Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-28


From ga Summer in the Azores, by G.. Alice Baker,
Gone day in March. 1869. while we was layin'
In port off Bunbury, In western Australia, was
ashore; and / see nice lookin' young fellow.
about twenty-four years old, eyin' me pretty
sharp. He was at work on q chain gang. Watch
In his chance. he says to me, Are you the mate
of that whaler7'
eyes says I.
'arhen says he, Has the priest said anything
to you about me''
"sNo,' says I.
"'Weil, he's goin' to- says he, and passed on
quick.
'eThe priest follered right along and asked me
II I'd ever seen that young man before.
Never, to my knowledge saws I.
''Then he told me it was aA-, q Fenian pris-
oner; that he had been confined in Dartmoor
prison in England for seven months, and then
sent to Australia for life; that he'd been there
goln' on 'leven months. and wanted to get OF.
And the upshot of it was the priest offered me
dve hundred dollars to get him off.
II told him l didn't want his money. II
he'd been thief or murderer I wouldn't have
tried to help him anyway; but I couldn't make
out that he'd committed any crime; SO the
priest and I, we fixed it that the next day. when
my ship got under way, + should pick him up in
the yawl-and 1 did. -
SIT beat all how quick everybody on DO I'D
took to that fellow-he was so pleasant and
such handsome young chap.
"Well, come August, we had to put into
Rodrigues for water. It was that, or die OF
thirst. That's not far from Mauritius in the In
dian ocean. ~
''By this time the news of. IS escape had
got ahead of us and was known all over the
world. 1t was just before sunset when q boat
from shore come alongside. and her officer
boarded us.
was standing just as near me as l be
to you, when the officer up and says to me:
Have you got man aboard by the name Of
81 kind of thought mnute-it seemed if
twas about an hour-and then SAYS no says /,
very quiet: we did have fellow aboard by the
name OF Brown, but he died two months ago at
Java
HE looked at me minute. then says he,
Wen, you've. got some ticket-of-leave men
aboard, haven't your
6 was mighty glad he asked me that, for
thought it would take up his attention and give
me little time to think.
81 can't say as to that saysI.
"'Weli,' says he, call your men up from for
rard, and Wen soon find out
No.. says 1; j don't want nothin' to do with
that kind OF business. You can look for your
selves If you like
So he and his gang went forrard and hauled
out the stowaways, and put 'em aboard their
beat, and pulled ashore, appearin' to be salts
fed.
"As soon as they were gone, -, half crazy.
says to me: My Cod it's all up with me! What
can DO? They'll come back for me, but I'll
never be taken alive!'
~ knew he meant what he said, for the priest
had told me he'd tried to commit suicide,
and, If he couldn't escape, had determined to
kill himself l Gained him down, told him to
60 below and keep out Of sight, and I'd try to
think up something; but says l, You shan't be
taken as long as can stand by YOU
II knew very well that as soon as they got
ashore those ticket-of-leave men would blow on
him, and really didn't know what do. Things
10 oked black.
"By this time it got to be dark. andI sat down
bymyself to think. Then remembereda kind Of
locker under the stairs, where the steward
sometimes KEEP the dishes he wasn't usin'. 1t
was shet by pushin' one of the stairs right over
it. knew they'd never find him there. Then
! went to - and told him to go and find a
little grindstOne there was On the ship, while
KEEP the men busy forrard. When / come back
I'd stop spell and talk with the steward; and
when he heard me talkln' he must throw the
grindstone and his hat overheard, give shrek
and then run and stow himself in the locker.
"When come along bach stopped and says
when those fellows come aboard tomorrow
morning. will never be taken alive. He'll
kill some Of 'em and kill himself he threatened
to do it in Australia.
Just then We heard great splash and a
whats that9' says I. 49,
cts - says the steward; he's thrown
himself overheard
Everybody heard it, The captain was off
that day. | rushed aft. told the other officers
and ordered out the boats. The men felt terri
bly,. Every one of 'em was fGnd of him. We
got out four boats and swept that harbor for
hours. l was the last boat IN. When got
aboard | found the second mate leanin over
the ships side, cryin' bitterly. Hes gone. poor
fellow! here's his hat. says he: the men have
just picked it up. We never snail see him again..
There wasn't wink of sleep on board that
night. The next morning put the flag at half
mast. Everybody was solemn as death. IS
wet hat lay on the hatchway. They all thought
he was dead. T.
'.The captain come off to see what was the
matter: | told him the story-how we heard
the splash, got out the boats, and picked up
IS hat. Right in the midsts6f it the officers
from R0drigues come aboard to claim their man.
we told 'em the story and showed 'em the wet
hat. They never offered to search the vessel.
They see how bad the men felt; and they be-
lieyed it all and pulled off, :.
Late that afternoon we got our water all
aboard and bore away to sea. waited till we
was almost out o. sight O. land: then says to
the captain: guess I'll go below and get a
cigar went, and hauled the step away; and
there was -, all in heap. can see that
fellows face right before me now, white as
chalk, eyes as black as night. He looked like a
wild man:
"'What now" says he trembling all over.
"'Come out of that says /.
What do you mean, says he.
don't stop to ask questions. man. says I.
Get out of that and come up;you're safe for this
time. Land is almost out of sight
He crawled out and we went on deck to-
gether. Now says 1, go and shake hands
with the captain
81 went to the side of the ship and stood
there sInOkin', and pretendin' to be scannin' the
horizon. | see the captain give one look at -;
a kind Of scared look. He thought it was his
ghost. Then he wrung IS hand and burst
out cryin' jest like baby. Pretty soon he
looked at me. lnever said word Did that
fellow have anything to do with til? says he"
The Artless Praitle of a Babe.
From the Detroit Free Press.
One of those unnatIlsalIu hrirht childrnn uho