Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-05-09

The most famous surgeon in the city
comes and looks grave. Captain
Gilbert never leaves him.
"Say?" Dicks voice has become
very low and tremulous-"was that
there money yourn?"
"No; but it was in my charge"
you'd a got it if you'd lost it eh?"
Il should have been ruined"
"She wouldn't ha' liked that"
"She? who do you mean my boy 2"
"The lady-her as you was good
to-"
The captain turned aside, and
tried hard to swallow something
which had never passed his lips.
WAS it for her sake?" he asked,
"that you did this"
She said she'd hate to have any
thing bad to come to you," replied
the Rat, "cos you was good to her
when she was sick. Two nights ago,
heard Phil Wood and his crowd
talking about robbing a ship of spec
ious. They said they was goin' to
tice all the men ashore with drinks,
and there'd be only one man forward
besides the cap'n. There was to ha'
bin one put at the cap'n's door to
knock him on the head If he came
out. / didn't know for sartin it war
your ship, and I was coming to ask
If you had specious, when the p'lice-
man chieved me-"
"Who was it that shot yon?"
Don't know. When I see the
p'lice crawled away to where you
found me. 1 was skeer'd, for fear
they'd think belonged to the other
crowd"
The Rat is skin and bone, and ner-
vous as a cat. He has lost more
blood than he can spare from that
slight wound on his arm.
When the lady comes early in the
morning the Rat is sinking slowly.
His face brightens up as he sees her.
Il say-don't you cry like that,
says he. Childlike he puts up his
hand to withdraw hers from her eyes.
He touches it with awe. 1t does not
break nor fly off, and nothing is done
to him for his daring. Encouraged
by such immunity, he ventured to
give it little pat, and then the face
he is watching intently is Lit up with
a smile through its tears. Into his
unloved life-into his half-savage
mind dawns the first idea of a caress.
He clasps the lady's hand and draws
it down and presses it there with
both his little brown paws. Then he
leans back with long-drawn sigh,
and shuts his eyes.
Three years have passed, and Cap
tain, Gilbert's steamer is again at her
wharf at the foot of Jackson street;
and again Mr.. and Mrs. Austen are to
lunch on board. AS the lady is step.
ping down from the gang-way, a we'll
grown, handsome boy, in a blue
flannel knickerbocker suit, and straw
hat with ships ribbon, came slyiy
forward.
why, that is never Dick?" she ex-
claims.
Dick all over" says the captain,
proudly.
"Oh, Dick, how you have grown,
and how improved!"
There was plenty room for that,
laughs the quondam Rat.
Then the captain takes her aside
and explains. Hes been at school
ever since he got well, and has learn
ed more than other boys in double
the time. Oh. he's smart! I'm edu-
eating him now for my profession,
and believe he could pass for mate
morrow
what name have you given him?"
asks the lady.
"My own. My wife thinks as much
Of him as / do: and we've no children
Of our own, why
captain Gilbert you are good
mani" 'and." lowering his voice, ga
grateful"
This is the end of the Rats tale.
Some scraps from a lunch table,
kindly given, stood between a man
and ruin; and the tender touch of a
woman's hand saved boys life.