The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1867-10-08

was once ~ monte ahd hhppN ana true
as any man can be, but q. sec how he
has been stricken down. Promise me,
my child, o promise here, before God
and your dead father, and your broken
hearted mother. that you viii never,
never touch a single drop OF the fatal
poison that has wrought for US this ia
tai misery"
20, shipmates did promise then and
there, all that my mother asked, and
God knows that to this time that prom
Use never has been broken. my father
was buried, and some good kind neigh
bors helped us through the wintor-
When the next spring came, ! could
work and earned something for my
mother. Not for the wealth of the
world would l break that pledge which
gave my mother and my God on that
dark, cold morning And even had /
made no such pledge l would not touch
the fatal cup, for l know that l have a
fond, doting mother that would bo
made miserable by my dishonor, and l
would rather die than bring more sor-
row upon her head. Perhaps you have
no mothers, and il you have perhaps
they do not look to you for support,
for ! know yon too well to know that
either Of you would ever bring down a
loving mether's gray hairs in sorrow to
the grave. That is all shipmates' Let
me 60 now, and you may enjoy your
selves alone, for do not believe that
you will ever urge the wine upon me
again"
AS Jack thus spoke he turned to-
wards the door, but Tim Rlack stopped
him.
"Hold ON Jack" cried Tim, wiping
his eyes and starting up from his chair
'You shan't go alone. / have got a
mother, and ! love her as well as you
love yours, and your mother shant be
happier than mine, for by the love /
bear her, l here swear that she shall
never have q drunken son. ! will new
er drink more"
"Give as your hand Tim, cried Sam
Pratt, "I'll go with you.
II waited no more, but quickly start
ing frcm my chair / joined the other
two, and ere long the whole five Of us
Joined with Jack Small in his noble life
plan We called for pen, ink and pa
per, and made Jack draw up a pledge.
He signed it first and we followed him,
and when the deed was done / knew
We were far happier than we had been
for many years before. The wine upon
the table was untouched, and the liq-
uor we had drunk in the forenoon was
all gone in its effect.
Towards evening we returned to the
ship. There was frown upon the cap
tain's brow as we came over tho side,
for he had never known us to come of
from days liberty sober. But when
we had come over the side and report
cd ourselves TO him, his countenance
changed. He could hardly believe the
evidence of his own senses.
"Look here, boys" he said after he
had examined US thoroughly; "what
does this mean 2"
SHOW him the paper" whispered l.
Jack had our pledge, and without
speaking he handed it to the captain.
: He took the paper and read it, and his
changed its expression several times
At length / saw tear start to his eye.
Boys" he said as he folded up the
paper, "let me keep this and if you stick
to your noble resolution you shall ney.
er want a friend while ] live"
| 1--WE let the captain keep the pledge
and when he had put it in his pocket
be came and took us each in turn By
the hand. He was much affected, and
know the circumstances made hin
happy. From that day our prospects
frightened Jack Small no longer haG
our envy. for he took hold and taught
Q us navigation, and We were proud o
him. On the next voyage We were al
six rated as able seamen. and received
full wages, and we left net that noble
: hearted captain until we left to become
! officers on other ships
Jack Small is now one OF the bes
masters in the world, and / believe th,
rest Of our party are still living honor
and respected men. Three years agc
; we all met--the whole six Of us at th'
Astor House in New York. and not on'
Of US had broken the pledge which VI
m@le at the hotel in Rio Janeiro. Foui
: Of as were commanders Of good ships
! one a merchant.in New York, and th'
other was just going out as American
: consui to one Of the Italian cities OF