The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-08-31
From the Peoples Magazine.
ROLLED UP IN MUMMY

We often meet with quaint, rougl
fellows, particularly in seaport town
and among old seamen. | have seen anC
talked with many such, but one of tin
quaintest, and at tho same time tn,
most original of these characters, wa
old Duggins, the light house keeper a
Finley.
For many years have been i'll th'
habit Of visiting this part, and not
few of my evenings have been spcn,
ut the lighthouse listening to his yarns
You see, SIR began Duggins on ont
of these occasions, Il was a'mOs
born'd on the water, so that cOuldn'
help being fond of it. But never min(
that; what I'm going to tell yon ii
about the first gale o wind | was erel
out in.
my father was tisherman-that i:
to say, he went fishing when there
were any fish, and when there wasn't
and in the summer time he used tC
paint up the old boat and take people
ont pleasuring. and used to so out
with him.
Il was only six years old when thi'
here happened, us Ima going To tel
you about.
"People used to say to father, Saint
YOU 'fraid to have that young child with
you, Mr. Duggins-he'll be sure to bt
drowned some day.
"'Su, mum. father used to say; hes
safe not to be drowncd-he was born
with caul.'"
"You see, sir, father and mother bOtl
believed in cauls. don't. I've heard
of people giving much rs five and tel
pounds for one of them things. But
what | want to know is, what's the
good of 'em? People say us them as
has cot one 'ull never be drowned; but
that's right down ridiculous. 1t &int
likely as bit of skin like that will be
any use to feller whom he's overheard
in a gale o wind-it's regular nonsense
that's what call it.
Il never put no trust in caulS, can
tell We. If I'm in danger puts my
trust in God. SGys to myself, He can
save me if it's His will; but as to caulS
and such like rubbish, never took no
account of them. When got into Il
cal, - Wind, or onto lee shore, waSn't
the time | began to pray, rs many good
ncoulr do. What | mean is, | didn't
leave it until was nigh shlpwrecked
before | began; neither did L pray
sseclally to be saved when | was III 4
storm: because, yOusec, there was Wuss
thingS nor drowning rs wanted To he
saved from. Besides, ] knowcd as God
was rs able to take care of me on sea
As on land, in storm rs well Us IN a
calm. amt one of them rs thinks ifyou
are to be drowned, you will and if you
are TO he saved, you will, and so don
keep their weather eye open. No; what
used to say to myself was this: Jim,
my lad, if ever you get overheard IN a
gale o wind, Just yon put Your trust Ill
God, and strike ont hard
But" he went on, "lm getting out
of my latitude. was going to tell you
about my first gale q wind.
"Well, as | said, was used to the
water from baby, and when father
was zone away To sell his fish, and
mother wanted To get rid OF me she
used to get him TO put me aboard the
boat. and there used to play, quite
contented. Ons day, however, 1t was
at the end of September, father was
gone with some fish, and mother
hadn't said anything To him about
Duttinn me aboard the boat. Mother
was washing, and | dare say was
pretty troublesome, and that made her
cross, so she gives me Il box o the ears,
and tells me to be quiet.
81 want to go aboard the boat, moth
err said |, then I'll be quiet
".You can't go, said she; your father
amt here to put We aboard.
"'May 90 when it's low water, meth
err | says;'I can get aboard of her
myself, then -.
".Xo:' she says, you so out on the
cliff and play, and don't wOrrit SO. Don't
Won ro anirh the boat she called ont
as got outside. If you do, I'll give yon
a tanning
AWAY | went, and played about con-
tented enough for ever so long, and pres
emily it was low water.
"The Thomas and Ann (thatz was nay
fathers boats uame) was lying on her
side quite comfortable, high and dry on
her sand. sits down and looked ut
her, and rs | did so KEEP saylngto my
self, Il amt agoin' to get aboard cause
mother says / waun't to-
.Tben i set a little longer and said !:
'Taint the tanning that perwents me.
don't care for that but | amt gong TO
be a naughty boy, shan't get aboard
cause mother said l waun't To.
Presently it was like rs II some oody
was saving to me, Its VERY nice aboard
the boat, my lad you'd better go, no
body waun't see You.
"1No,' says l, Il waun't; mother SAID
waun't to. and amt a going.
E''For all that, though KEEP playing
about, I couldn't think of nothing but
the boat. Then went down on to the
beach. and gradually got higher and
higher. till at last thought I'd go and
have n look at her. Mother, 1 said to
myse.f, didn't say waunt to look al
her.
"When gets alongside it was just as
though a voice said to Inc, Goo along
nv lad, lump in, nobody's docking and
you can get out before the tide comes
up :. :,
that I scrambled into her; and when
had, begau to play and sing and pre-,
tend was ont at sea. How long had
been there don't know but present
IL she gave 4 cant and looks over the
side.
"sHullo y says /, 'here's pretty go
the tides up and she's nearly atloat.'
II didn't know what to do. couldn't
get ashore, that was sartain 1; so / sit'
down asin and pretends not to care.
But did: and then l thought, 'shan''
catch itp
1T was quite calm when the tide be
gan to flow, but as the fleod made, the
wind come in Shuts. At last, in about
half IN hour it blew q stitfish breeze
and the sea begun to get up.
Presently tea time come, and begin:
TO get hungry. was half mind to cry
but didn't, for just that minuteI / saw
mother coming ont of the door. Fus
sbe looked about, and when she couldn'
see me she called out ; leastways
tbought so. After minute or two sh,
Went to some of the other cottages t.
see If / was there, and when she couldn'
find me could see she was getting wor