South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1873-10-24
John Merrill's Secret.

P'pc's u c"bh MtrfiIi. lie Was a, afiy
my Own age, l judged and there was sn
air az quiet refinement about him. striking
~ Ia contrast with the rude boistsrnus char
acier ct the majority of our associates -
These last were about an average of such
raw material as Is recruited every dag of
the week ct The metropolis, aud shipped of
to the Whaling ports, to be manufactured
Into seamsn.
John was, from the first, retired aud
uncoInmunlcaiiee, though less 40 in his in
tercourse with NE than with any one else.
lie never referred to bis antecedents. ,hou,h
l had given him my whole autobiography
oefore we had been fortnight at sea. And
rs found hun sympathizns listener
whenever | wanted to let my tongue run
90, dun't think | ever thought of esteem
ing him any the lees for his reticeuce a. to
his past life. L merely thought that he
must have some good reason for wishing to
conceal his true history, and was too con-
sclenlouS 10 Invent new one.
One of John's ccentricities-I knew not
what else to cali twas that he always
kept bis sea-ches; locked This is UNUSUAL
IN a whalcr's forecasts and ways subjects
the man doing it to unpleasant remarks, as
Implying want of confidence 10 the hon
esty of his shipmates X is common 20
say of the man who does it, that 'he is
either thief himself, or else thinks The
rest of Us are thieves Blu, John Merrill
only bIushed without making auy audible
reply when such cutting Institutions were
thrown out, as they occasionally were, in
his hearing. They had no effect whatever,
10 producing any change in his habits -
Even L myself, could never get peep al
his inventory. He was geuerous, even to
fault, in respect to giving or lending lit
lie matters; but he always kept his chest
in the darkest corner of our litde dark tri-
angular quarters, aud when b. took out or
put 10 anything, was careful never to leave
il unlock ed
As concerned his duty, he did not APP
pear TO be the stuff of which crack sailors
are mlde. But he won upon the good o.
pnion of the officers, even to gruiF Mr..
Baldwin, our executive, tarry olI Triton,
whom currens report declared to be web
footed.
Il can't haze that boy be would say.
'We must ease him, TIL be has eaten few
| could not tell why, but | don't think
was ever envious of my comrade because
the mate favored him in this way, while he
drove me up TO my utmost capacity. Both
of US were respectful and willing, and tried
hard TO do our duty, and Us be expressed It
'Glake men OF ourselves And J think |
felt rather elsted to know that Mr. Baldwin
discovered that there was tougher material
IN me than John Merrill, and worked u
accordingly. |, was an honor to be scl,c-
ted to pull the mates tub oar while ho was
enrolled 10 the rear rank Of the ship keep
ers.' Aud never com Floined, even when,
in reefDg topsaiis the old salt would say
kindly, Step dowO, John Merrill, wan,
you to help me, while at the next moment,
be roared at me on the yard in a voice ol
thunder, 'Lry out there, you Bill, nn1 take
up the dogs ear What are you staring
at in the bunt. =
think | may have assumed psironiz-
ing air IN my intercourse with John, ia
consequence Of all this. Feeling profess
,ioual superiority, could not avoid letting
IL appear sometimes. But if So, be never
/ seemed to notice it. II there vas sudden
coll IN our watch for one 9f tho boys 90
jump aloft and reef s,udliug sail hulyarls
or loose royal, John wJul start some.
times, bu, | wou Il gently push him back
and jump 10 ahead If him. / wn9 proud
of my ability to take the lend, aud there
was gritiiuds instead Of Indignation or
shame IN his ole3r, blue eye on such oc-
casi,us. Some Of che men snblios near
would, perhaps, infinite that be vas wont
ing 90 pluck 90 iei o., dl this, bur dom
think l ever thought So, though Of course
| fe.t filtered By such remarks, as any
body would.
Bur John M.rul made sure, though
SLOW, progress in his du les aud his sinsus
hardened up, as Mr.. Bldaio had proyhe-
SEQ. Though delicate 10 lramr, bishea.th
seemed perfect, and 10 some respects we
bad up bc'ter man amo1g u' lie was all
ways ready 20 take an extra trick on the
TO- kOut, ~! be seemed % like bciog alone,
where he could commune with bis own
thoughts. Ao1 he was soon acSnow clg
cd 90 be the best helmsman on board. -
Did tic sturdy oil Amphou show a deter
mnai'n to carry Der wheel an extra spoke
TO the wiudward at full and.by, or 70 make
W'y"aTd shsorS aud yaws when Oft before
It, 10 one could manage her like this quiet,
tlmid youth.
lie VS. always ready to take my turn e.
the helm for me indeed, be would have
taken them all If would have Der him .-
lie could have done me 10 greater favor
than this for no duty, however laborious
or dangerous, was 50 irks0me TO me as steer
ing the ship. TO do it well, required 40
abstraction Of the mind for tao hours from
oil other matters, with touch and a kind
Of foresight, or rather fore. tee,iDg in which