Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-04-04
FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE.
Spelling n BombsheII.

ndppy n boy as any lellOW ought 10 tA-
pect to be; and yet on his birthday, when
he was really fourteen, he ran away to
sea.
No one could possibly imagine why he
did this, and, indeed, Tom himself could
give no good reason for his conduct.
He had half-holiday on his birthday,
and he went down to the seaport town
of NJ, short trip from the school, to
spend a few hours and to see the ships.
There lie fell in with n recruiting officer,
who wanted some boys for man-of-war
in the harbor, and Tom was so much
pleased with the stories he told of life at
sea, that he went into a stationer's store,
bought some paper and wrote two notes,
one to his family mt home and the other
to the master of the school, informing
them that he had most admirable OPP
portunity of going to sea and learning to
be a naval officer. Such n chance might
not occur again, and as he had made up
his mind to enter the navy, any way, it
would not be wise to let the opportunity
pass. He would lose nothing by leaving
school now, for navigation, mathematics,
and everything that it was necessary for
naval officer to know, were taught on
the ship. Then he mailed the letters and
went on board.
When Toms father and the master
received these notes, it is probable that
they would have taken measures to get
Tom off that ship in very short order,
had it not been for the fact that the YES
sci sailed early the next morning after
Tom made his appearance on her deck,
and she was far out at sea before Mr..
Black and DR.. Powers had read their
letters.
So there was nothing to be done ut
home but to hope that things would
eventually turn out for the best, and in
deed this was what Tom himself had to
do. For he soon found that his position
on the vessel was very different from
what he had supposed it would be. In
stead of being taught how to sail the
ship, he was taught how to coil rope
and to help wash the deck. He was a
ships boy-not midshipman,
When poor Tom found out this lament
able fact, he made up his mind that he
would run away the first time the vessel
touched port. But when she did
reach a port, he re-made up his mind,
and concluded to stay on board,
By'a little observation he found that
it would be difficult and dangerous
thing for him to try to run away, and
besides he had no money to take him
home. 1t would be better, he thought,
to stay on board the ship, where he had
made some friends, and where he was
getting on good deal better than any
other ship-boy. For the under-otficers
soon found out that Tom was made Of
better stuff than the other boys, and they
could not help thinking, too, that he
had been great fool to come on board
in such q position. But they did not
tell him SO, for that would have helped
no one, and might have spoiled very
good ships boy.
Tom wrote home whenever he had q
chance, and he had some long letters
from his family, which were forwarded
to him with the other letters for the
ship.
But after he had been on board the
Hector about six months, he got short
letter, which pleased him more than any
thing in the letter line he had ever re-
ceived. This told him that as his friends
had become convinced that he was really
very much attached to q life on the sea,
and that as his officers had reported well
of him, they had obtained for him an APP
pointment as midshipman.
Now Tom was happy. Now he would
really learn mathematics and navigation,
and now he had a chance to work him
self up into q good position. 1t would
seem as if this thoughtless boy had been
rewarded for running away from school,
and giving his family so much anxiety
and trouble. But things sometimes hap
pen that way, though it does not do to
trust to any such good fortune. In after
years, Tom often regretted that he had
not stayed at school and finished portions
L.. II s.l I,l 4y,l p n,,t,,
ly neglected on board ship. And he also
had some immediate cause for repent
ance, for he found that some of his COM
the ship's-boy who had come among
them, although they knew that he was
Just as much of a gentleman as any OF
them.
In about q year after Toms appoint
ment, war broke out with Spain, and the
Hector was ordered to the Spanish coast
After cruising about for a month or two
she joined with two other British vessels
in an attack on fortress on the shore OF
the Mediterranean sea, which was at the
same time besieged by q land force.
Early in the morning the three
vessels opened fire on the fort, which
soon replied in vigorous fashion, send
ing bombshells and cannon-balls al
around them, and sometimes knocking
off a spar or crashing through some tim,
bers. But the Hector Jared very
well. She was more advantageous
placed than the other ships, and while
she could readily pour in her fire on thu
fort, she received fewer shots in return
than her consorts.
But, after time, the enemy began tC
think that the Hector" needed rather
more attention, and additional guns were
brought to bear upon her. Now there
were lively times on the Hector
deck, and Tom found out what it was t.
be in a hot fight on board of q ship
But the boy was not frightened. Tha
was not his nature. He rushed around
carrying orders and attending to his du
ties, very much as if he was engaged il
arousing good game of cricket.
While he was thus employed, PLUMP
on board came bombshell, and fell al
most at the foot of the mainmast. TIL
fuse in it was smoking and fizzing. Il
an instant more it would explode anC
tear everything around it to atoms!
Several men were at gun nearby
but they did not see the bomb. Thei
lives were almost as good as gone.
The. captain stood just back of the gun
He saw the smoking bomb, and spran
back Before he had time to even shou
"Look outp" along came Tom. He wa
almost on the bomb before he saw it.
1t never took Tom long to make up hi
mind. We have seen that. His secon,
thoughts always came up long wa
after the first ones. He gave glance a
the smoking fuse; he knew that it wa
just about to explode, and that it wOul
kill everybody round about it, and h
nicked il I'D and hurled il into the sea.