Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-03-09
A YOUNG HERO.

Capt Job Payson, sailed from Boston for
port Of Turkey, laden with cotton goods
She was new, taut little vessel. with plen-
ty of storage room, and had accommodation
for two passengers.
The crew consisted of the captain, mate,
four sailors, q black cook, and a cabin boy.
Capt Payson was q conscientious, Just
man, who treated his crew neither to jokes
or grog, but who lodged and fed them bet
ter than would five out of six of the masters
from New England ports.
'Old Job, the mate, who was from the
west, used to say he was % hard man, but
one you could tie to, in fair weather or
foul"
His crew were picked men, and, with the
exception of Dan, the cabin boy, had been
with him for years. This was Dams first
voyage, and he felt that the captain and
crew eyed him with suspicion. He was on
probation, and he felt that not grain of
favor would be allowed him.
Dan was farm boy, who knew nothing
of the world beyond the village in which
was his mothers church. Shipboard, the
sea, Europe, Turkey, here were bewildering
ideas to burst at once on his narrow expert
ence, scarcely wider than that of the house
dog sleeping at the barn door.
Keep your eyes open and your hands
ready to see the work of the moment and to
do it before the moment is over" was his
mothers last advice. For the rest, Dam
iel, ask the Lords help You'll find Him
just as nearto you in Turkey as in your own
home here"
Dan, in the hurry and excitement of get
ting under way, and of his new duties, re-
peated this over and over to himself. 1t
seemed to keep his mother near him.
Several days after, while he was carrying
the dinner dishes into the cabin, he over
heard the mate say:
That boy is clipper enough for raw
hand, captain.
Aye" grunted Capt. Payson; ''turns
out better than l expected. took him for
his mothers sake. Widow. Old friend of
mine.
Rather gentlemanly fellow this passen-
GER" ventured the mate, finding Captain
Payson in an unusually laxative mood.
He is a gentleman, sir, one of the
Farnalls, of Springfield. Ill-health Doc :
tor prescribed 4 long sea voyage. gen.
tleman and scholar, Mr.. Briggs!"
Dan, while waitingon the table at dinner
COMP not help noticing the passenger
Some of these days." thought the true
born Yankee lad, Il too, shall be a gentle
man and a scholar"
DR.. Farnall was a tall, lean man, carefully
dressed, with sandy hair and mustache,
but with eyebrowsand lashes almost white
His eyes were large and pale. They met
the eyes of any other man fairly. Once,
when Dan happened to look at him, he
turned quickly away, and he glanced fur
lively and suspiciously at the boy, at times,
during the rest of the meal
Don't like him, thought Dan. Looks
sneaking and tricky, and not like gentle
man"
But Dan, of course, kept his opinion to
himself Even Job, the cook, snubbed the
raw hand, and tolerated no remarks from
him.
Fortunately, the lad was not seasick. He
learned his new duties quickly, was alert,
neat, and always good. natured. In
the course of one week Capt. Payson had
twice grumbled approval.
Dan worked harder than ever, and be-
tween times, for recreation, when the pas
senger was on deck, he watched him.
DR.. Farnell talked tiuently and Brilliant
1y. as even Dams uucultured view coui d
preeeive. But his talk was leveled fan
above the heads of either the captain OF
AIr. Briggs, who listened with half compre.
y hending admiration.
But there were days when the doctor was
absolutely silent, ate nothing, and paced
the deck wrapped in profound gloom,
his light eyes darting suspicious chances
from side to side.
On one of these days, Dan, going down
just at twilight to find something he had
left in his bunk. saw q tall figure, which he
could not recognize, with candle crop
ing among the chests of the sailors.
Who's there" he shouted
The man came quickly toward him. The
candle threw yellow care over his sci
face and glaring eyes. 1t was the passen.
ger. He caught Dan by the sleeve. ~s--
Here, boy--what do they call your"
Dan"
You're surprised to see me here, DAM?
with guilty laugh. Took me for ghost,
eh?"
81 beg your pardon, sir; I oughtn't tt
have called to you. But it took me aback
sir"
Naturally, you need not be surprised a
seeing me in any part of the vessel. an
studying its construction, as q scientific man
Capt. Payson has been good enough to givt
me admittance to all parts of the vessel
You needn't shout in that disagreeable way
again. 1t startles a nervous man; and
with vague smile, he blew out the candl,
and went upon deck, leaving Dan staring
after him.
Its not all right; or why should he, be
ing gentleman, make such long explain
alton to me, being cabin boy" said Dal
at last, shaking his head,
That night, Captain Payson was alone Of
the quarter deck, when Dan presente
himself before him and saluted. His voic
shook little, for he was terribly scared
odd Job" was a bigger man in his eyes
than any king or potentate.
well what's the matter with you?
growled the captain.
The-the passenger. SIR"
What lave you to do with the passen
ger?"
81 beg your pardon, sir-but are yo
sure. he isn't thief, or worse?" gaspe
Dan, forgetting in his terror, the respect
tul speech he had planned in which
meant to state the fact of DR.. Farnell's Wis
it below deck.
The captain seized the ropes end. ''Tak
that for your impuaencei' he shouted
aiming blow at Dan, who lodged it, an
then blurted out the whole story.
Searching among the hunks? DR.. Far
nell!' muttered the captain in astonishment
dropping his weapon: and then he Wake
thoughtfully up and down. Suddenly b
stopped before Dan.
at is well you came to me and nobod
else with the story" he said. at is of n
account. DIR. Farnell is an eccentric mar
If he wishes to examine the ship in an
part, he is not to be watched and spied up
on. So keep your eyes open to yoursel
and your tongue too If you go blabbin
this story about I'll fog you"
Dan crept off to his work feeling as if b
had a sound drubbing. Tears Of rage an
modification stood ia his eyes.
Mothers rules do very we'll on land, bu
they won't work on shipboard," he NUT
tered. But there's something that need
watching about that man, and I'll waite
him."
Nothing of moment happened, however
for week. Then Dan observed that tn
passengers days of fasting and depression
grew more frequent. There were who'll
nights when he paced the deck until morn
ing.
The crew joked together about him. On
declared that he was murderer; anothe,
that he escaped from lun attic asylum; bu
the common opinion was that he had rul
away from termagant wife.
Dye mind" said Irish Jim, show b.
eyes every ship We hail, as though sh
oh ha oh