The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1877-06-21
"Can'tIa Wen see. Tve run away

/ from ii, ." said Jack.
"Run away from work Ha, ha, ha p
and the strange little man laughed s,
| heartily that he had to hold his sides
" Well, that's the richest notion Pvt
ever heard expressed! Run away from
work. That's thing you can't dOl'
"Why not2' demanded Jack, with 8
scOrnful look.
' Because II will follow you every
where, and, no matter what your station
may be. you will find yourself Obliged
to do something, either for your OWE
good or the sake of Others"
"Kings don't do anything I would
like to be king"
You a king Ha, ha, ha Why kings
work harder than your father, a great
deal p'
"a rich gentleman, then, like the
squire"
The squire finds plenty of work to
do in the course of the day that cannot
be shi1ked, Besides, you can't be a rich
gentleman without money, and you
can't get money without toll. Even il
you take to begging, that's only a nasty
name for a still nastier jOb-and, what's
more, you are likely to get sent tOprisOn
for your pains, and made to work harder
than ever; and prisoners have to labor
for nothing-they get no wages"
"Then Pll never be a king nor beg
gar" said Jack. 81 know who has tie
easy time of it."
And who's that Z"
"The sailor, to be sure, replied Jack,
with an air of conviction.
d" And are you determined on going to
seap
"Quite."
What if I could help you to a
berth ?''
81 should feel very much obliged if
you did me such a service" j"
" Very good, then. Keep straight
along this road, and in less than half an
hour, if you don't let the grass grow
under your feet, you'll Overtake a sailor
who is on the way to Portsmouth to Join
his ship"
Jack waited to hear no more.
Hastily bidding his singular acquaint-
ance farewell, he ran of at the top of his
speed, and in less than twenty minutes
came up with the sailor, a merry, light
hearted fellow, who whistied blitheIy as
he strOlled along, with a bundle in his
hand.
Jack entered into conversation will
him at once, and was much delighted to
learn from his new acquaintance that
sailors life was the jOlliest life in the
world"
After some further conversation, the
sailor said:
"D'ye see, my hearty, you're a taut
built little craft, and may l be capsized
in a storm if l don't think you'd make
as good a sailor as ever trOd deck.
Now, there's berth for cabin-bOy on
board the Lucy Jaue, and if you like,
Il speak to the captain about it, and
you shall sign articles this very night.
We sail in the morning if the wind is
favorable"
Jack at once closed with the offer.
All the way to Portsmouth Jack kept
his eyes open, and they reached the
docks at about four in the afternoon.
Here they saw a lot of cOnvicts slav-
ing like horses at the extensive works.
in the ugly suits of yellow plaid ?' in
quired Jack. They seem mighty in
dustriOus. I'd rather be anywhere than
amongst them"
" Ay, ay, my hearty. You may well
say that. Those hulking lubbers have
to toll worse than slaves now"
" And why"
{" Because they were too lazy to work
for themselves and earn an honest living
But see yonder ship-that's our craft.
Pll make all arrangements, and we'll 60
on board at once"
The sailor fulfilled his promise, and in
less than half an hour Jack was duly in
stalled as cabin-boy of the Lucy Jane.
But he quickly found how utterly de-
lusiVe had been his visions of life at
sea.
He had scarcely set his foot on the
deck of the Lucy Jane when he was set
to work, and the rough manners of the
men nearly frightened him out of his
wits. He was ordered here and ordered
there, told to fetch this and take that,
and kept constantly on the trOt fore and
aft, first by one and then by another.
NOthalf dozen hours had he been on
board when he heartily wished himself
back again at his fathers smithy.
But then he had signed articles, the
ship was fairly out at sea, and there was
no back window to crawl out of now.
There was no help for it, and so he had
TO endure all sorts of knocks and hard
ships until the voyage was over, and the
Lucy Jane once more dropped her anchor
of Portsmouth.
This was at the expiration of a month
Jack lost no time in getting ashore
the trial trip was Over-the sea no longer
had any charms for him.
" Nov, my lad" said the captain,
handing him a sovereign, here's your
wages, and remember we sail again on
the sixteenth"
Jack took the money, and then took to
his heels. He scarcely stopped running
once until he reached the smithy.
" Welcome home, ladl cried his father,
leaning on his hammer. "And where
have you been all this long while ?''
" Running away from work, father," p"
replied Jack, rUefully. "But forgive
me this once, and Pll never do so any
more. Pve had quite enough Of it, and
will never be Lazy Jack again"
" Pm right glad to hearyou say so, my
boy" cried old Bates, wringing his hand.
" You stick to that determination, and
you'll make bright man yet"
And he did stick to that determination,
and worked so well as to earn the name
Of Industrious Jack before long.
And in the end, when too old to work,
Jack had enough money to enable him
to retire from business, and live at ease
for the remainder of his life.