Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-01-13

Nould burst IN any moment the boy might
cave it, whose feet were braced against
he cask, before him. Half-a-dozen little
ets of water were streaming in about him
and he was wet to the skin. l saw that
he plank must burst the moment the
strain was removed from it, so l made
NY men brace themselves against IT be-
lore | lifted him up. Other men were
called down with planks, and spikes, and
AIDES, and with much care and trouble,
We finally succeeded in stopping the leak,
and averting danger. The plank which
had been stove in was six feet long by
eight inches wide, and would have let in
a stream of water of that capacity It
would have been beyond our reach long
ere we conld have discovered it, and
would have sunk US in very short time.
I knew it must be where the iceberg
struck US.
Jack Withers was taken to the cabin,
ard there he managed to tell his story.
Shortly after put him in the hole he
crawled forward and when he became
used to the dim glimmer that came through
the headlights, looked about for snug
place in which to lie, for his limbs were
sore. He went to sleep, and when be
awoke he heard faint sound, like water
streaming through small hole. He
went to the open space in the cargo, and
looked down, and he was sure that he
saw small jet Of water springing up
from the Ships bottom. He leaped down,
and in few minutes found that the TIM
bers had given wholly away, and that
the stream was increasing in size. He
placed his hand upon the plank and found
it, broken, and discovered that the pres
sure of the water without was pressing
it inward. He had sense enough to see
that if it gained an inch more it must
all go, and the ship be lost, and perhaps
all hands perish. And he saw to, that il
he could keep the broken plank in its
place he might stop the incoming flood
So he sat himself upon it, and bracing
his feet against the cask, and then called
for help. But he was so far away, Sc
low down, with such a dense mass o
cargo about him that his voice scarcely
reached other ears than his own. Somt
of the men heard him but thought ht
was talking to himself
And there he sat, with his feet brac
ed, for four and twenty dreary hours
with water squirting in tiny streams al
over him, drenching him to the skin.-
He had thought several times of going +,
the Matching and calling for help; bu
be knew that the broken plank would b.
forced in if he left it for he could feel
heave beneath him-his limbs were rack
ed with pain-but he would not give up
I asked him if he should not have givel
up if I had not come as I did. He an
swered that he could not have done
while he had life III him. He said h
thought not of himself-he was ready t
debut he would save the rest if h
could-and he had saved US, surely save
US all, from watery grave.
That boy lay sick almost unto death
but nursed him with my own hands
nursed him all through his delirium an
when his reason returned, and he couI
sit up and talk, l bowed myself befor
him. and humbly asked his pardea f
all the wrong | had done him. He thre
his arms about my neck, and told me
I would be good to him, he would nevt
give me cause for offence and adde
as he sat up again-'I am not cowaf
i couldn't be a dog.
From that hour / never forgot thoi
words and from that hour l never strut
{ blow on board my ship. make me
| feel that they are men-that I so regal
them, and that l wish to make them
comfortable and happy as possible al
| I have not failed to gain their respect al
: confidence. give them on undue licens
/ but make my crew feel that they have
: friend and superior in the same pc
r son. For nine years I sailed in thr
! different ships, with the same crew
man couldn't be hired to leave me sa
for an officers berth.
= And Jack Wibers remained with I
thirteen years. He was my cabin boz
one of the foremost hands my seco
: mate and the last time he sailed vi
me refused the command Of a new barq
E because he would not be seperat
from me. But he is captain now, a
D one Of the best this country ever off
ed. Such gentlemen, Is my experien
d in government and discipline on sh