The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-01-08
A Mariners Tale.

a
marked an old sail-loft man yesterday,
"but / don't expect our lake marine
will ever see another such time as in
lS43. was sailing in the Albatross
then, and within twenty-four hours Lake
Huron froze six inches thick. On the
morning of Nov. 10 it was as warm as
June. Next day We were fast in the ice
under the lee Of an island, 100 miles
from the main land"
"What was the name of that island?"
asked man who was chewing crackers
behind the stove. A.
"Gentlemen, said the saloon.keeper,
"this ssil-loft man is person of truth,
and hope there will be no further i'll
terruptions." e. ,.~ -s.
"There We were, fast as Q rock. and
the weather growing colder all the time,
continued the narrator. "At the END
of the next four days the ice around us
| vas twenty. two inches thick"
"\Nho measured it?" queried an old
man with frost-bitten ear.
Gentlemen, if there is any man here
who doesn't believe that ice was TWEEN
ty-two inches thick, out he goes!" ex-
claimed the saloonist, as he struck his
fist down. ." >..
"At tho end of five days we hadn't q
scrap of provisions left. There were
seven men of US, and starvation stared
US in the face. We fried and ate our
tbootlegs, made soup Of the Mates fur
hat, and scraped along for three or four
days, and then We drew lots to zee who
should die. 1t fell on the cook" e se
"Was he q nigger?" asked the man
over barrel.
"Gentlemen, we must have order
|here!' shouted the owner of the place
III was selected to kill him." sadly
continued tho sal-loft man., II put hin
to sleep with morphine aud then sawed
his head off. He lasted Us just three
days, and then we were q hungry q
lever. The next man 70; 20 was sailo
, |from Chicago, but he had chewed plug
tobacco so long that it made US all sick
His name was Smith" -.,.,c,..t-
i"Nra name, II you please?' querie'
a boy who was working next door.
II .<Yoimg man. you go right out Q
! here!' ordered the saloonist, and tn
+ bow had to obev.
h eve next killed the Captain. All
- he was fine eating, tell you! He ha
! fused Just enough brandy to season hil
3 clear through. Violet him commit su
3 eide by hanging. We ate the last
n him on Christmas" " fiii'a~, 'E..-
- "With cranberry sauce?" asked a bl
= deck hand. .i5 't..'-a .'''. q
i "What was they doing with era
% berry sauce out there?' demanded tt
q saloonist. "This is true story, and
know it," ' -. r.,
10 "Well, we kept drawing lots and ca
20 ing each other up, and by the 1st
no February I was the only one Left. {
~ the I'd OF February l had eaten the Ii
~ morsel of the last man, and was as hu
At cry as a bear, when somebody hailed.
" looked over the side and there was
=. farmer from the island half q m
= away" 81
u. twas the island inhabited?"
~ eft was, but we couldn't see t
nc NJ houses for the woods. There we'd be
~ eating each other up for three montl
- With farms and plenty right under Q
a;r ,nosesi The farmer thought we mic
"a want ia change and he'd come out
~, -; offer is board at twelve shinings !
;nn week."
~ F"And YOU went with him?'' - 4
"a "No. saw signs of breakup, a
> i ~, didn't dare leave the schooner. i
II farlnerIwas stoat and fat, and l tigu
:an that he d last me over week. the
.~a fore killed him and stuck by the cr'
N:oSkThe ioes began 10 break Mp that mig
'.s and in three days I was At Fort HUI
TX TX with more thanhalf of the farmer lei
W. odd you ever tell this story befor'
tasked q Captain who had listened W
,.n out q word.
,as "Never." 1NN &sN eA Il
l u H. "Will you tell it again for glas
~, :" beer?'' AVIAN ! 81" W.
W.. .ns IL will"
, ,"v =" Then 60 ahead. l believe tire
'hs; that, crew, were with me in the old N
I',rpi. Jones when We we've cast away in
x;o~ Pacific, and that they helped me e
- w. 90 woman and three children. Please 81
r ro. slowly and distinctly, aud when you
~, to these men describe them as MINI
ladic - ~ pvaelNs LILl.I.LLL AlIo.-
and w, Oul loP''~' o'L:s """y
no ss't-Aass man nao cle;'reu MS voice
beatS 'egGm: . = ~
ITO lnls s'1aut,u 'elOse u natiSs''l1.'
,and o"' '9i"g on 'ne Vessels ;' ou 49, TD "
niger r'ee t 1'eSs. ..---..ltH q
crate - AAversitv Teaches Wisdom.
D no s1ad@II-) 4 :. 1910 ri aptsa
ghly The impecunious snob, when obi
8 no to search for work, is in danger of st