Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-06-23
ROMANCE AND REALITY.
The story III nm English hay Who u
Away 10 Sea From u Comfortable Hon

The story al nm English hay Who Rn,
Away ~ Sca From u Comfortable Home.
Among the crew of the Nova Scott,
schooner Bertha Ellen, recently arrived
in Baltimore, was boy named Richard
Fielding, whose experience as run
away is worth recording. Young Field
ing is about fifteen years of age, with Il
bright, handsome face, pleasing man,
ners, and of evident intelligence. His
father is wealthy land owner in Hump,
shire, m English gentleman of family
and position. Richard hid been sent to
school in Dorset, where some of tho i'm
probable stories detailing the advcn-
lures of young boys who run away from
home fell into his hands and were eagerly
perused. The natural result followed.
Richard determined to run away and go
to sea. Tying up the customary bundle
the little fellow slipped away from school
and went to Liverpool. There he found
it impossible to ship in any capacity,
but, determined to go TO sea at all
hazards, he slowed away in the hold of n
Mediterranean fruit brig bound to Mes
sina. He was soon discovered, and after
undergoing no end of abuse from the
captain, was set to the dirticst kind of
work, swabbing the decks, scraping the
masts, and tarring down the rigging, and
on every calm was put over the side to
scrub copper.
Before arriving at Messina, he was one
day tarring down the iib stay, swung in
boatswain's chair, when the man who
was attending to the hosting rope care
lessly lost his hold, and Dick was pre-
cipitated to the deck, falling on an an
Choir stock and on the rail. His arm and
leg were broken, md he bounded into
the water. He was rescued, however,
and after being freely cursed by the cap
tain for the detention to the vessel which
the accident had caused, he was passed
below, where, without any medical treat
ment he was permitted to stay till the
vessel arrived in port-fortunately, only
twenty-four hours afterward. He then
went to the hospital, where incompetent
physicians dressed his limbs, and after
hree months he was discharged, penni-
less and without friends, and a cripple
All the British consul could do was to
get him berth, which, owing to the fact
of the boys crippled limb, was difficult
thing to do, but which was finally &C
complished, and Richard sailed as
cabin boy in IN American bark for Rio.
His situation in this vessel was more
tolerable, but, on arriving at Rio, the
bark was condemned as unseaworthy, |
and Richard was second time cast adrft
in foreign land. He finally shipped as
cook in West India trading schooner,
where he got more kicks than ha'pence,
and in this vessel came to Halifax, where
he shipped in schooner that afterward
came to Baltimore with potatoes. Pre-
vious to sailing he wrote to his mother,
telling her the name of his vessel. His
father cabled to Halifax and ascertained
his destination, and then cablel to
friend in Baltimore to look out for
Richard on his arrival. Dick came here
in the schooner Bertha Ellen, after
thirty days tempestuous voyage. His
'ather's agent met him, telegraphed his
'ather, provided him with a new outfit
If clothes and q passage to Liverpool by
he White Star line steamer sailing
'ecently. And few evenings ago Richard
eft for New York to take the steamer,
wiser boy, cripple for life, and one not
likely to again be filled with glowing
at the stories of writers of
fiction,