The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-01-13
OUR LITTLE FOLKS.
Tho Surprising Experience Of Bcn
ButlIes.


Ben Buttles was real mother boy
that is, he was in his sixteenth year, yet
did not think himself too old to love
and obey his mother, or care for her
comfort 1t is always bad sign when
boy begins to outgrow one or both OF
OF his parents.
SO. Immediately after his arrival in
Savannah, Ben borrowed the mates
writing materials and wrote to Mrs.
Buttles, to relieve the anxiety he knew
she must be feeling, despite his tel
egram.
Ben's educational advantages had been
limited, though l am glad to say he made
the most of such as he had had. Hence
/ trust that better educated boys will
excuse the mistakes they may see in his
letter. Poor Ben had never seen such
a book as the "Polite Letter writer in
his whole life. But he had read the late
Capt. Buttles' old log-books over and
over again. and looking upon them adj
miringly as specimens of high literary
art; he had, perhaps without knowing it,
initiated their short and plthy sentences
in this, almost the first letter he had ever
written. And / am not sure that most
business men, particularly editors, would
object if some of their correspondents
could tell their story as clearly in as few
words. This is copy of the epistle:
SAVANNAH, Oct 20, 1877.
MY DEAR MOTHER l take My pen in hand
To ashure you am safe. ct ceterer. tell Jim
Studley cort hollbut nigh the brsking shole
CESS would way 400. Then got under way for
Home about p. IN. with Thretning wether. 1t
come on to Blow with hevy sqwalls from n, W,
W to n. "A terrible cross sea Runnin carried away
my Starbbore ore and had TO lay to Drag.
at IL p m Colided with brig calypso laying to
Making complete reck or the Dory. got Abord
the Brig by the Main chanils Arriving at sa-
vanar Oct %. They are very Kind. Capn
adams who cent the Tellygraf, says there ID
nothing Bound north and To stay abord til We
are loded for boston. he will pay me saylor
wages when Go back. The mate has gave Me
y starch shirt. And the sekond mate SCOT OF
Blue close which Is a little wore. And ianils.
was never Drest 80 Nice. l am Looking for
good paing job Ashore while am hear. per-
haps can Make Big strik and Bring home
the mummy to pay up the Morgige must Now
close with love to All inquiring frients Yoro
duttifle sun BEN Il"
Having mailed this remarkable docu-
ment, Ben strolled through the streets,
who has never been ten miles from home
In his whole life.
"Why, what high steep.e !" said
Ben to himself, as he stopped below the
Cotton Exchange, and gazed admiringly
at the lofty but slender spire of the
handsome church directly opposite.
Now it is curious fact that If you
stand still in the street, and begin to
look intently at anything, some one else
is sure to stop and stare in the same di-
rection, as though people generally had
an interrogation point for a sort of
mental birth-mark. And Ben had hard
ly fixed his gaze on the tall spire, when
| two gentlemen came to a halt and began
to look the same way.
CT thought you took the contract to
regild the ball and arrow up there,
Miles," Ben finally heard one of them
say, with nod of his head toward the
weather-vane.
$50 did," returned Mr.. Miles, who
was "boss" painter, "and q nice fix
I'm in about it, too"
"How 80 ?" asked the other, as, bring
ing his gaze earthward, he leaned up
against the iron fence and lit cigar.
swell" answered Mr.. Miles, follow
ing his friends example, "it's this way
|
20 much. / supposed, of course, that
the vane could be sent down, like any
other, and gilded, and had my best man
go up to see to it. He worked at the
nuts and bolts that hold it for most half
q day then he came down all of shake,
and says the thing can't be done, every
thing has rusted so, and that if it can't
be regilded where it is, it can't be done
at all. He won't be hired to go up there
again, and can't find any one here
abouts that will try it for love or money.
i even telegraphed to New York for Fer
guson, the steeple-climber, offered to
pay expenses, and give him seventy-fve
dollars to boot but he is engaged two
months ahead. I'd give hundred and
fifty dollars to-day" said Mr.. Miles,
smoking vigorously, "to any one who
would shin up there and do the job I; for
though it isn't an easy thing, know il
can be DONE"
"Say 5000 and I'm your man." sud-
denly exclaimed Ben, who had been
listening, carelessly at first, then eager
ly. Two hundred dollars would clear
house. Once he had climbed the pole
Oh Lue blBudi-SUdu Oh SONeIb L OlllL duu
rove off the halyards almost $50 feet
from the ground, and was glad to get So
for doing it. But then, as Mrs. Buttles
said, Ben was dretful ventur'some
creetur."
Mr.. Miles was q man of few words.
He eagerly grasped at this unexpected
straw.
eff you mean business" he said, eye
ing Ben's self-reliant face approvingly,
"come to the church tomorrow morn.
ing early, and will show you what is
to be DONE"
Ben nodded, and made his way back
to the Calypso.
81 want to borrow a piece of spare
running gear, sir" he said to the mate,
on the following morning. -----------,-
"Take all you want" was the an
swer.
Long before Mr.. Miles had made his
appearance at the church, Ben was in
the church tower, with the running gear
coiled over his shoulder, and coil Of
: n \ - A. = IL -