Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-03-20
NO. 10.
THE COOKS BOY.

Our ship was lying in Gibraltar hal
Dor. The day had been a remarkabl
pleasant one, and hundreds of peopl
from the shore had been on board t
examine our specimen of Uncle Sam
naval architecture. After tie ham
mocks had been s'piped down." kno
of old oceans hardy sons collected be
meath the top-gallant forecastle, which
place was their regular "forum." Oh,
! Ben Miller, our second boatswain'
mate, had been quite sober ani
thoughtful during the latter part Of tht
afternoon and upon being asked tht
occasion of 1t, he said that he had seer
| something tha5 brought to his mind 6
thrilling circumstance of by-gone days
| We knew there was yarn on the tapis
| and collecting about the old mate, We
awaited his delivery. He knocked the
ashes from his pipe, put it N his
pocket, and then charging his mouth
with a generous piece of tobacco, he
commenced and this is the warn he
spun:
1T IS now fifteen years ago that ]
was foremast hand on board tho old
ship Hunter. She was from New York
and bound to India. 4 man bv the
name of Adam Warren, who was one
of the owners, had taken passage. and
with him were his wife and daughter.
The latter was one of the sweetest.
prettlest little creatures I ever saw,
only about twelve years of age and as
bllthe as lark. They called her Ju-
dith. Oh. it would have done your
souls good to have seen her skipping
about the deck!-now hiding in a coil
OF rigging; now pulling at some rope,
and then clapping her little dimpled
hands as she repeated the orders Of the
captain. Her merry laugh ran through
the ship like the notes Of her own ma
tive robin, and the sun seemed to envy
her brightness. Her father was one of
your business men-a light down dol
lar hunter, who didn't seem to care
for much else than the purchase and
sale OF his cargo, and as long as his
child was well and happy, he seemed
to take but little notice of her; though
l must say he was kind-hearted man
when you could bring it out Judith's 8
mother was one OF yoIr city aristoc-
racy-a proud, Overbearing women,
who seemed to think there was nobody
OF any consequence only herself-and
the smell Of tar made her sick. When
she was on deck, she always kept q
smelling bottle at her nose, and / tell
you the truth when [ tell you that her
nose was fairly cocktoilIed by her
eternal snuffing at that same bottle.
''We had a boy on board named
Luke Winship, only fourteen years
old, who had been put into the GALLEY
to help the cook. He was noble lit
tie fellow, though VIC hadn't then ex-
actly found it out.
zone evening, after we had entered
the southern tropics, luke was sitting
upon spar that was I.,shed against the
galley, and Judith Warren came along
and sat down by his side.
"'What makes you look SO sober.
Luke? she asked, IL q silvery tone Of
real kindness.
{" 1 was thinking, Miss judith re-
turned the cooks boy; and as he spoke
he gazed into the face Of the girl as
though she was one whom he could
almost Worship.
"'DOn't call ME miss. I don't like
it, Luke. But tell me what you were
thinking about. III ever have troubles,
it always does NE good to tell them to
somebody. Now tell me yours
sit couldn't interest you, judith.
tohear the story Of poor boy like me-
'Oh, yes, it would!' the little girl
cried, clapping her hands together
with mucn earnestness. You were
thinking OF your father ana mother
"Alas have none.
"No parents ?''
sNo!'
"Ihen You were thinking Of your
brothers and sisters" "
81 hovA no Ta1atin,c -,
dith!' As Luke said this, lie drew his
greasy sleeve across his eyes to wipe
away the drops that were springing
forth.
The little girl gazed into Lulze's
face with look OF pity and sorrow
that seemed to make her tender heart
bleed"
Tel nc your story. Come do"
she said; and she laid her hand so af-
fectionately upon the boys arm, and
looked so kindly at him, that lie began
to weep again.
''lt is but short syory--a few words
will tell it all, ;" Luke returned, as he
struggled like giant to keep back his
emotions. My mother died when [
was only four years old, and before my
father had taken the mourning weed
from his hat, he too, was laid in the
cold grave. They were both of them
kind parents; and after my father was
buried, l sat upon his grave all night
long ard cried. o Judith, you don't
know what 1t is to lose q father or
mOtheri but to lose thcm both You,
you know something how you would
feel. In the morning they came and
took me away from the little church.
yard, aud a man who lived near the
cottage my father had hired gave me
some breakfast.
My parents were very poor ; and
after the funeral expenses were paid
there was not Il cent left / knew of
no relations, L knew not that / had one
on earth, and WAS sent TO the aims
house! There / stayed til [ WAS nine
years old, and during that time / suf-
fered more than words can ever tell.
Not bodily suffering, for l had enough
to eat and drink, and clothes enough
to wear but il was the suffering Of
the heart. I went to school part Of
the year, bnt | wasn't Ike the other
schooi-bOys. [ was q p0oT-house child.
and they stunned me Il they had
done nO more than this I should have
been content, but they tainted me
with my misfortune. and made light
OF my orphanage. Ii they had known
what pail their words gave ne. dout
believe tEey would have spoken them.
bnt tho knew not ny feelings, and
why should they? Jley had never
suffered like me, and they realized
nothing Of the crushed spirit that was
battling against the cold cruelty Of
their snGcrs."
''Poor Lake = murmnrcd Judith
and when the boy looked into her face,
ho found that she was weeping.
AT length. he continued, after he
had wiped his eyes, AN old farmer
took me from the alms-house, and set
me at work upon his farm. A. first
felt very thankful, but soon found
that / was worse Off than | Was before:
for [ was iii-treated, and had to work
like dog. The farmers wife WAS 4
hard-iioarted woman. and she often
beat me. This was worse than all the
rest, for l never deserved II, nor did |
openly complain. I ataid with the
man over four years; but matters grew
worse and worse, and often. when l
went mp to my little bed in tie garret
Of the barn, did l pray that l might
die before / aWOke again. But i lived