River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-04-25

through MN; and then he faced round
TO the men, looking blacker than ever.
Reeve rope to the yard ~ he
sings ont, loud enough to raise the
dead "smart, now -
The men looked at each other as
much as to say, "What on earth's
comm nowl" But aboard ship, o.
course, when you're told to do thing
you've got to do it, so the rope was
rove IN iiffy.
Now, my lad" said the mate, in
hard, square kind o. voice, that made
every word seem like fittin' a stone into
a wall, you see that ere rope Well,
III give you ten minutes to confess
Che took ont his watch and held it in
his hand) land if you don't tell the
truth afore the times up, I'll hang you
like dog
The crew all stared at one another,
as if they couldn't believe their ears q
didn't believe mine, | can tell ye), and
then low growl went among 'em, like
q wild beast awakin' out of nap.
"Silence there shouts the mate,
in voice like the roar of a nor'easter.
"Stand by to run for'ard " and with
his own hands he puts the moose round
the boys neck. The little felier never
flinched bit; but there were some
among the sailors (big strong chaps as
could ha' felled OK as shook like
leaves in the wind. AS for me, l be-
thought myself o. my little curly-haired
lad at home, and how it I'D be if any
one was to go for to hang him and at
the very thought ont | tlngled all over,
and my fingers clinched themselves as
if they was grippin' somebody's
throat. I clutched hold o a handspike,
and held it behind my back, all ready.
tom, )" whispers the chief engineer
to me "d'ye think he really means to
do it?"
81 don't know" says 1, through my
teeth "but if he does, he shall go
first, if swing for it!'
I've been in many an ugly scrape in
my time but l never felt as bad as did
then. Every minute seemed as long as
dozen; and the tick o'the mates
watch regular pricked my ears like a
pin. The men were very quiet, but
there was precious ugly look in some
of their faces; and | noticed that three
or four on 'em KEEP edgin' for'ard to
where the mate was standin', in a way
that meant mischief. As for me, ia
made up my mind that if he did 90 for
to hang the poor little chap I'd kill
him on the spot and take my chances.
"Eight minutes z" says the mate,
his great, deep voice breakin' III upon
the silence like the toll o. funeral
bell. eff you've got anything to con-
TESS, my lad, you'd best out with it, for
yer times nearly up"
"l'ye told the truth, answers the
boy, very pale, but as firm as ever.
MAY | say my prayers, please9"
The mate nodded, and down goes the
poor little chap on his knees with that
internal rope round his neck ali the
time) and puts up his poor little hands
to pray. | couldn't make out what he
said (fact, my head was in stitch whirl
that l hardly ha' knowed my own
name), but I'll be bound God heard it,
every word. Then he ups on his feet
again and put his hands behind him,
and says to the mate, quite quietly,
" Pm ready :"
And then, sir, the mates hard, grim
face broke up all at once, like I've seed
the ice in the Baltic. He snatched up
the boy in his arms, and kissed him,
and burst out 8-cryin' like child; and
think there want one of us as didn't
do the same. l know | did, for one.
"God bless you, my boyl !" says he,
smoothing the child's hair with his
great hard hand. YOU'RE true Eng
lishman, every inch of you; you
wouldn't tell a lie to save your life
Well, so be as yer fathers cast We off,
I'll be yer father from this day forth
and if ever forget you, then may God
forget mel"
And ne kept his word, too. When
we got to Halifax, he found out the
little un's aunt, and give her lump o
money to make him comfortable; and
now he goes TO see the yOungster every
voyage, as regular as can be; and to
see the pair of 'em together the little
chap so fond o him, aud not bearin'
him a bit o grudge-it's bout as pref
ty sight as ever / seed. And now,
sir, akin yer parding, IT'S time for me
to be goin' below; so I'll Just wish yer
good night. - Chambers Journal.