Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-04-21
The Old Smuggler's Story.

The Old Smuggler's Story.
Il wish that smuggling had not beer
put Il stop to- said Philip, after he ha,
been for some time one day sitting lookin!
ut the sea. and making ducks and brakes
rs boys call it, by throwing stones alons
the water.
"Whv, master?" asked Wilson. the fish
erman. who was also seated there. Will
his back resting against his own boat, and
his hands full of netting. which he wa,
putting to rights.
o. said Philip, lit must have been sc
Jolly to 90 out with pistols and blunder
bu>>es. or whatever You call them, ant
shoot ut people, and have ever such Il row
all in the dark nights
Wilson looked up queerly at the boy, a
he answered, "Jollv, was it, sir? Well
there's no accounting for taste, people SAY
might think different. But there's father
there" and he pointed with his netting
mesh to Il tall, gray old man standing Il
smuggler himself in his early days, and
/ III be bound he won't tell YOU they was
jolly.'
y
wish he would tel. ne about it all. l wish
could speak to him
Better not. MASTER" said Wilson; " IA
ther don't like to talk of them times. Best
leave them alone"
Was he Il real smuggler?' asked Ethel
with open eyes " sed he to fight, and
all that"
BLESS Your heart, missy. he was took
Il -;,I ~ al
ed, and he was led under the gallows every
morning for more than three weeks to
make him peach about his mates
Peach upon his mates" repeated
Ethel.
TO get him to tell upon EN-, Missy
said Wilson; but that weren't like my
father They might have a-hanged him
every morning for three weeks afure he'd
a told upon the others; and after II time,
finding 1t weren't of no good, they let him
90.
.What splendid old man. :" said Philip.
well. INT were good of him always
10 think said Wilson; but then, father
don't like to hear nothing now about SNUG
cling He says it was all very wrong and
80 it We're.
Still" said Philip, it must have been
very jolly"
Tie being shot. or the shooting others,
Ct the wrong of it. Phil, which?' said 4
voice close to him. Philip looked up and
saw his father standing close by.
well. | don't know. papa, exactly
said Philip; but You must say there is
something grand in all that fighting and
danger, and running risks
Il don't think You do quite know, my
bow" answered Captain Glare, " bat can
guess pretty we'll what you feel. There
Is something which appears grand in fight
inr and danger in itself; but if you think
of smuggling rs = diSobedicnce To the
laws which We are bound to obey. and
therefore Il sin against God. who has or
dered us to submit to those laws. think
the danger in Il wrong cause will be strip
ped of its grandeur
THAT'S just what father he says" OBJ
~crved Wilson. "only he can't put it in
such good language, sir. Here, father"
shouted he Just You come along here,
will YOU? Here's gentleman who is
very much i'll Your way of thinking. As
rcckon.'
# .ther'' turned as he heard Wilson's
voice calling him, and slowly made his
way toward the boat lie wa, u fine, hand
some old man, six feet high, with long,
orizzled hair curling on his shoulders, and
black ewes. rs sharp as ever they had been
in his youth.
lie came and stood near them. and look
ed down upon the children.
Your son SAYS that you led 4 rather adj
vcntrrous life in your youth, said Cap
tain Clare.
Il have seen my ups and downs. Cap
tain. rs well others" replied the old
man. .'Ventures may have had. but my
good God. He has brought me to good
old age when He might have cut me off
in my sinful youth
God is always better to us than we de-
serve" said Captain Clare.
You may say that. Captain" answered
old Wilson. "lf the good Lord had
dealt with me according to my just de-
serts, should not be here a talking to you
this day.
Philip had been rather awed by the sol
emn manner Of the old man; but soon he
plucked up courage to say
I'VE have been told that you was
smuggler when you were young. l wish
you would tell US something about it,
"Yes, sir; l were Il smuggler all the
best days of my life. gave that strength
of body to the service of sin which | ought
to have given to God"
Then you don't think" said Ethel, tim
idly, You don't think there was anything
brave in smuggllng.'
"What is wrong and sinful Is never
brave, little miss answered the old man.
That is mistake rs | made when l
were Young. Sin is mean and cowardly,
never brave
But you were a brave man. argued
Philip WAS it not brave to hold out
against giving up your companions in the
way YOU did? You know you did," he ad-
ded, as the old man colored.
"Jem there has been Il telling on me,
s'posc," said old Wilson, looking at his son
with a grim smile. "If that were brave,
young master-and it may have been;
don't say as it were not never regret
that; it was because it were right. We
had all rowed in the same boat. and it
would have been dirty thing in me to
tell on the rest. That were right" repeat
ed the old man.
Still" said Philip, who was not easily
turned aside from what he wished, you
must have seen lots of adventures in your
time. l wish you would tell us some
of them. 1 do love to hear about all
that sort of thing-danger and risk, you
know
And it's but natural you should said
old Wilson. Il have seen lots Of ventures,