New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-04-24

you're told to do n thing. you've 90, 70 doit.
- lhe rope was rove in iifiv.
Now, INV lad" said The mate i, n L,-I
square KIND q voice, that made every wori
seem Ike iittin' n stone intoa wal won 500
that ere rope: We'll. III Give yo,, ten min.
ules to confess Che took out his yyat,b nul
held ii in his hand;) and IL YOU don't ,rli
tru'h alore that times mp. I'll hang YOU like
4 do-,' ''''
The crew all stared at one another q #
theN couldn't believe their ears I didn't be-.
.ieve mine. can tell yc.) and then low
gro" went up among emf like Wild beast a.
"aAln out OF nap.
Silence there y shouted the mate in a
Voice Ike the roar @! n.r'-y3,ter 'SflrJ
by to run for'ard" and with h.~ own hand,
he put the moose round the BOYS u.rS. The
little Teller never tlinched bit: but there
were some among the sailors ,hjr s,rong
chaps as could ha' felled a OK a, shook liz
leaves in the wind. As for me | bcthourht
myself o. my little curly haired lad N home.
aud how 1t 'ud be ifany one was to ~ for To
hang him; and at the very thought ont |
tnsled ail over, and my finger, ,'iuchcl
themselves as II they We're a-slipu' some
body's throat. | clutchcd hold ~ a hand
spike, and held it behind my back all
ready.
49, Tom whispered the chief engineer
10 me, dye think lie really means 10 DO
it?'
~ don't know say, through my tcc,h;
but II he does, he shall go first, II swings
for it,
Il have been in many an ugly s.raic in
my tine; but nelertc!t art rs bad a. did
then Every minute seemed rs long Is a
dozen; and the tick ~ the mates watch
reg lar prlched my ears like a in, The men
were very quiet, hut there was a precious
ugly look on some ~ their faces and no.
ticcd that three or four on en- kent cdyin'
Tor ard to whore the mate was stauin', IN a
way that moaut mischief. " for ne, I'll
made up my mind that il lac dill 80 loy to hang
the poor little chap, III Kill him on the spot,
aud take my chance.
Eight minutes, says the mate his great
deep voice hreakin' i'll upon the silence like
the toll u Il funeral bell. IT you've cot
ANYTHING to confess, my lad, you'd best out
with II, for your times nearly up
II told YOU the truth, answers the boy,
very pale, but as firm aS ever. MAY say
my prayers, please:
The mate nodded; aud down GOES the
poor little chap ON his knees with that in-
icrnsl rorc about his neck all the timc) and
puts up his poor little hands t. pray.
couldn't make out what he said, >Iart. my
head was in stitch Il whirl that Ia hardly ha'
W my O"h ia'iit bNt l II nc Iblllti
God heard it, every word. Then he ups on
his feet again, and puts his hands behind
INN, and says To the mate, quite quietly,
I'm ready!
And then, sir, the mates hard grim face
broke up all to once, like I've seed the ice
i'll the Baltic. He snatchcd up the boy ia
his arms, and kissed him, and bust Oiit a.
cryn like Il child; and think there warn't
one Of US rs didn't do the same. know
did, for one.
God bless you, my boyn says he,
the chid's hair with his great hard
hand. You're Il true Engl-hman, every
inch of you; You wouldn't tell n lie To save
your life! Well, if SO be as yer fathers east
sc OFT, III be yer father from this day forth;
and if ever forget YOU, then may God forget
mel
And he KEEP his word, too. When We
got To Halifax, he found out thr little uu'a
aunt, and Civ her lump 90 money to make
him comfortable and now he .ucs to see
the youngstcr every voyage, a. rcglar a.
can he; and 10 see the pair on EN- together
the little chap 50 fnd % him, and not
bearn' him bit % .,rud.c; Il'4 bout as
pretty II sight as ever | seed. And now, sir,
akin yer parding, it's time Tor mc to be-
goin' below, 50 I'll Just wish yer good
night