New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-07

| turning, lie drew q bottle from his pocket
1--WE have this, though" he said. wit
the satisfaction Of one who has prudentl
made good provision for the future. "Comt
We will enjoy ourselves while this lasts, a
| least"
Where he had procured the liquor di
not ask. 1t was remarkable, indeed, tina
he could always succeed in smuggling it o.
board where others failed. However thi
might be, felt that it was not bad thin
| at present to have that bottle of brandy
and at the first sip it seemed as though tn
liquor not only warmed my body, but ais
inspired me with new courage. My onl
fear was that Askins might yield too com
| pletely to the temptation, thus incapaci
| tating himself from the operations neces
sary for our relief. And this seemed abou
to happen; for, after allowing me sip O
| two. he held the bottle firmly, as though
jealous of further partnership in it, ant
took draught after draught. His eyes be
| gan to glow, his whole manner becam,
reckless, and he soon had evidently reached
| the stage Of his drunkenness which Away
preceded stupid imbecility. l expected
that this would follow; but all q
once he seemed to fall into troubled reflec
ton, during which the bottle slipped from
upon the sand. Then suddenly he seized
me by the arm and put his face close tt
mine. Somehow his excitement was now
greater than usual, letting me feel his keer
old eyes blazing into mine like half SUP
pressed fire. The brandy, the wildness Of
the scene, and his own manner for the mo-
mert appeared to foster dtlirium in myself
and the air seemed filed with shadowy
forms. These disappeared almost as quick.
~ as they had gathered, leaving only one
tigure-clOthed in q sailors dress, and
afon dSyu OF t1,n &InN
the little cask. The other figures had been
acknowledged receptions, but this appeared
so real that turned to point it out to
Askins. At this, the figure seemed to shake
it's head, and almost immediately faded
away into thin air az the others had DONE
Then my hand, which had been partially
raised, tell. and the vertigo, if such it was,
passed off. and recovered myself, finding
Askins still clutching at my arm.
ut was thirty years ago." he commenced.
"See here, Jerry! there was minister once
his mind it were better to have it out. Is
it so!"
THAT depends upon what the secret is,"
answered. '.If it were crime ="
Crime or no crime, what matters itl'
was the somewhat angry retOrt. "And
since we are never going to get away from
here, why should not out with it ali before
we eCarv6 TO deAthE
But, Bill" urged, 'don't tell me any
thing you would afterward wish you had
rather not, We may get oil, after ALL"
man will come back after two forecastle
handsome boy, at that-when he can
ship as many as he pleases at the first port,
Not he. But he will leave US here to eat
Dur own fingers off, while he goes on with
his good wind. So here's the story. sup
pose it may ease me at the end to have
sold it."
Forced into queiscent assent, listened,
while he, with his grasp still upon my arm
md his eye blazing into mine, went on:
Thirty years ago, Jerry, was not the
7oung fellow, good to look at, they said,
md meant to be captain of liner some
lay; and might have been, suppose, only
hat the drink got the control over me. and
t came from the one thing that blasted all
ny. Well, bit that TOO, will come in
course.
"And naturally, 1 fell in love, and be-
ieved that little Mary Warren thought
veil OF me, too. But was mistaken, it
eemed. had shipmate and she favored
lin. What could do when found it out!
There was only one thing, Of course. l
ave it up and tried to swallow down nv
lie
lid Hoskins and !, and shook hands with
er, and she said she would always be my
riend, and saw her say good-by to him
With her arm about his neck, and SO we
allied for the South seas.
'If there is q God who rules the world,
cry, there is also a devil who has consid. |
rable to say in it. For if not, how did it |
appen that on the same voyage Hoskins |
nd myself were sent ashore to this point |
With letters just as you and have been
md when l saw him go to the cask Wonder |
nothing to send to anybOdy-why, then |
he temptation all at once came over me. l |
tole up behind with a stick of timber, lust |
Ike those with which we have made this |
re, and"
''Bill Askins, don't tell me another |
Tord " here c1ied out, just beginning to
ct at the gist of the story, and. horror |
tIicken, l tore myself away and escaped |
hree or four yards off. "You have told NE |
,ore than enough already. AS sure as you
i've, you will feel sorry when we get away |
hat you have gone even SO far"
easy, easy. jerry" he whimpered out
q half maudlin tone. "And why shouldn't |
go on! But you have guessed the rest,
aven't you! And after all, if you let me |
o on, You would see that it didn't do me |
ny good. For when l got home and told |
title Mary Warren the story l had made |
p about his having fallen from the rocks |
nd been swept away, though she believed |
all, yet somehow she would have nothing |
1Oce to do with me than before, SO that |
~
"Not another word Not another word p |
screamed out again, holding myself ready |
gsinst an attack; for l did not know how
DON his mood might change, and 1 felt that |
would be for his interest now to destroy
ae, also, and again bury in oblivion the |
tory which moment of weakness or re-
enhance had exhibited. His mood did |
ndeed change even at that moment, but |
OF as yet enough to lead him to attack me.
why should not go on! ?" he repeated, |
nth, defiant air. "And who are you that
ellis an old hand like myself we shall ever
ct away from here. Don't know that it |
} starvation for us now, and that the brig
7ill never come back again for us2 And l |
ell you, Jerry, that if she does ever come
ack, it will be as bad for you, for will
visit your neck myself rather than have
ut with it all; but 60 you think was fool
nough to tell it to any one who could ever
We to bring it up against me ~
Again thought he must be coming after
lie, so defiant was his manner; but it ap.
cared that in his assurance of orr speedy
by abandonment, he deemed it
seless to accelerate my fate. For his out
.retched arms fell, and looking at the
round he began kicking the empty bottle
, and fro again in desultory, purposeless
tanner; and so, his fierce mood passing
L, he sat down against the upturned boat,
nd 80 seemed gradually to fall asleep.
Maintaining my own guard, stood for
ing time with my eyes fixed upon him.
hen, as l heard his deep breathing and
new that at last he was asleep-since if he
ere counterfeiting slumber he could not
ave put on those sudden starts and mean.
gless Calculations which accompany I'M
OF sufficiently, however, to admit of ap-
reaching him. For the whole world, it