The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-11
sPIgDRIFT's LAST SIGNAL.
The story of Piuckv Harlem Pilot who was
Thrown over the Wheel.


Attached to the street door where Mr..
Magufin lives is gong bic enough and hcavy
enough for a steamboat. and every boarder pulls
at IL as though he felt called upon to pull Il
down. Some OF the boarders like the gong and
others detest II, and the house Is divided. Mr.
Maguffin, who, u he had.not been a soldier,
would have been a marine, heads the gong party.
He hears in the music echoes OF the hurrah and
dash Of steam boating; ana when some unusu-
ally impatient boarder imparts an extra vicious
ness to his pull, Mr. MagufIin 0 ly smiles, aud
gently repeats TO himself imaginary orders from
pilot In the air TO an engineer In his inner con-
seriousness.
Mr.. Mnctuder heads the anti-cong party. and,
after he had made In their behalf several unsuc-
cessful personal applications 20 the landiady 20
take down the gong. he drew up petition
which all tho anti-gongs signed, and last night
he laid this paper before Mr.. Maguffin for his
signature.
What's this Z" said Mr.. Magufin.
petition to remove the gong"
"Remove the gong! Magruder, did you know
Spndrini'
"spindrft? Who's spindrift?"
"spindrft boarded here before you came. He
WAS u river man: pilot ON a Harlem boat and
one of the squarcst, eentlest, nerviest men that
| everpulled bell. lie was the man that could
| clllnb INTO tllot mouse anu 20 WhOOpln w tue
river, and crush fv on the end OF pier with
out scratchn. the paint on his guard. lie could
put boat INTO dock without any backing, an
hlinc, and swearing, and heaylng OF handlines-
| he'd y ner right alongside 30 that all one deck
hand mad to do was to reach over the rail and
drop the moose Of the bawser over "A Spite while
another hand took turn. No take in yer
sIack for him.
The opposition line had landing up town nt
the very next pier above Spindrift's, and, com
ing down the river. If the other boat happened
TO be at her landing, Spindrit had to run very
| close 70 her TO get TO his own pier without los.
| Ing time by making a turn in the river and
then II the other boat was ready To start before
| he was, she had to back out before she could
| that made her lose ten or twelve see lnds' time
so the pilot of the opposition boat set about ue-
vising some means to compel Spinirft 70 keel
| OF and make a turn before reaching his land
| ing; that would make Spindriit lose thirty or
| forty seconds, % the other boats ten in backing
out, TO say nothing ~ leaving him pointed up
| the iivcr and Obliged to lose twenty or thirty
more IN making another turn TO point down.
| one morning when indrift booming
| down the river hard after the other boat. ne no.
| ticed that the instant she struck her pier the
| deck hands swarmed aft ana rugged our spar
| braced through the hawser chock and angling
| out over her quarter about ten feet Spindrin
| and make turn. or have all your hgnt work
Did spindrift make turn? Not Spindriet.
| He gripp q tue spokes little tighter, income.
| and leaned over he wheel to the speaking tube
| anu called unru1ied To ms friend IN the engine
| room JininN, they We got spar out Lot
| her nave some steam. JtmmY's answer was
felt by every man ON ne boat. she Just jumped
| ahead ana quivered aud wrlthcd IA though she
| was dyin to 'rastie tlat stuck aud Spindrift ia
| the pilot house, erect ana cool. hung her at II.
| Her sharp STEM struck tae spar about six inches
| from the other ooai guard rail, and bang =
she FRIED IL away Ms clean Ms though some
mighty iant mad struck it on with brotd-axe :
| III Spindriit mad been an older man or had
| had twenty-fOur hours more to think Of II ne
wouldn't have ran into the iran they set Tor aim
| next day. They got out n big he Avy plank and
| SpindUfi tried II. 1t stopped him aud the
shock threw him over tue wheel and mashed
him up very bad, ana they brought him home
here for repairs. lie very poorly OF and
wand cred a good deal 10 his mind. and We used
10 keen the house very quiet anu take turns
"At first II was thought that gong would dis.
turb hum and we were going to take IL down,
nut the man on watch that day repori ed that IN
stead OF fTetting HIM II seemed To please him
II made nm think he WAS aboard again and he
would reach over on the covering. crook his
ringer around AN Imaginary nnGer-hold, and pull
with the gong 10 stop her. or back her or 20
ahead, according 10 the strokes at the door
and there was juggling tell across the street
that Spndrlft would follow ringing 10 slow ner
or to nook on, as the fancy struck him and 81
IL went along Tor days, win SpindrifL losing his
ground mold all the time; and one sunlme r
afternoon, when trade was all over and the
street was very quiet, he seemed to be hangin.,
on by one line only, and most OF the boarler
were with hun IL was Magregors day on, aud
he WAS sitting by the bed with n watchfui ear.
and about 4 o'clock he heard the sound he wa.
listening fora child's footsteps In the street
IL was Magregor's hItle girl, ana those who sal
10y the window saw her hurrying along home
from school, she skipped in through tile gate
grasped the knob IN I was almost too big fol
her little fingers, aud pulled two sharp, cleaI
strokes 'Bpung! -BJOpg and while the vibra
tons were stu dancing in the staircascs anC
waving along tue hails. Spndriit raised up IN ned
all Hblaze, pulled twice. sharp and strong anc
shouted BACK her! Ihon lie dropped on hi,
pillow, stretched " his emo to gri more bre tn
Ing space IN his throat TUNED his face toward
the light. and bao ked out Into the stream anC
| before we could all gather around MIN no WA,
| out Of sight down the river
Magruder diun't say anything. but he laid on,
| hand on Mr.. Magun.n's shoulder ana with IN,
other he took Magunln'- h7nd, Then ne wake,
over TO the desk ana picked out the coarsest
pointed pen he could Aud, dipped IL deep IN IN,
ink, and drew a broad ullCk marx ltrAlglt dow
through the centre of the petition.