St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-07-21

ueI 10 20 Oh, anu IndllN UTdillln he
backed the oars and put about for the
brig.
"I knew iist how 'twould be- said
the deacon. q knew the boys wouldn't
let you up the Grip. It's too bad on
these fellers now.'
"Well, you'd better believe the cap
tain was mad when the boats crew
came back with four or five of his best
fellows wounded and disabled.
"They took the old deacon down in
the lower hold and put him in irons for
that night. He said he thought like
as not they'd hang him to the yard-arm
the next morning, but he got a good
sound sleep for all that, and young
Graham he made his report to the cap
tain and set it out pretty stiff how
many men there was up round there,
and kind q suggested whether 'twa'n't
going to cost mOre'n 'twOuld come to,
to burn that one schooner.
oval, the cap'n he kinder chewed
ont and turned it over in his mind,
and next morning he sent for the dea-
con up to have talk with him.
"The captain he was pacing up and
down the quarterback when they
brought the old man up. He was a
mild-looking, white-headed old man,
Dea. Jabez was, and alters looked rs
calm as IA full moon, and he stood quiet
as Il psalm book, waitin'.
"'Well,' says the captain, walking
up To him. Look a here, old man
did you order your sons to fire on my
men p
"I did says the deacon.
"'Well, what do you think of your
self now p said the captain.
"'I think I've done my duty says
the deacon.
"'You call it your duty p says the
captain.
"'Yes, | do, cap'n, and you'd a done
Jest so ef you'd IA ben in my place. You
wouldn't let Il set ~ fellers come on to
English coast and burn a vessel you
was building, you know you wouldn't
and if your boys wouldn't fight for you
English boys aint what take 'em tc
be-
'This kind O. went home to the
cap'n.
"'Don't you know says the captain
Il could hang you up to the yard arm
"The deacon looked up to the yard
arm quite serene.
"'Yes,' says he, 'you can hang me il
You choose, but hanging an honest
man for doing his duty won't bring {
blessing on your ship ; it won't helI
You along this coast but you can dc
it if You please, | aint afraid to die
''The captain he took Il turn or two
more, and then walked right up to the
deacon and says he
q" You're Il brave man shake hands
ont. | hope my boys will stand up fo
me as yours have for you. There's ;
boat waiting to set you ashore, 81
gOod-morning.'
"The deacon stopped minute ant
then says he, Pm sorry about thOs,
boys that got wounded. There's tiv'
of 'em, and here's fifty dollars, if yol
Just please divide it among 'em.'
'''rll do it, says the captain, ant
they shook hands and parted like gOO'
friends, and they rowed the old maj
away to shore.
"When they came to the shore tn
old man sprung out, and Graham wit
him.
- Boys says he, to the sailors, 'yOl
Jest row back to the ship. I'm goin
to see the old man home. can com
when | get ready"
'Well, when the old man came i
sight of the house Cerinthy saw hin
from the chamber window and run on
to meet him, and Graham he says
- There, Miss Sewel, I've brough
him back and she came right up an
give him her hand, and her eyes shOn
like stars.
" You're Il man to be trusted say
she.
" Il hope your father and you'll bot
remember that says he, for | want t
Join you. Pm a shore man and hav
my trade of skilled carpenter work, an
| think I'd like to help on that schoon
er. I'm no wise bound to stay on tha
ship. They took me by force, and Nv
a right to get away if cam
"Well, the deacon he agreed to thai
and after that Graham was one anon
'em, only they thought best he shoul
sleep up to the lumber-camp to kee
out of the way if anybody came to loo
for him. But the fact was, the captai
was too short handed to send anybod
up that way again, and Graham h
proved Il bargain, cause he knew a
about fancy work, and h
fixed up the cabin with oak and butter
nut and black walnut, and he carve
out a figure head of Fortune and paint
ed and gilded it and everybody thu
looked at it saw it looked like CeriI
thy, and afore Thanksgiving every
body knew that the deacon had got Oh
more son on the list-the doctrine
lection never pinted palmer than
{ did in that are case. They was MAJ
ried the day the ship was launched"
"And did the schooner make ht
voyage ~ said grandfather.
''Sartain she did. The Maine boy
had one advantage they had fogs ;
thick yOu could drive a spike into 'el
and hang your hat ont, and they I'll
the vessel out to sea on a high tide
Jest such fog and nobody was til
wiser, and so over to the French We,
Indies and back agen into Bath wit
their cargo o sugar and molasses, an
they'd run in on the high tide. The
didn't mind the war, and finally I'll
war stopped and they KEEP on tradin
with nobody to hinder, and SUI
enough, the Fortune made fortune fo
'em all.
every one of 'em is doing wei
and the old deacon and his wife al
; livin' at the old place yet.
"Cerinthy and her husband live
T Boston, and Capt. Eb he's come to Sc
tie here, and that's the story of Il
schooner FOrtune.n Youths CompaI
2 ion.
The graduation season throug
} Mhich we have inst passed has reXea