Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-01-14

liked, and have it put to the ships &C
count. When it got dark, Joe and me
slipped out of the hotel and down to a
Ch1naman called Jim, who I knowed
Jim, he was in bed, but We knocked
him up, and he sang out, - Whose
there9' gave him the password, and
he opens the door; and then I says to
him, What'n you take Jim, to put
me on board that American bark as is
lying in the offing g 1t can't be done
tonight he says, decided-like.
But it has got to be done
tonight, JIM l say, Now, what'll
you take?" ''Put you on board
for an ounce, he says. But
there's two on u.s." says I. "Put you
both on board for an ounce and a half, -
says he, and we struck the bargain and
got put on board. When we got on
the deck of the bark there wasn't no
one to be seen, but we kicks up a noise,
and the hatch of the foc1 was thrown
back and some one sings out 6 whose's
there - &c is the captain on board g"
asks. ''Guess you'll find him in the
cabin" shouts the voice; and down
we goes, and finds him. We asked him
could we get working our passage on
board his ship to New York, and after
looking at us a minute Or two he said
he supposed we could, but he wasn't
going to sail for couple of days or SO.
We ssked him could we get stay Jig on
board to help him get ready for sea,
and when he said Aye we thanked
him for his kindness and went forward.
! Well, we had q beautiful run to the
nor'ard, for that ship could travel, [
tell you-iust little too we'll, for she
travelled faster than the skipper reck-
oned, and we never lifted tack or sheet
till she ran ashore on a rock inside
Long Island, and there she lay
hard and fast. Well, the skipper
he calls me and Joe aft, and he says ::
Now, my lads, you agreed to work
your passage from Buenos Ayres, and
[ am bound to say that [ have not had
two better sailor men IN the ship. If
you will stand by her till we save as
much of the cargo as we can, I'll pay
your wages from the time you come on
board at Buenos Ayres. Me and Joe
up and thanks the old man, and we
stood by the ship till every package
was taken out of her. Then the skip
per he called us aft again, and tolls out
full wages to us on the table. [ swept
the dollars into my pocket with one
grasp of my hand, and then 1 up with
my waistcoat and shows him my belt,
and says [, Captain, there's $1,7O0 IN
gold in that belt l think I sees the
look he gave He brought his fist
down on the table with bang enough to
split the mahogany, and cries, BY
-, if l had knowed that, instead of
giving you wages, I'd have made yon
pay full passage money from Buenos
Ayres. But it was too late, warn't it,
sir 2?
And at the recollection of how he
had done the Yankee skipper Sam
chuckled till he brought on a fit of
coughing. which [ was afraid would
end him. At any rate it ended his
yarn, and he went away and [ never
could manage to get him to spin an
other
But the sequel to the story is much
more curious than Sans yarn itself.
The following winter he suffered
from q severe attack of bronchitis, and
had to be moved to the Royal Infrm-
airy, where he died.
After his death, his widow came to
me to see if could do anything in the
direction of putting her in way to
help herself.
Have you no relatives 2" I asked.
"None," she replied. -
"And your husband none 90 l said.
81 believe he had" she said, "but
they are in America"
6 Were they near akin to him 2" I
inquired.
Zone of them was full BROTHER"
she said. .--... ....-
''And is he in good way 2" was my
next question.
II understand he is she said sim
ply. . He was at one time President
Of the United States of America !"
Yes, strange as it may appear, this
old rigger and ex-pirate, who lived
during the latter years of his life in
Tradeston, and who breathed his last
in the Royal lnfrmary of Glasgow, was
brother to one who for four years filled
a station as exalted and important as
that of any So ereign in the world.
l do not give names, as it is possible
there may still be some relations sur
viving, and it will be readily enough
understood tha5 the publication of
names might jar upon their feelings.
But the story is none the less true
for all that.