Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1846-12-30
The Fortunes of Ephraim DOOlittle
FOUNDED ON FACTS.
BY H. HASTINGS WELD.
CHAPTERL.

ding one morning at the wharf to watch the un-
lading of certain merchandise which he ha(
been advised, per mail, were shipped to him ir
the schooner '.Three Sisters" Now, in al
human probability, the articles aforesaid would
have found their way from the hold of the schoo
ner to the pier, and thence to the store, with
out his personal supervision; but in those days
business was business, and people could not fee
quite satisfied that they had done all that was
necessary in the way of oversight unless they
were perfectly conscious that they had done all
that was possible. Whatever effect Mr.. Mars
denis supervision had upon the debarkation of
this particular lot of goods, we are not enabled
to record; but his presence was the accident
upon which turned the future life and fortunes of
our hero, Master Ephram Doolittle.
Ephram was just at that point oftime, ecu
rious specimen as he delights now to remem-
Der and is not ashamed to say. His position on
board the 's'Three Sisters" was not exactly de-
| fined, for it was his misfortune that the vessel
belongs to his father. We say misfortune,
because any man who has ever occupied sim
liar relation to the vessel he sailed into wit,
as it is termed, ''ships cousin"-will fully admit
and understand the propriety of the term. The
sailors, jealous that the officers will show some
extra favor to the lad who happens to be con-
nected with the owners, take good care that he
receives no decent treatment at their hands,
and the officers, anxious to vindicate themselves
in the eyes of the men, visit upon him all the
kicks and cuffs which ought in justice to be dis
tributed among the whole crew. 1t is no Won
der then, that Ephram was pronounced stupid
dot, fore and aft. Ii a lad naturally clever e.
nough becomes temporary fool under such dis
cpne, it is precisely the least and the most
that can be expected OF him.
r. 1yar, Il
three days at the wharf, for business was then
done in no indecorous haste. As he had abun-
dant opportunity to look about him, he could not
help observing Ephraim, and he soon learned
his name, too-for, as the by-word now runs,
she didn't hear anything else"
"You Eph!' the skipper shouted. "Ephraim"
called the mate, and ':E-e-ephn' the second dick
ey. The cook cried "Ephraim~ and all the
men sung the same song, until Mr.. Marsden
was fain to conclude, either that the skipper
and all hands called ''Eph!' from instinct, as a
crow caws every time his mouth opens, or else
that the whole ships company were of the tribe
of Ephraim, and that the name applied to either
and any, like the somewhat indefinite term of
somebody" The lad who answered, or rather
who tried to answer all, and of course failed to
satisfy any, of these various summons, was long
and lank in figure, and careworn in face-as
who can wonder. His head was always in ad- |
vance OF his person, like the scouts before the
main body of an army, and his scraggy neck
protruded beyond the collar of his red flannel
shirt, like the necks of certain vultures which |
were crimson circlet. That his legs were not |
overloaded with adipose matter was evidenced
by the crystalline angularity of his ankles and
the almost transparence of the flesh, which |
seemed hardly sufficient to keep the tendons in
the same sheath with the osseous formation of
his limbs-the tops of his brogans and the hens
of his trowsers having long before parted COM
pany. He hurried hither and thither about the |
vessel in most painful condition of uncertain
ty, attempting every thing he was told to do,and
able to perfect nothing-a most unhappy inst |
ance of perpetual motion:-and Mr.. Marsden, |
who began by laughing at him, ended in real
pity.
At last the merchant asked the skipper if
''that young man was bound to him by the over
seers of the poor" The master of the "Three
Sisters opened his eyes in establishment.
''What, he2 What, that lazy od-for-noth-
ing shackl Well, do wish he was now, for I'd
either beat something into him or tnrn him back |
on their hands amazing quick. That there
fellow is Ephraim Doolittle, and his father owns
the schooner
twas now Mr.. Marsden's turn to be surpri-
sed. While he pondered in silence. the skip
per resumed-"W 90 to sea. He thought
it was fine fun, and as this here is his first voy-
age, shouldn't be surprised if it was his last,
too"
'.Nor L. thought Mr.. Marsden, who began
to comprehend the inconvenience to the master
of having an owners son on board.
The skipper still ran on, till the merchant in
terrupted him with-"As he seems to be of so
little use on board, suppose you give him hol-
iday tomorrow. Let him spend the day with
me-"
Now, Mr.. Marsden had never asked even the
skipper of the .'Three Sisters to his house
here was one reason why the boy should not
go. And it would make him ''uppsh" and i'm
pertinent, there was another. But just as the
skipper had determined to refuse,
MIR. Marsden dropped some papers. The 9th
er, on picking them up, recognized his owners
in the direction of letter, and
thought it would be hardly safe to refuse to his
employers son what he would have granted to
any other boy or man on board. And-though
rather ngraciously--permission was given to |
Ephraim to accept the invitation. The skipper
did not fail to call him Mister Doolittle in pres
ence OF all hands, as he informed him that Mr.. {
Marsden wanted him to 90 up and sclean his
knives tomorrow, or something" and that he
had "better wash his face for once in his life
before he went" So Ephraim was "Misterpd-
Tor the rest OF the day, much to his ANNOYANCE
but he had an indefinite hope of one days peace.
at any rate.
"Good morning, young man." said Mr.. Mars
den, as Ephraim presented himself at the coun-
ting room the next day; shut here's trick up
ON you." As he said this, he took from his
back square foot of tarred canvass, which one
his malicious shpmates had fastened to his coat
buttons. Ephraim blushed to the roots of his
hair. and-and, in spite of himself-a tear stood
in his eye.
"Never you mind" said Mr.. Marsdem, kind
ly, taking him by both hands; ~ see through
the whole of it. You have nothing to be asha-
med of, because those malicious fellows play
these tricks. Think no more of them for one
day, at any rate. Here, John,'' calling his son;
''walk about with this young man till dinner