. I e.