The National tribune., 1882-01-21
Eph's NeW-Year's Boots.
BY FRANK 81. CONVERSE


and rolling over and through great mountains of
storm-tossed wintry sea. Mr.. Kendall, the sturdy
little second mate, makes his way forard by
clingng to the weather rail. He casts glace at
the side lights to make sure that they are burn
ing clear, and then, in CHEEKY voice, halls the
lookout.
9Only five minutes longer, Ned he bawls, en-
oouragingly; for cold as it is on deck, he knows
that facing the bitter blast on the exposed fore
castle is a hundred times worse.
Ned Rand returns the customary, "Ay, ay, Sill"
and vaguely wonders if he ever ociU be WARM
again Not only is he drenched and chilled
through and through, but the cold, which is grow
ing more intense, has stiffened his soaked OIL
clothes until they seem like a suit of tin armor
Like dream the remembrance of year ago that
very night comes to mind, how, sitting around
the glowing CRATE in the coy home sitting-room,
he, with the family, watched the old year out
and the new In.
Ting, ting, ting, ting, ting, ting, ting ting,
sounds family from aft
Ring out the old ring in the new,
grimly mutters Ned between his chatterlng
teeth as he strikes the knell of the old year on
the big bell for'ard,
"HiIlo-o-o in there! Eight bells, you sleepers
Dye hear the news"
As the sleepy, grumbling watch come on deck,
the wheel and lookout are relieved.
GGo below, the port watch, but stand ready
for CALL" says Mr.. Marline, the chief mate.
Ned is crawling stif1y down from the lookout,
when very unexpectedly the long-legged over
crown boy who, without speaking had relieve
him. bawls in his ear, wish you happy ne,
year, Ned"
Unexpectedly, say, for the reason that tb
two boys, who were room-mates, nave not spoke
torether before for whole week. Ned hesitate
a moment Suddenly to mind o. ,me the familia
lines,
The year Is golo's let him go;
Ring out the lfas e-ring in the true"
"Same to you, old feV .ow," he exclaims, as we
as his chattering jaws will let him, and the
creeping cautiously along tie slippery, heavin
deck, Ned enteGs the "boys' room " in the afte
end of the horse. Throwing off his oil-skins an
drenched pTa,jacket with a shiver, he is about
turn into mis- bunk, when he sees lying on h
gray birth blankets a pair of half-worn rubbt
boots Scrawled on bit of paper tied to one
the loops are these words:
"a new yeres Presunt to ned was keepin
Them for you ALI the time from your aft shil
mate, E Jackson"
As Ned reads this friendly message, his fat
begins to burn-perhaps from the heat of til
Goals of fire thus heaped upon his head for til
trouble beween himself and his room mate had b
gun about these very same rubber boots. NedIs ha
been accidentally washed over board by big Sc
few days previous, he having laid them on til
main hatch to dry; and vainly had he tried
buy this pair of Epb, who wore thick "cow- hides
in ordinary weather, keeping the rubber ones fl
extraordinary.
you're a mean, contemplate skinf1int, Ep
Jackson" Ned had angrily exclaimed
"Mebbe I be, returned Eph, as adult red tings
his homely face; but, all the same, you can't bu
them boots: Pve got another use for EN-"
High words followed. Ned called Eph "a ha,
seed-haired eountryman." Eph, in return
tainted Ned with hanging back when roy;
had to be slowed or the flying jib furled:
sogerin' skulk" was the uncomplimentary ep
tibet which he applied to his room mate, if r,
member Alright. Since which time, as have sail
no word had passed between the two until ED
had broken the ice with his New-Year's gree
ing.
"He's not such bad lot, after ALL" said Ne
aloud. "The boots are a couple of sizes to
LARGE he added, as he pulled them on over
pair of dry socks; but they'll keep out the W,
and cold anyway"
But there was sort of unconscious patronae
in his way of accepting the welcome presen
after all; for Ned Rand's father, who owned tw,
thirds of the Emerald, was wealthy ship-buildt
of East Boston, while Eph Jackson was an u1
cultured young fellow from the country. Ne
was making this his first sea-voyage "just for til
fun of it"; Eph, because he had an old motht
up among the Berkshire hills, for whom ever
cent of his wages was meant.
"Some day cal'late to be a officer, an git m
forty or fifty dollars month" said Eph, stu
dily to himself.
Ned had obtained his parents consent that
should make a trial voyage with Captain Eltol
But don't favor him, Captain" privately SUE
gegted Mr.. Rand
Favor him" echoed the plain-spoken Captain
. guess not. There's No &vors shown aboar
ships. Your boy will be treated the same as tbs