Connecticut western news., 1873-03-28

his voice, and the way he spoke, was enough to show that there warn't a ha' perth O lyin' in his whole skin. But the mate didn'tseem to swaller the yarn at all; he only shrugged his shoulders with kind O grin, as much as to say am too old a bird to b @ caught with that kind of chafr and then he says to him: Look here, my lad, that's all very fine, but 1t won't do here-some of these men O mine are in the secret, and I mean to have it out of ''em. Now, you just pint out the man as slowed you away and fed you, this very minute if you don't, it'll be the worse for youP
 "The boy looked up in his bright, fearless way, Git did my heart good to look at him, the brave little chapD and says, quite quitely I've told you the truth l ain't got no more to say
 "The mate says nothin', but looks at him for minute as if he'd see clean through him and then he faced round to the men, lookin' blacker than ever. Reeve a rope to the yard!' he sings out loud enough to raise the dead; smart, now!
 "The men all looked at each other, as much as to say: What on earths a. coming now?' But aboard ship, O course, when you're told to do 8 thing, you've got to do it /; so the rope was rove in jiffy.
 "'Now, my lad, said the mate, in a hard, square kind O voice, that made every word seem like fittin' stone into wall, you see that 'ere rope? We'll, I'll give you ten minutes to confess Che took out his watch and held it in his hand ) and if you don't tell the truth afore the times up, I'll hang you like a dogv'
 'The crew all stared at one another as if they couldn't believe their ears q didn't believe mine, I can tell ye,) and then low growl went up among 'em, like Q wild beast a-wakin' out of nap.
 Silence there r shouted the mate, in voice like the roar of nor'-easter. Stand by to run for'ard ? and with his own hands he put the moose round the boys neck. The little feller never f1inched bit; but there wore some among the sailors (big strong chaps as could ha' felled a ox) as shook like leaves in the wind. As for me, I be- thought myself O a,,y little curly-haired lad at home, and how it 'ud be if any one was to go for to hang him; and at the very thought ont tingled all over, and my fingers clinched themselves as if they were a-grpin' somebody's throat I clutched hold O handspike, and held it behind my back, all ready.
 "'Tom, whispered the chief engineer to me, 'd' ye think he really means to do it ?
 "'I don't know, says I through my teeth but if he does, he shall go first, if swings for it ?
 "I have been in many an ugly scrape as did then. Every minute seemed as mates watch reg lar pricked my ears like pin. The men were very quiet, but there was a prec!ous ugly look on some O their faces; and noticed that three or four on 'em kep' edgin' or'ard way that meant mischief. As for me, I'd made up my mind that if he did go for to hang the poor little chap, I'd kill
 "'Eight minutes, says the mate, his silence like the toll O funeral bell. If you've got anything to confess, my lad, you'd best out with it, for your times nearly up.'
 "'Ive told you the truth answers the boy, very pale, but as firm as ever. May l say my prayers, please? ?
 "The mate nodded and down goes the poor little chap on his knees (with time), apd puts up his poor little hands 41 ,>ao~r r l. = said (fact, my head was in sitch whirl that I'd hardly ha' knowed my own name), but I'll be bound God heard it, every word. Then he ups on his feet again, and puts his hands behind him, and says to the mate, quite quietly, I'm ready 1. ...-.
 "And then, sir, the mates hard grim face broke up all to once, like I've seed the ice in the Baltic. He snatched up the boy in his arms, and kissed him, and bust out a-cryin like child i; and I think there warn't one of us as didn't do the same. I know I did, for one.
 "'G God bless you, my boy ? says he, smoothin' the child's hair with his great hard hand. You're Q true English man, every inch of you; you wouldn' t tell lie to save your life We'll, if so be as yer fathers cast ye off, I'll be yer father from this day forth and if I ever forget you, then may God forget me ?
 "And he kep' his word, too. When we got to Halifax, he found out the lit tie un's aunt, and giv' her lump O money to make him comfortable and now he goes to see the youngster every voyage, as reg'lar as can be; and to see the pair on 'em together-the little chap so fond O him, and not bearin' him a bit O grudge it's bout as pretty a sight as ever I seed. And now, sir, axin' yer parding, it's time for me to be goin' below, so I'll just wish yer good