Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-06-27
THE ILL-FATED BROTHERS.
A True Story.
BY WILLIAM CoMsToCK

Some sixty years ago, when only fifty
summers and winters had passed over
my head, was going home to dinner
one afternoon, and had arrived as far as
the corner of Front and Roosevelt streets
when l paused on seeing considerable
crowd gathered In front of M. & C.'s
store.
Above the heads OF the bystandeIs
doomed that of big cartman whom l
had often seen in that vicinity and ever
and anon he lifted rattan, as if threat
ing some person with severe chastlse-
ment.
/ pressed forward to take look at
the victim, but that was not accomplished
till 1 had got inside the ring, for the in
divldual who had incurred the wrath of
the gigantic cartman was a small negro
boy-a mere child; and there he stood
trembling like leaf, and almost white
with terror as he momentarily expected
the scourge to descend upon his head
and shoulders.
The surrounding throng laughed and
jeered; they were highly entertained by
the terror of the little black boy.
A number OF SACKS filed with CHINA
mon were piled on the sidewalk they had
lust been landed from an East India ship
that lay at the wharf near by. The boys,
finding little holes in these sacks through
which the cinnamon projected, had i'm
proved the opportunity to supply them
selves gratis.
When the big cartman pounced upon
them they scattered, and all escaped ex-
cept the little black boy, and of him the
cartman had thought proper to make an
example.
AS he stood there covering and friend
less, I placed myself at his side, saying,
'Don't be frightened, little fellow-he
dare not hurt YOU
Down came the rattan upon one of my
legs, and the delighted crowd glorifed in
finding new subject for their mirth,
while. ansenormous fat woman still fur
Their contributed to their merriment by
placing herself in front of me, glazing
in my face, and demanding, in the
shrillest of tones, care you niger
whitewashed, that you take nigger's
part9"
The little negro, taking advantage of
this diversion in his favor, glided through
the crowd, and putting all his legs to the
ground, got off clear.
The blow which l received from the
cartman's rattan was no great thing, but
the insult was something, and as look
ed up at him resentfully, he said:
IL don't care for your father-I don't
care who your father isl
OF course not; what should he care for
fathers, mothers, uncles or aUnts9 Was
he not the tavorite cartman of the veal
thy house of M. & ca Had he not good,
round salary and permanent situation?
Thus established for life, could he not af
ford to be perfectly independent of every
one except his wealthy employers?
Three years from that time [ went my
first voyage to sea. On my return home,
at the end of three years and four months,
among the first news that / heard was
that the big cartman called Dobbins had
hung himself.
GLOW is that?" I asked.
"Why you see,' was the reply, ''he had
long been in the service OF MAO, and
when they tailed nobody else cared to en-
p1Oy u1lus nO consequence Woo NhNN AAS
became lniserably poor, and, finally, he
has hung himself in dispair."
That was sad news, and as it was dis
agreeable subject of contemplation'I ban
ished it from my memory in the belief
that the fate of Big Dobbins would soon
be forgotten. / was mistaken.
Being adritt in Valparaiso, three or
four years afterward, entered the navy,
and signed the papers on board the U. S.
ship B., which lay in the harbor. After
writing my name,a and holding brief con-
ference with the first lieutenant, Twas
passing along the gun-deck, when an OBJ
ject that met my view caused me to start.
Was 1 dreaming? There stood before me
a gigantic seaman, with a colt IN his
hand, with the form and features Of Big
Dobblns. 1t not only seemed to be the
man himself, but he also fixed an evil eye
on my countenance, as if he recognized
me.
"Who Is that mans" demanded / of a
seaman, as soon as l had passed forward.
"What-that boatswa1n's mate, yonder?
Why, that's Big Dobb1ns, and"
"Big Dobbins!" cried l. "Can it be
possible that l was misinformed, or was
he cut down before life was extinct?"
''Cut DOWN." exclaimed the sailor,
staring in his turn; and then after mos
ment's reflection, he added, 30, know
what you are thinking of now; he had a
brother that drove a cart in New York,
who hung himself"
but this Is the exact likeness of his
brother. / could not tell them apart;
and he looked at me as though he knew
me-"
"Well," replied the mariner, 81 would
not advise you to cultivate his acquaint-
ance. There may be worse men in the
world than big Dobbins, but if so.
they've never crossed my hause. When
he flogs man he strikes with all his
might; you'd think he was going to cut
you in two. He does this to curry favor
with the officers, and every man on board
hates him. He never dares to go on shore
with any of the crew. If he should go
ashore, and the boys had caught him
away from the ship, he'd stand no more
chance than cat in rat-pit without
claws"
The time passed on. I saw many men
logged, both with the cats and the colt.
Those who were fogged with the cats