Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-02-14


make II ont at all. A Hebrew inscription
would not have been more unintcligent to
Dick
There was no chance for bolt now. The
lady. the gentleman who came with her.
the captain II the steamer and its chief
officer. formed a semi-circle In front: be-
hind was the bale of cotton against which
he had rolled himself for protection. lie
sits up. drinking in that strange express
SION which at once scares. puzzles and
plesses him. till sort Of sleepy, faint feel
ing makes him close his eyes.
"ues going 10 faint" says the lady. al
knew he was hurt. "Oh. see how he ls
bleeding"
He is bleeding badly. Big drops are
tricklng fast down his ragged sleeve,
which will soak no more. These come from
an ugly tear (caused bv a nail In the wharf
planking) on his arm. lust above the el-
bow.
Don't look. Mrs. Austen" says the cap
tain; I'm have him attended to. Oh, quar-
,ermaster, come and carry this boy on
board. and give my compliments 10 the
doctor. and ask him to plaster up this cut"
Dick has no power 10 resist. lie is car
ried on board, mutteriug. "Come, Amt
done nothing 10 you"
4 cold lunch is served under the awning
on the main deck. Two other ladies. and
:
| by the appearance OF some Of the crew.
bearing squat. heavy boxes. which jingle
a. they are lowered through tap door In
the deck. partly under the lunch tahla.
Mexican dollars" explains the captain.
What a lot OF money" the lady remark
ed
Not so much as YOU suppose, but a tidy
sum Each box contains two thousand
dollars. and there are fourteen OF them
charge. who confirms the count.
They have got to their first glass OF
/ champagne. when the doctor Joins them.
well. how's your patientg' asks the cap
( tain.
''All right and clean for once In his life
/ but rather weak" is the medical report
/ upon the Rat.
Poor child" sighs the lady, what
Ought he To tske?''
II should prescribe something 10 eat"
/ the doctor replies. helping himself TO slice
/ Of tongue.
Captain. | should Ike to give him some
/ dinner"
! II - unnecessary to saw who speaks, and
the skipper would indeed have been a stern
man II he could have resisted the pleading
/ of those Kind brown eyes. The quarter
master is summoned again, and appears
I leading Dick, who looks grocgy. Il has
I begun 10 dawn upon him that b. il not 90
/ Ing TO hc abused, sud he goes along there
/ like = little cock -o'-wax," as he is told.
/ "WhaS is your name. little boyF' asks
/ the lady.
! Dick"
"Are you hungry. Dick1"
Rather"
Only ratheri" in tone of dIsappolnt-
menf
".Rather.'" explains the captain. lin
/ that tone means very"
1 The LADY takes the plate and fills Il with
| cold chicken. s,ufln.. salad. bread. and
T wha; not; adds a knife aud fork, and gives
/ Il 10 Dick.
The knife and fork are OF no use to him.
F He squats or the deck and eats with ma.
4 lures implements. Nc has no idea OF gas
tronomic combinations. First he eats the
/ chicken. then the stufiing. then the salad.
/ then the bread and this done. takes 4 long
T breath, anu :ooAs up "t,u II iova tuss -
more plainly a Oliver said the word.
! More he gets from the same Kind hand.
which he watches with dimiy awakening
feelings OF delight. Gloyed, II was 1 won
! der; bare and glittcring with costly rings.
/ So white. so small. Il bewildered him. Why
I did every one DO what she told them; How
/ could she keep all these gold things! She
! couldn't lick" any one with those hands,
I Dick mused.
The plate Is full again. and he tnrns his
| attention To its contents, with apparently
undiminished appetite.
II should keep some Of that for to-rnor-
Z row, If were YOU" observed the doctor.
/ Then you'd be fool" Dick replied
with a scon. The big fellows on the levee
/ would take IL tore you'd gone two blocks.
/ Tomorrow ain't here. but the grub Is. and
l so I'm going 10 get outside IL while / can"
Ia
I phv. and the lady asks IL he may take
/ glass OF champagne.
| Yes the doctor said. "bnt think he'd
l prefer whiskey."
"whlskey. child like that" she ex-
postuates.
TRY him." replies the doctor.
He Is tried and tosses of three fingers
/ deep of raw Bourbon without winking.
That's sothing like" he observed.
/ smackiug his lips.
This feat somewhat lessons the lady's
| sympathy. Dick gets outside" his grub
| without further comment, and is walking
of when the captain calls him back with
"why, you young rascal are you going
without saying thank you:
Thank ye."
! No not me. Thank the lady"
Thank We kindly. ma'am." says Dick.
! II was the first polite sp1ch he had ever
uttered. and Heaven knows where he
picked il up.
The party remained on board till about
six o'clock. and by the time it broke mp
every one had forgotten the Rat" but as
| Mrs. Austen was crossing the levee. he ran
! up much 10 the annoyance Of her compan-
| ion who had had enough of him.
Il say" saws the Rat. "Do you like
| himl" with chuck of the thumb towards
| the steamer.
Captain Gilbert?"
! .Yes-is he your feller?''
Get out. you scamp" cries the gentle
man, Indignantly.
! .T.et him speak. Fred" the lady pleads.
mo Dick. am married. and this is nv
husband: but Captain Gilbert Is our kind
| friend. crossed with him once. and he
was very good to me when I was sick"
"Was you ever sick?' asks Dick. with
face full Of wonder.
"Often. So | can answer your question,
and saw that do like the captain very
much"
You'd hate for anything bad to happen
to him.
"Why. of course-to him, or any one
else?''
.'wot 10 me?''
Indeed would. my poor boy. o Fred
see hsw wistful he looks! Mayn't | give
him some Of Charley's left off things? I
have "A little boy at home" she goes on.
seeing astenishment in her husbands
eyes. "about your size"
docs he get chickens TO eat.' asked the
Rat.
Yes
Every dayr'
NO. not every day." she answers.
smiling; and it is well she does qualify her
reply for Dicks credulity was not yet suf.
ficiently elastic to bear such marvel as a
boy about his size. who had chickens ev-
cry day.
So they bade him follow them, and more
wonders were In store for him. He sees
Charlie. He is taken up to the lady's own
room whore the promised things are pro-
duced and tried on over his rags. Here
he stands. lost in admiration. The great
broad bed. with its satin coverlet, its haxy.
lace bound pillows, and snowy mosquito
| bar held back by Siiken ropes of the same