The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-04-26
THE RED JACKET.

ground-h0or of the Hacienda de la
Rosaca, which we had turned into a
public house tor the nonee. The hacien-
Ciero was SO overjoyed at our having run
our eighty slaves saie into Cuban waters
that ne gave us the key of the cellars,
and registering time had we. F'ierceiy-
muustached Caspardo Chaco took his
turn ut spinning 8 yarn. He had been
drinking deep, and, glass in hand, he
began the following, IN mysterious
tone, which he deepened into dOleful
strain as he progressed:
Joseph Boltun, see you," said the
old sch0ol-teacher to one pupil OF thir
teen whom he detected mixing the hose
OF sleeping scbool~mate.
Joseph Bolton, though admOnished by
the teacher, waE soon after guilty OF
blowing paper wadding through g quill,
pDlnt blank at the head OF the school
monitor, and it did not go happen at the
time that Providence favored those vino
spOrted the heaviest artillery. On the
contrary, the teacher bounced upon the
young cannOnier, dragged him from his
seat, and Joseph was 5000 separated from
his brethren, and placed in durance vile,
and must say that was no great pun
iahment. He was up into close cock
loft. where there were sundry old pam
phists, letters manuscripts; ne was
completely sheltered from the eyes of the
master, and could amuse himself In any
Way ne Thought proper. He opened the
scuttle without difficulty, and let in the
pleasant beams of summer afternoon,
while the aperture was 80 low That when
ne stood upright his mead and shoulders
were above the ROOF. Joseph amused
himself by rolling little paper balls down
the slated root, for while, and then ne
paused TO examine the various objects
which came within range OF his vision
The school house stood on the brow of
hill, and the view IRON the open scutGIe
was extensive. The top-masts OF the
vessels lying about the wharves about
Bristol harb0r--for there were no steam
ferries theH-were distinctly visible.
Sailors could be seen AT work on the rig
ging, on the yards, Or engaged IL ecraping
down the tsp-nlasts and top.galiante
The masts oi large brig, whlch seemed
very near, engaged his attention; but he
had not looked at them long before he
WIS summoned 10 descend from mis- lofty
quarters, as the teacher was about to
ismiss the school. When be came down
into the schUol-rOom he was observed to
be very pale and ne trembled excessive
~. can well remember how he looked
the palioI OF hie cheeks, and the wilo-
ness in his eyes. Some OF the boys said
he Was scared, and one or two called him
Il coward When Joseph arrived near
man E estate he took fancy to 20 TO sea-
He made q voyage 10 India in snip be
longing to firm much celebrated in
those DAYS. Our hero appears to have
been followed by his usual pad fortune
that of giving offense to his superiors
They had not yet reached the Cape of
Good Hope when Joseph was condemned
to be fiogged before ali hands. He mad
given mortal ofense To the FIRST mate of
the ship, VINO insisted that it would be
impossible for him TO preserve discipline
among the crew II young Bolton was not
punished.
Bolton was rather O favorite of the
captain, but he could not resist the
lmpetu0ns vengeance of the mate, and
he gave orders accordingly that the
youth should be seized up III the rigging
The crew were assembled to witness the
punishment, the younger portion look
ing on with curiosity, and the old sailors
hanging back and scowling at the pre-
parati0na. Everything being prepared,
the mate drew near, fourishing the
sconrge in his hand, when the youth
begged leave TO whisper something in his
private ear.
g Ito no USE" returned the officer;
=" it's too late tobeg now; you've got 10
take ii
@ He drew back, and was about TO give
The FIRST blow, when Bolton said aloud I:
{" III you WON'T hear me privately, j
shall speak before ali these people"
The mate pansed and said:
/" What it you dot What Ehen?"
!" Aou wore a RED Jacket once" cried
the youth.
The mate approached Bolton, and the
latter whispered q lew words in his ear
The mate became deadly pale.
I" What does he say?" demanded tins
captain, who hac appeared to be aingn,
larly interested by the turn which affairs
had taken.
2" Its only some of his nonsense
returned the mate, Shut 4 suppose
mnst let him off this time, ar he ihal
made an explanation n do
"Well, well-what explanation
manded Line captain.
q lie says that when he sauced me, il
the incoming watch, ne mist0ok me iot
Ben Lowell; and now xecollect that b,
didcail me Ban,' though i WAS soangr,
that it had clipped my memory"
The old taTe did not accept this expla
nation, and when Joseph met them a