The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-04-28
A STRANGE RESCUE.

4 SdptdiA ldkc, lelb tu6 udTUOf VI IstD
homeward bound.
| was seated on the quarter-rail, smok
ing a cigar, when, feeling light toucl
on my shoulder, l turned to behold al
ugfy-looking little monkey, clinging I,
the mizsen-backstay. The creature hat
stopped and touched me with its paw
now it grinned at me, made faces at me
4 and chartered to me in a singular man
ner. "The deucel What do you wantT
/ exclaimed, when slap! came the ami
mails paw against my head.
| An indignant squeal followed; ther
the creature, with a halfsummersault
turned up its long tail, as if to convince
me, by the difference between that tail
of the internal one, that it was not q
demon. The end of the sail touching my
nose offended me; 30 Igave it a hard pull,
Squeak squee! squee! sqaeel sque.a-
ah!" screamed the monkey, and turning
its rough little head, l fancied saw
tears in its humanIlike eyes.
Instantly let go the tail, feeling
sorry that had pulled it.
There was pattering sound like fall
ing drops of rain; up came a lovely
young girl from the cabin, and throwing
both arms round the monkey, she hugged
the creature to her bosom. 1t laid its
head upon her shoulder, and uttered q
succession of gentle squeals, as if pleased
with her sympathy.
No wonder it should feel pleased,
thought /; and for the first time in my
life | wished was monkey. {Chance
here for malicious joke.)
The girl was Mary Melville, who, with
her father, minister, had taken passage
for nome. She was beautiful, with large
brown ewes, full of spirit and softness, a
petite well-rounded figure, and a voice
which, like rich music, vibrated in your
heart long after you heard it. The cap
tain, the mates, the male passengers, all
hands, in fact, showed by looks and
manner their admiration for the minis
ter's daughter, but she seemed to have
neither eyes nor ears for any OF them |;
seemed entirely devoted to her father
and the monkey.
Sailors and passengers disliked this
monkey-wondered at the girls odd
fancy-but that made no difference; she
petted and caressed little Jocko all the
more for his being surrounded by enc
mics.
"That hateful thing" exclaimed Mrs.
Frank, lady passenger whose child,
four-year-old, had been harmlessly
kicked by Jocko, after the latter had
long been teased by the little fellow; "it
ought to be killedW
ooh, no" answered Mary. "Surely no
person would think of harning Jocko.
l will keep him where he will do no mis-
chief"
So saying, she packed up the monkey,
and, procuring a string, secured the ami
NAL inside of the potato-bin.
"What a ridiculous fancy the girl has,"
remarked Miss 14avina Winton, a stately
blonde, as she caressed a fayDrite poodle,
which had been her companion during
years tour.
"Beg pardon, MISS" said the captain.
"You won't think it so ridiculous when
I inform you that that monkey was left
to Mary by a sailor brother, who died at
Rio"
"At any rate" said Mrs. Frank, Il
could not pet or caress creature like
that hateful thing under any circum-
stances"
The speaker was rich-a fact known
to the steward, an ayaricious Portuguese,
who at once came to the conclusion that
| if he killed Jocko, Mrs. Frank would re-
ward him with handsome present.
In fact, he had heard her say as much,
in low voice, to Miss Lavlnia, few
days previously.
Night came, with signs Of gale.
In the middle of the watch, the stew
ard, taking advantage of moment when
the officer of the deck was gone below to
get something to eat, stole up, knife ia
hand, and entered the potato-bin.
Jocke set up squealipg the moment he
saw the intruder, who now, fearful oil
detection, hurried to execute his pur.
pose. Lifting a knife, he struck fierce
blow at the animal, which, however,
avoided it by springing to one side
The string holding the creature was cnt
by the descending blade, and with an
exulting squeal, away went Jocko, FREE
monkey. The steward, muttering 9
curse, descended into the. cabin, and en-
tered his room, vowing that be would
yet take the life of the little animal.
An hour after, the wind rose to a gale
The rigging whistled and screamed, ths
long yards creaked, and the masts shook
bending and swapping with every roll Of
the ship. The gale steadily increased
till daylight, when it blew q perfeel
tornado .r
All sail had been taken in, and the
craft now was speeding along directly
before the blast, under the bare poles
The seas ran high, and here and ther'
the water, caught by the blast, was car
ried upward and sent whirling along il
gigantic columns, which, occasionally
bursting, shrouded the ship in q curtain
Of flying rack and spray.
Little Harry" Mrs, Franks son wa
early on deck. His mother called hin
back, but, tossing his faxen eurls, he raj
forward laughing with all his might. A
couple of sailors hurried after the truan