Connecticut western news., 1874-10-23

feet,' cohtinued the other pilot "Don't you think it dangero1s 2"
 "Nary bit," replied Ben, with , face sufficiently white to engender dis trust of it's owners truthfulness "Thefe'S nothin' to do but to get hel head straight and to hold her to it we'll go across as easy as fsllin' off 8 log. Better give me hand new."
 "Trim boat 1" shouted the captain.
 The two mates carefully disposed the men, until the captain shouted
 l "There She's as trim as a duck r The captain turned abruptly, took g glass from the pilot-house, and looked toward the lock. ...
 "There's Bill Bell, the lock-keeper, he said with laugh, "and he looks as if his bitters had gone the wrong way. '
 The mates laughed, too-the roust. abouts tried to, but dismally failed.
 The dam was now about hundred yards in front, and, though it was only wall of water three feet or less in height, the men looked as If they would rather be ashore as spectators as for the colored cooks and walters, their faces turned the color of ashes. A moment more brought the boat within twenty-five yards of the black, roaring fall. ., ........ -r. .,
 Now-hold her to itr' growled Ben. .''
 "Steady, all P shouted the captain.
 The boat staggered up; she seemed barely to creepj her slightly built her bell ring, Suddenly (the pilots o% %0 who was to blame but died without as- oertaining) she waved a point or two out of her course, struck the water with her port bow, was turned. wrenched, and her whole upper works were carried away as if they were mere box, while the hull, with engines still working, drifted down stream. ..i.....,. .r.s
 Strangely enough, no one seemed to be hurt. The captain, pilots, clerk, and bar-keeper were seen walking about Fo on the convenient raft which the upper works formed, while the crew, being all forward, were out of the reach of falling timber. When the frightened men had recovered themselves, how ever, they saw the Parson was doubled up near the captain, and showed no disposition to rise. One of the cooks explained how a piece of flying timber struck the Parson in the stomach.
 MT. Baker stopped, looked into the Parson's face, looked up again, and re- marked:
 "He's going to kingdom come, boys. ''
 "Where's that?" asked Slim, with wide-open eyes. 5- -o.a -a., -.r
 "Into his coffin, young man, if he ever gets ashore" said MT. Baker, very solemnly. ......
 "The green hand fell on his knees beside the Parson in moment. t'
 Yer been mighty kind to me-" said the young man, with couple of big tears in his colorless eyes. .. rs.
 The dying man smiled feebly, and whispered, "Think so, boy?"
 "Yes," said Slim. Ev'rybody else has gi'e me advice, an made me half crazy, but you've been real frend. But I can't guess why"
 "Ill tell ye," gasped the Parson, pulling at Sims hand as If he would draw him closer. Forkey saw the movement, and edged nearer, and bent his head as low as he dared to do with out seeming to listen. The dying man raised himself on his elbow, looked wildly into the boys eyes, and almost shouted
 Cos-I'm-yer father P
 The Parsons eyes closed, and there came into his face smile dying saint might have envied-a smile which re- mained even after the breath had de- parted from the old roustabout's lips.
 The hull stranded on an island below Mount Carmel, and it was suggested by some of the crew that the Parson should be inferred on the island, but MT. Baker, who had taken entire charge of the remains, declared that they buried in regular graveyard, and have regular parson to say the word and MT. Baker had his way. He was rather disappointed when he learned that a fife and drum, to perform dead marches, would hardly be in order in a funeral procession, and that the only Mount Carmelite capable of engraving coffin plates had conscientious scruples against engraving either "The Parson " or "Slim's Father" in lieu of 8 real name. A happy thought of Forkey's, however, led to the real name being elicited from the orphan, and all the obstacles to what MT. Baker called ia reg'ler buryin'" were overcome. The procession was so unlike anything the citizens ever saw before that many fol- lowed for what they termed "the fun of the thing" When, however, the first shovelful of dirt fell upon the cofin-lid, and the poor orphan uttered 8 piteous cry, and MT. Baker, turning quickly aside to hide his own emo tions, saw the attendant citizens doing the same, he recognized the fact that other folks were about as good as roust- abouts, after all.