Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-09-16

By the time he had finished this he GER
tainiy expected to see the words verified;
but thev were not, and he poured forth the
dulcet melody again.
The clock struck FIVE. but still no signs Of
day appeared and, his sleepiness nov en-
tirely overcome BY the suns unaccountable
DELAY. Uncle Ben prolonged his musical en-
tertainmen, BY whistling everything he
knew, from Old Hundred to Yankee Doc
die. and then awaited in mute wonder, the
coming Of day. Six O'Clock struck. and as
il did Ben sung out to the captain:
brother Joe. for Heavens sake do turn
out we are going to have dark day. Here
il is six O'Clock, and dark as il was at mid
night ="
We'll. don, care if it is you keep quiet
and lie, me sleep" replied Joe.
But" e,pos,ulated Ben. this is some
thing strange. and you'd better come up and
see what's going TO happen.
40. YOU dry up and steer away. Don't
call me again till daylight"
but perhaps that time will never come :"
80 YES it will You keep steering you
needn't care whether il is light or not, as
long as your four hours amt out : and the
snoring recommended.
wv ell, tDouSDt Den '-DlptttE sos KNOWS
more than do about it. He amt skeered
darn me il I'll be. Bu, ! should like TO
know the meaning Of this. Now I've heard
the astronomers say that maybe a comet
will strike this world some time or other.
and knock il higher than kite and jus, as
like as not some such thing has run against
" and shot US out O. sight Of the sun. IL
will be good business for the gas com
panies. if it is so" And thus mus!ng. the
old fellow continued 10 steer the sloop for
two hours longer. keeping one eye on the
compass and the other on the eastern hori-
xon.
At about halfpasi seven. by h> clock.
Captain Joe awoke. with the pleasant feeling
Of one who has had all the sleep he wants.
He softl, rose. and looked al the clock
finding the time favorable TO his purpose, he
moved the hands back three hours, and re-
turned TO his bunk where he pretended to
be fas, asleep. Soon after. Ben heard the
warning" which the clock always gave out
about FIVE minutes before striking. and just
at this moment faint streak Of ligh, began
10 glcam in the east. Rejoiced to find that
day was really coming after all, though al
late hour. he cried
"IIura, Joe, daylight has come, so ge,
gu, Of ,ha; As quick As YOU can, Come. i,
j. eight O'Clock, he added. as he received for
an answer only deep grunt.
Yes. yes. Tn coming, replied the cap
tain and as he said this the clock com
menccd striking ne-tvo-three-fou
fire - counted Joe. What do YOU mean.
Ben. by telling me II is eight O'Clock ?" cried
he. DO you mean 10 cheat me out Of my
Sleep"
The devil must be in the eusscd clock -
said Ben. As true as ! live. have stood
here and heard it strike fye. sn and seven
and now, when | expected 10 hear right, II
strikes FIVE again-and besides that. il
ought 10 have been daylight four hours ago.
We mus, be all bewi;ched."
80 j. YOUR granny bevitohed 80 grow led
Joe. coming on deck. The fact j.. Ben.
you've been asleep and dreamed all this
nonsense; and If the Little Polly hadn't
known enough to take care Of herself, the
Lord knows where We should have been hy
this time. You have onl, been on deck one
hour, but If YOU can't Keep awake. YOU had
better 20 below and le, m. stand your
watch :" and ne took the uller out Of his
brother. hands.
We'll. guess will. replied Ben. "fur
| yo~ don't know whether | am asleep or
awake now; everything seems to be wrong
end first ,o-day-or tonight; don't know
which to call IT." SO Ben went below and
as soon as he ~as asleep Joe left the helm,
and for the third time in,erfcred with the
clock by setting it back another hour. which
brought IL 10 the true time, where II would
have been if he had not touched i, at all.
Ben's dreams were of n clock which went
back ~ard. o, dark DAYS. and of nights which
never ended and when at eight O'Clock. hi.
brother called him, the creations Of his i'm
agination and the actual events, were so
mixed up in his mind. that he was ready To
believe that the whole ~as a dream. Cap
tain Joe changed the order of the watches
that day, so as to give Ben rather more than
a full share of the steering. for the rest Of
the passage. with which he was we'll salts
fed. Captain Joe explained the whole affair
10 him shortly afterwards. over pitcher OF
no, punch.