Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-05-08
FeatherStOne'S Hero.

FeatherStOne'S Hero.
About the time it happened Little
Tins had been at FeatherstOne school
year, | think, though may be mis-
taken, | have so much to remember
since | began to grow old. Where arc
all the boys who were at Featherstone
in my day? The books of the blessed
old school itself, with the many-win-
bowed building; the weatIler-stained
belfry where the gulls made nests;
the neat, trim Fairgrounds, and the
whole broad ocean surging along
Cumberland beach, only mile away
all this must never forget. For
what would be the good fortune OF
being boy if one could not have his
school fellows to remember the home
they had in common, and the glorious
old days when he and they woke up
on the bright summer mornings with
out a thing to do in the world besides
learning a lesson or two? Then there
was the master Though it took us
some time to find out just what u no
bic and generous man he was) and the
masters kind, motherly wife, who
cared for us boys when we were sick,
and who brought Billy Wilson through
desperate struggle with the typhoid
fever when everybody said he would
die.
Who of US will ever forget the quiet,
sleepy afternoons we passed in that
large, still school-room, studying oul
illustrated histories and Biographies
listening to the old clock heating away
as if it was the pulse Of the place and
looking out wisttully through the dcel
windows at the sails heaving in sight
now and then on the glimmerine
ocean? Or, willany of us forgetthe days
when it stormed, and the sea threw
its spray away up to our windows
and at night rumbled over the beach
like guns, keeping us awake for hours
And, finally, whenever we look at the
sea, are there any of us who would
not recall Little Tins?
What an old-looking little chap he
was, to be sure, when he first came tt
the school! The boys laughed at the
namc-Littleiield Tims-and called
him "Gran'father" because he appear.
ed so old fashioned. Then somebody
began to nickname him Little Tins
and we all took it up. He was not 81
very small in stature, howcver-onlS
slim and poor. His face was freckled,
his hair red, and he had large hands
that looked as though he had always
been used tovery hard work. One o
the boys said that the master had
brought him from a poor farm |; but
we never found out whether that was
really the truth. All we knew about
him was that he had no parents, ant
was kept atthe school to do the chores
When the biggest boy shook him one
day because he refused to tag he sal
down and cried; said he wished he
was dead; he never had any friends
and we might kill him if we wanted
to, he didn't care, he said. Some o
the boys only laughed at that, ant
told him he hadn't any pluck. After.
ward he kept away from us as mucl
as he could and studied his lessons
alone.
But the day came at last, however,
when we found out what a brave
heart Little Tins had; and then, O.
course, we wondered that 1t had taker
us so long to discover the fact. 1t was
some time in the spring-the dark
cold, rainy day-when the sea had
been made wild by the high wind
The most of us had remained indoors
all the afternoon, and when the even.
ing came we gathered around tbeopel
fire at the end of our long dormitory
and took turns telling the sea stories
we had read. Oh, you may believe il
was just the jolliest comfort in the
world! 70 hear Billy Wilson tell
about his fathers cruise to Bombay
while you weoe watching that great
heap of fire cracking and darling NJ
bright flames, and listening to th'
storm beating the window and the
surf laundering against the shore
was worth great deal, | can tell you
And what a noise the wind and thu
waves did make that night! 1t was
as much as any one could do to catcl
a wink of sleep; and l rccollect how
lay awake ever so long fancying tina
| could hear voices outdoors crying
and calling to us.
Isuppose must have been dream
ing an hour or two, though, before
really did hear something, because
sprang up started and confused wher
that loud boom and tumble brok'
above the noise of the storm.
"What was that, Lud gateW wills
pered little Tom Duffield, frightened
and then in a moment everybody il
the dormitory was settingup in bed
wanting to know what had happened
George Jenning crept out to the enc
window and pulled up the curtain
just as another crash made us jump
and caught glimpse Of a flash in th'
distance bursting the darEness anart