Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-06-17
A Thrilling Story.

SdptoAA . OAUS1S, was lOIClOly pun III IL
main rigging, and then a boatswain
mate was commanded to lash him Iik
a dog until he learned to run al0ft. Th
poor fellows legs an darms trembled, b
grasped the shrouds, he cried, he pray
ed the inhuman captain for Gods SAX
to have mercy on him, but all in vain
The boatswain's mate was ordered t
lay on harder and harder, regardless Q
the boys piercing screams, which mad
even veteran seamen turn from the bru
tai scene in disgust. His clothes wer
rent from his back, the blood folloWe,
the lash, and still the tyrant roared ou
Lay on, boatswain's matev -
With one wild scream he sprang from
under the lash, and bounded up the fut
tock rigging like cat, passed up tn,
topmast and topgallant rigging will
undiminshed speed, Skinned the unrat
tied royal rigging, and perched himsel
like bird alongside of the pennan
which streamed from the mast head
Here he paused, looking fearlessly upel
the deck below. All of the hands oam
up to see him-his cries and cruel treat
ment had already enlisted their sympa
thy, and, if possible, had increased thei
| hatred Of the captain.
The monster was smiling complacent
ly at the success of his experiment. Ht
was one of those tyrapts who boasted
that the cat, properly applied, could
make men do anything. Still he was
apprehensive that the boy might de
stroy himself, and the circumstance bt
used against him at the Admiralty
where he knew representations of his
cruelty had already been mads. The
men gazed in silence, looking first at
the boy and then at the captain, who
was seated near the taffrail. They dar-
ed not to be seen speaking to one anoth-
crit was f1ogging offence; even at
night spies passed under their ham,
mocks to ascertain if they whispered.
The officers walked the lee side Of the
quarter deck, occasionally casting their
eyes aloft, but were as silent as the men.
Still the boy elung to the masthead.
playing with the pennant, apparently
unconscious of the interest ne excited
below. Tired with gazing aIoft, the
captain sung out through the trumpet,
"Down from aloft Down sh
The boy sprang upon the truck at a
hound, and raising himself erect, waved
his cap around his head; then, stretch
ing his arms out, gave wild laughing
scream, and threw himsel forward. The
captain jumped to his feet, expecting to
see the boy dashed in pieces on deck ;
but when clear of the shade OF the sails
he saw him sliding along the main roy
al stay towards the foretop-gallant
masthead, and heard him laugh and
chatter like monkey, as if enjoying
the sport. He reached the masthead in
safety. and then deacended along the
top-galiant backstay hand-over-hand.
- lne cap.aln IooAeo az I'm, anu was
n.y. 1uouI " sPeaA' uu' Iouiu nuu ~ wolus.
=! tne poy iiotneu az tne !noutn anu n1se,
LIS LIS 9yGs 1aI seTmsu @ s.aittns tt ou' VI us
uvaG ne iuitsu upoA .no uSoH III Ion,
vI,;o h;oI, st;,, tm;aHIss fn VIZ ~; .nJ oi19u
os an;oo n. olu Tho % osrrnn,o M,n oaeh ei;,, ~ ~
va M"e la ano eutseon sAt" ~ q
LnS;i snS TouIse , ~ i1" WeeAs les-oieu HIS
ooH.ay Mn: ngaatu, tna4 ~; pu' s noC nls Ieason.
u r. '4so tIa GtnG ~ 4wHrH ;nS+ he Nv, was ieal
T ay1s u',,d suu "a, M1sv n s1o .nH a., ne5oes'
H. "a Nv mound ond Sn,,ng afp VIC a ueoA
Mh;ah i IS' @ rno ~" hoorJ ' Wiz spoeu
IL sra,,Id I'M r,n ouar o t%a I'D oua,u u;thn,,t u%
LoyS;. Touiu aun e osei snJ aius ~asnuu. ~ :
sto, , oed pss nd w dasooJ U ~ ~ eo In 1ooh se
ooS n.fa ,.S 80 t' ~ -. t,,J5
~ sa;1 I hsno ss, I ~ o in,h1o nS ~, =
oaf ond %od forrott"n vas foar a a coraa % 20 g
the e nmh+ % dnt,e d,,t a1oft La iearod ~ d;o "a
oh q roc In oorononW VIII, than,'bo d;d
os ths., Al h,it ocy,,,d VT ~ 4r,,atoS W ~
Do onythin1 hirSoIf Ono orjor he oI
waus onavad w;thont hast;toIio, A.
the command s.AWav aIoft = ha was
IN and never nansaS nnt;i no reaohaJ
| the masthead AZ ha was harn,loss an 4
| raro1v snokn tha oontain kort hin, on
hoar3 and In tha cnnrao of q vaor cont
him aloft foranusemant H;S stranotb
increased with his years hnt his hnIk
and heirht remained nearlv that SAM
of n;ghteen 40 whom ha heca1;oa q q nnon;ac
He ribs hreast and hack seenoed one
casa of hone and his sinews and mns.
cIes n,ade h;s logs and arms annear lii 9
nii1arad colnrns He wac fa,r with
ffirht h1ne avea and delicate skin. his
face oval and fniI Int without exnres.
sion~neither love fear revenge no,
pleasure could be traced in its stolid
outline. His ewes stared at evervthino
without annearinp to see. and when he
smoke, there was rarelv anv meaning i'm
his words. He followed the men ir
their yarious duties like a dog follow
inc his master. Whenever he wa.
struck or startled by a boatswain'.
mate. he ran up the main rigging
screaming at the top of his lungs, ant
never paused until he had performed
the first evolution which had made hin
a maniac.
AS the sailors story rms. the shin ar
rived at Plymouth to be locked and re
fitted. The cantain. ayaiIing himself OF
the Opportunity. was going to be mar
ried. and the news was communicated
by his servant to the cook, who soor
circulated it on the berth-deck amone
the men. who cursed him and all hi
kin. His servant came on board O
the hulk where the men were lodged
| tbe evening that the CAPTAIN was to b
married. Crazy Joe-the name the bo,
was known by.met him at the gang
wav. and asked him intelligentl'
whether the captain would be marrie'
that evening and where? The servan
gave MIN the Information desired. am
vent ahout his business.
That night. while the capiain was un
dressing Re was seized by the throa
ond dreooed to the bridal bed "Look
fair ladv on mel said Crazy Joe, "bu
do not Scream. or will kill you. Loo
on me. 7 hold within NV grasp a dev
II who delights in cruelty-a merci
-, aord ,yho hos eoouraoaa the bacI