The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-03-18

my employer, and in the third year Of my
engagement with him, ] was sent as super
cargo with vessel to South America. 1t
was to be trading voyage, and the ap-
Pointment conferred upon me was an honor
which caused me to be envied by the other
clerks in the counting house. Some of my
seniors sneered at my inexperience, and
said | would bring home "a precious cargo
and profitable account of my transactions" i"
Those who were nearer my own age saw
nothing Ia me that l should have been
chosen by my employer, and they agreed
that be had preferred me merely because he
was Border man, like myself In truth,
| wondered at his choice myself, for was
conscious Of hut few qualifications for the
task imposed on me, although three yeaR,
before l was thought, and considered myself
p" fit for anything"
1t was understood that our voyage would
occupy between two and three years; and
in order that | might provide myself with
everything necessary for my heightened
travels on the sea and my dealings on shore,
my employer placed in my hands two hun
dred and fifty pounds, independent of
letters Of credit" to foreign merchants
in various ports in which | was to transact
business.
But on tie very day on which received
the two hundred and fifty pounds, and about
tive lays before | was to leave England,
received letter from my father to the fol-
lowing import
My DEAR SON-It pains me to be the
bearer to you Of evil tidings, and the more
SO as know that they can only grieve you,
and that it is not in your power to remove
their cause. Yet it is meet that YOU should
know Of them. You knew and felt the
effects of the misfortunes which, few years
ago, overwhelmed me !; but you knew not
their extent. They still weigh me to the
earth-they blast my prospects and render
Powerless my energies. Yet there is no
one whom l can accuse for my misfortunes !;
they, and the distresses Of my family, are
the work of my own hands Tomorrow
will be the inmate Of prison, for debt of
two hundred pounds, which still hangs over
me. Your poor mother and your brothers
and sisters will be left with no one to
provide for them. Think of them, my
dear son; and, if it be in your power, as
slst them"
Such was my fathers letter, and every
word in 1t went to my bosom as sharp in
strument. | took two hundred pounds from
the two hundred and fifty that had been
gwen to me to provide for my voyage, and
transmitted them to my father, to relieve
him from bis distress. l, perhaps, acted
unthinkingly, and sent more than l ought
to have sent but what will not son do
for parent when his heart is touched
And at all events, acted as he to whom
the money was sent would have acted
from the impulse of the moment in bbe-
dience to the first, the natural dictates of
the heart
/ found that | had deprived myself Of the
power of obtaining many things which were
necessary for the voyage but l rejoiced
in the thought Of having given liberty to
parent and happiness to bis family and
my spirit enjoyed a secret tri Dh which
more than counterbalanced ANY trials /
might have to endure.
But the day on which | was to leave Old
England arrived. and within four days |
saw its white cliffs sink and die away in the
distance as a far-off cloud. We had been
seven weeks at sea, when a strange vessel
hove in sight and made alongside of US
She had a suspicious appearance, and our
captain pronounced her to be pirate. As
she drew nearer, We could perceive that ber
crew crowded her deck, and as she con-
tinued to bear down upon us, there could
be little doubt Of her intentions. Our deck
was cleared, and our few guns put in readi.
ness for action. We were the heavier yes
sci OF the two, but she carried three guns
for our one, and it was evident that her
crew were almost as ten to one. When
the captain had seen everything made
ready for action, he requested me to follow
him to the cabin for a few moments, and
when there be said Robert, for my
Christian name / will communicate to you
-" the pirate which is now bearing down
upon US is making three knots for our two
Within quarter of an hour you will hear
her shot WhiZ over us. don't care SO much
for both our lives being endangered, for |
know that already both our lives are sold;
but / regret the issue of this venture, for
your sake and for my own, and also for
that Of our owner, for | am certain it would
have proved a good one to US all How
ever, we must all heave to in deep water or
10 shallow water some time or other, and
the tide has Overtaken you and me today.
Therefore, my lad, don't let us look mis-
erable about the matter. Only / have to
tell you-lest | should be one Of the first
to be swept off the deck when the business
of the day begins-that our old owner, VS.,
Heaven bless him. is a regular truip.
said to me, just az | had got my papers
from the Custom House and he was shaking
hands with me-'Tom,' said he, for the old
fellow always called me Tom, look after
that supercargO of mine that you've got on
board. lie is cOuntryman OF my own.
He does not know it, but his father and !
used to paddle on Keswick lake together.
| have liked him on that account since the
first day | clapped my eyes on him, and
therefore | took him into my employ. But,
though be didn't think that / saw it, ] saw
that the chaps Of London were too much for
him. Therefore, | say, Tom, said he, if
you see him like to 20 too far, for the love
| bear the boy, bring him up with a SbOrt
cable Such, you see, Uy lad, Is tie love
which our old owner has for you; and
though you may have found him little
gruff now and then, as have done myself,
depend upon it, be is a regular trump at
the bottom. Therefore, | Fay, let US fight
for him row, as better is not to be until we
20 to the bottom"
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