Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-10-07

best fellows in the world. He was kind
Obliging, honest, always willing TO lent
a helping hand in case nj distress, ant
as true friend az ,voi iIved-only b,
wouldn't drink with us, that was all
No-thnt wasn't all. He learned taste
than we did-he was a better sailor ant
had learned more OF navigation. Blu
this we tried to lay TO the captains pay
ing him the most attention, though ",
knew better at the time, for We had th'
privilege OF learning just as much a.
We had n mind to. The truth of thu
matter was, we five loved the idea O
being I'D salts better than we die
anything else, and We spent more time
in watching for opportunities to have ,
spree than we did in learning to perfect
ourselves in the profession we had
chosen.
ut even got 80, at length, that Jack
Small was called upon to take the deck
sometimes, when tho officers were busy
and he used to work out the reckoning
at noon as regularly as did the captain,
Yet jack was In our mess, and he was q
constant eyesore. We saw that he was
reaching rapidly ahead of us in every
useful particular, and yet we wouldnt
open our eyes. We were envious of his
good fortune. as we called it, and used
to seize every opportunity to tense and
run him. But lie never got angry in re-
turn. He sometimes would laugh at us,
and at others he would so feelingly
chide us that we would remain silent for
awhile.
cat length the idea entered our
heads that Jack should drink with us.
We talked the matter over in the mess
when Jack was absent, and we mutually
pledged each other that we would made
him drink at the first opportunity. Al
ter this determination was taken, we
treated Jack more kindly, and he was
happier than he had been for some time.
Once more we laughed and joked with
him in the mess, and he in return helped
us in our navigation. We were on our
homeward bound passage, by the way
of Brazil, and our ship stopped at Rio
Janeiro, where we were to remain q
week or so. One pleasant morning we
six youngsters received permission to
go on shore and spend the whole day;
and accordingly we rugged up in our
best togs and we're carried to the land
ing.
"Now was our chance, and we put
our heads together to see how it should
be done. jacks very first desire, as
soon as he got on shore, was to go up
and examine the various things of inter
est in the city. He wanted to visit the
churches and such like places, and to
please him we agreed to 60 with him, if
he would 60 and take dinner with us.
He agreed to this at once, and we
thought we had him sure. We planned
that after dinner was eaten we would
have some light sweet wine brought on,
and that we would contrive to get rum
enough into what he drank tv upset
him, for nothing on earth could please
us more than to Get Jack Small drunk,
and carry him on board in that shape,
for then we fancied the captain favorit.
ism would be at an end, and that he
would no longer look upon our rival
with more preference than upon our
selves. We had the matter all arranged,
and in the meantime we paid Jack all
the attention in our power-so much so
that he at length signitied a willing
ness to go anywhere to please us, pro
vided we would not go to any bad place.
"Dinner time came, and most capi-
tai dinner we had. We had selected one
of the best hotels. The eatables were
dispatched with becoming gusto, and
then the dishes were rem wed, and at a
sign from me the wine was brought on.
"Ah what have you hereT asked
Jack, betraying some uneasiness at the
appearance of the glasses and bottles.
"Only little new wine,' I replied,
as carelessly as I could. Mere juice
of the grape
"But it's wine, nevertheless pur-
sued he.
"'It isn't wine,' cried Sam Pratt,
who was one of the hardest nuts old
Nepture ever cracked.
"No,' chimed in Tim Black, another
of about the same stamp. ITS only
little simple juice. Come, boys, fill up.
"The glasses were accordingly filed,
Sam Pratt performing that duty, and he
took good care that Jacks glass had
good quantity of sweetened rum in it.
"No,' said Jack, as the glass was
moved toward him if you are going
to commence this, I will keep you com
pany with water while you remain order
ly, but 1 will not touch wine.'
"This was spoken very mildly, and
with kind smile, but yet it was spoken
firmly, and we could see that our plan
was about being knocked in the head.
We urged him to drink with us-only
one glass, if no more. We told him
how innocent it was, and how happy his
social glass would make us but we
could not move him.
"Then let him go I cried Tim, who
had already drank some. In fact, all of
rs but Jack had drank moro or less
during the forenoon. Let him go.
We don't want the mean fellow with
us 7
"'That's it, added Sam. If he's
Too good drink with his shipmates,
We don't want him.
"You misunderstood me, said Jack,
in tone of pain. 4 am not too good
10 drink with you, in the sense in which
you would take it. But l do not wish
10 drink at ALL
Too o.stingy-that's ALL said I, de-
bermined to make him drink if could.
but JACK looked at me SO reprOachfully
IS I said this that I wished 1 had not
spoken as did.
"'If you wish to enjoy your wine,
said Small, at the same time
rising from his chair, you can do so,
but beg you will excuse me. I will
pay my share Of the expenses for the
dinner
"'And for your share of the wine,
said Tim, for we've ordered it for
you.'
"'No, returned Jack, I cannot pay
Tor any of the wine
"'Meanf' cried two or three at
breath.
emo, no. messmates, not mean.
will pay for the whole of the dinner
Tor every article you and have had in
the house, save the wine.'
"And as he spoke he rung the bell. |
he asked the waiter who entered what |
he bill was for the company, without
he wine, and after the amount had been
stated, he took out his purse to pay it,
when Sam Pratt, who was our acknowl-
edged leader, caught his arm.
"'No-not 80, said Sam. You shall |
not pay for it, for we will not eat at the