Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-12-09
CHIPS, THE CARPENTER.
by JOHN BOYLE o'REILLY.


M other name. was ships carpenter of the
whsler Gazelle. OF New Bedford. He was
"a years old, six feet high, and as strong
asa tree. He was the tavorite of the ship
and no wonder. He was tender aud
gentle, perhaps becsuse he was strong he
WAS peaceful, because he was powerful.
And the soft word which turneth away
wrath, with the gentle hand to soothe a
sufferer, are often needed in the whale
fisheries.
Most of the foremost hands of the Ga
cello vera rough Portuguese lads, from the
Western Islands, on their first voyage.
They were treated with coarse contempt
by the few American seamen and by the
officers.
The only "white man"-as the Yankee
sailor loves to call himself who was kin
and patient with the rude boys, was
Chips; and he was never tired of show
ing them or teaching them something Ui
what he knew. He was one OF those un.
selfish fellows who do not believe ia
keeping knowledge to themselves. He
had never been to sea before, but during
the first two years OF this voyage, he had
attended to so many things beside his
own easy work, that he was considered as
one of the best and coolest whalesmen
aboard.
Although exempt from standing watch,
he had insisted on doing the duty from
the first day out At night, If the weather
was good he would sit on the main hatch
in the center of ring of Portuguese lads,
and with wonderful patience teach them
to make spices and knots, and to speak
English. He never tired OF doing this
or any other kindly thing for them. In
the daytime if there was work Tor MIN al
his trade, he still had them around HIM,
explaining everything as he sawed OF
blamed, as if he wished to make them as
good carpenters as he was himself.
On Sunday, when every one brought his
letters and pictures on deck, Chips show
ed the only signs of sadness we ever saw.
He was the only one on board-except
myself-who had neither pictures nor
letters. neither face nor word to remind
him of home.
When the ship touched a! some port
with a post. office, and every one ran for
letters. Chips remained aboard; he knew
there was none for him. In one OF the
bows slbums he found picture OF an ola
whltehair woman, the lads mother,
and every Sunday afternoon he asked for
that album, and always gave 1t back when
he had turned and looked at that picture.
The ship had been two years out when
first saw Chips. Through strange and
unhappy circumstances, was shoat on
the Indian Ocean, in small boat, when
this New Bedford whaler hove In sight,
and ran toward me. The first man to
spring out in the mizzen chains, to nelp
me aboard, was strong handed Chips, with
tears of sympathy in his eyes. On deck
the Captain met me with open hand and
heart, and for eight months sailed with
the whalemen, and took part In the good
and i'll that befell them.
Chips and | were friends from The
instant our hands struck. Shaking hands
Is one of the best tests OF Character
Some people shake your hand 50 politely
that YOU feel they would care mighty
little about making your acquaintance
some men slip their baud into yours ana
make you feel as if you were squeezing
fish: some peoples hands are 80 thick,
and fat, and cold, that you might as
well grasp the fingers OF leather dunn
nv, Most people, and nice people, shake
hands as u preliminary to conversations
but now and then ones hand strikes into
sympathetic palm, the fingers lake fuit
hold, the thumbs interlock and close, aaa
when that friendly grasp Is over, there
is not word to be ssid-it spoke all
friendly greeting in lis own GOOD Ian
gusge. Just such q kindly and grim
grip did Chips give me the first time We
met.
When boarded the whaler | WAS in a
bad way for clothes; all that belonged to
me in the world were the few branded
rags tina, had worn III the boat. Sailors
are used to such things, and they know
the remedy. Every one came forward
with his little offering. One brought
hat, another jacket, smother pair OF
sea boots, jsck-knife, cske OF tobacco
and 80 on, until had bunk full OF ma
rine necessities
Chips had least 10 give of all, for be
had shipped without regular OUTFIT
But when he saw ali that had been given
smiling at the rough boys as each one
handed his Offering, he drew me OIL to
his own Cubby.hole, and hauled round
his own chest. Dat on hs bed came The
contents; aud in q minute cut on the
bed came fair division OF all II contain
eu-fannels, shirts, stockings, and every
thing TO handkerchief.
"These are yours, and these are mice"
said Chips, "and I'll make you chest
to morrow"
That's the sort OF 3 man he was ID
everything. No wonder that the boys
loved him, and that the one word spoken
in the best tones of the ship was the name
of the kind. hearted, manly Chips.
He was as brave as he WAS kind When
whales were chased, Chips went down In
a boat, and there was no cooler head
among them when the fragile shell was
to be laid brosGside TO s monster nearly
as long as The ship. Once when the boat