The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-03-04
GOENG AhSJET.

late freely, some Of the elder captains
began spinning yarns about their own ad-
ventures AT sea. Among the number was
Captain Sutter, as fine man and good
a sailor as ever trUd deck II was OBJ
served that he drank nothing but water );
and when it came his turn to entertain the
company with a story he began as follows:
Well, shipmates, 10 show you why
don't and can't drink with you, so that
you won't take my refusal as a mark Of
coldness or disrespect, | viii give you a
chapter from the story Of my early sailor
life. It is a very important chapter, too,
for on the incident | am about to relate
the whole of my subsequent manhood was
built.
was very young when first went to
sea. When l was eighteen was shipped
on board an East Indiaman for long
voyage. These were six Of us on board,
Of about the same age, and we had about
The same duties to perform. The ship
the old Lady Dunlop-was a large one,
aud our crew was large in proportion,
there being 81, all told. Our Captain
was a obe-hearted, honorable man,
kind and generous, but yet very strict.
Now, we boys had learned, in the
course Of our travels, to drink our grog as
well as any sailors. When we could get
on shore, We would inevitably indulge in
cur cups, and frequently would we come
off In state anything but sober. / said
I'VE )" but there was one Of our number
who could not be induced to touch drop
of anything Intoxicating. His name was
John Small.
Now, John Small not only RETAINED
entirely from drinking himself, but he
used sometimes TO ask Us 10 leave the
stuff alone. he gave that job up, how
ever, for we made such sport Of him that
he was glad TO let us alone. Bot our
captain had sharp eyes and it was not
long before he began to show Jack fayors
which he did nCt show to Us. He would
often take him or shore with him to spend
the night, and such things as that, while
we were Kept on board the ship. That
wasn't all lie learned faster than we
did-he was a better sailor, and had
learned more navigation. 1t had got so
al length that Jack was called upon to
take the deck sometimes, when the Off
GERS were busy and he used to work out
the reckoning at noon as regularly as did
the captain. Yet Jack was In our mess,
and he was constant eyesore. We saw
that he was reaching rapidly ahead Of Us
in every useful particular, and yet we
wouldn't open our eyes. We were envi-
Gus of his good fortune, as we called it.,
and used 10 seize every opportunity TO
lease him. But he never got angry in
return. He sometimes. would laugh at
US, and at others he would so feeIingIy
chide Us that we would remain silent for
while.
At length the idea entered our heads
that Jack should drink with us. We
talked the matter over in the mess, when
Jack was absent, and we mutually pledged
each other that we would make him drink
at the first opportunity. After this de-
termination was taken, We treated Jack.
more kindly, and he was happier than he
had been for some time. We were on our
homeward-bound passage, by way of Bra
I'll, and our ship stopped at Rio JaneIio,
! where we wereto remain a week or so.
One pleasant morning, we six young
| sters received permission to 90 on shore
and spend the whole day, and accordingly
we rigged up in our best togs and were
carried to the landing.
Now was our chance, and we put our
heads together 10 see how it could be
done. jack very first desire, AS soon
as lie got on shore, was to go up and ex-
anime the various things Of interest in the
city He wanted TO visit the churches
and such like places, and to please him
we agreed to 90 with him if lie would 90
and take dinner with US. He agreed TO
/ this at once, and we thought we had him
/ sure We planned that after dinner was
/ eaten, we would have some hight, sweet
wine brought in, and that we would CON
| trive TO get rum enough into what he
/ drank to upset him, for nothing on earth
would please us more than 10 get Jack
+ drunk, and carry him on board IN that
condition. Then we fapcied the captain 5
4 favuritism would be at an end, and that
/ he would no longer look upon our rival
with more preference than upon ourselves,
Dinner time came at length. 1t was a
capital dinner, and we came to it with
sharpened appetites. But when the wine
was brought in Jack not only refused to
taste il, but declined to remain in our
company. We cried out against him as
a mean, stingy fellow, who thought him
self too good to associate with US, and
accused him, at last, of trying to step over
our heads on the ship, and all the unpleas
ant things we could think of to make the
1 poor fellow unhappy. At first he seemed
TO be inclined to leave US, and return tC
The ship alone bot suddenly, in quiet
tone, he said : "Shipmates, listen to me
IA moment. Since matters have come to
this pass, have resolved TO tell you some.
thing which | never meant to reveal. Ny
story is short. From my earliest child
hood | never knew what it was TO have