Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-09-23

Se1et1I1 hott tO1u Out llle LIE Highly
pull OF the whale astern had jerked the
line straight, like the cord of gigantic
bow, and the Captain, who had been
standing on the rail, had been struck by
the flying rope and thrown senseless far
into the sea.
All this had been seen by the men il
the boat before anyone on board had real
lied the affair. In less than minute
the cry of Saved!'' reached us from Mr..
Joseph; and, in shorter time than can be
imagined by landsman, the boat was
hanging at the davits and the injured
commander was being cared for in the
cabin
Hard rubbing and rum are the patent
remedies on whaler; and by dint of these
the Captain opened his eyes in a quarter
of an hour. He had been stunned, but
not seriously injured.
He was amazed at first seeing the mate
and myself standing over him with the
rum bottle. But without a word he real
lied the situation.
"HOw is the weather." he asked.
"The wind has gone down." said Mr..
Joseph. "We're under foresail, jib and
reefed topsails, and running right away
from the whale"
"Gone?" said the old man.
"Gone," answered Mr.. Joseph, ruefully.
Stanchion dragged, and the line parted.
and eight thousand dollars went without
an owner.
Tell Chips to see to that broken rail -
said the Captain, closing his eyes drowsily.
cay, ay, sir" said the second-mate as he
stamped on deck.
[ heard him stop at the after hatch,
where the boat-steerers and carpenter lived,
and call "Chips" two or three times. AT
last there was an answer in another voice
NOT Chips; then a round Of hurried
feet on deck, shout down the forecastle,
and shout back in answer There was
no Chips there.
Two minutes after heavy foot came
aft to the cabin-stairs, and Mr.. Joseph
with white face, entered
knew what he had to tell. | knew
now-just as if had seen all-who the
man was whom I had seen leaning against
the line.
The Captain looked at the second mate
Chips is gone, sir" said the old
sailor, with tremor in his rough voice
Chips was knocked over the by-line, and
we've gone four knots since it parted
I've put her about, and we're running
down again"
There was dead silence We all knew
the search was hopeless. No man could
swim in such sea; and we had thought,
though no one spoke it, that brave. strong
Chips had been killed by the line before
ne struck the water
All night we beat about the place where
we thought it had occurred. The wind
and sea fell, and the moon came out in
great beauty to help our sad search.
Every man on board staid on deck till the
sun rose, and then we looked far and vain
~ over the needless swell Of the unbroken
sea. Chips was dead. The rough Portu.
guese lads found it hard to believe thai
the kind heart and strong hand of their
friend was gone forever. We all knew
that the best man in the ship was taken
away.
Two years afterward, when I found my
self in Boston, took from my sacred
things a letter which I had found in
Chips chest. 1t was addressed to a WON
an, with the name and number of a Cam
bridge street found the place-a small
frame house, with lots of Chips handi
work around it. His mother met me at
the dOor-an old, white haired woman.
She seemed to have been waiting and
watching for somebody. A few words told
the hopeless story. The letter was fol-
her and she read it over-the letter of her
only boy, asking forgiveness for his one
great and only disobedience-and as she
read the white head bent lower and lower
till itmet the thin hands; and turned and
left the little room | had darkened-with
all its poor ornaments worthless now
and as I walked toward Boston [ could not
help thinking that Gods ways are often
wofully far from being our ways-Joh7l
Boyle ORed5ly, IN App1eto7as' Journal.