Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-07-14
THE Dill

- -
THE OLD SPY.GLASS.
Uncle Silas had a rickety, old-fash-
toned spy-glass that he kept in the sail
loft on the end of q decaying wharf,
where he stored the spars and sails of
his boats in winter time. The loft was
warmed by q rusty, d~rum-shaped, sheet
iron stove. There were no chairs in it,
only one or two benches. Uncle gener-
ally sat on the floor when he was patch
ing the sails.
For a thimble he used what sailors
call a palm, which is a leathern band,
with a central piece Of steel punctured
like a thimble. With this he pressed
the large spike-like needle through the
heavy canvass.
There was always a number of old
sea Captains or fishermen or sea-loving
lads Willing away the time in Uncle Sis
sail loft, telling their experience or
listening to stories of the sea. Or they
would talk about their favorite ships, or
look out ,of q square-shaped window.
shaped like a portfolio, at the vessels
gliding into the harbor.
They often used the old rickety spy
glass, which threatened to fall to pieces
every time it was taken up, but the
glass was Uncle Sis delight. He priced
& as the apple of his eye. TO say any
ching against that spy-glass was to start
him into a long discussion, which went
TO show that he was behind the times.
For he always insisted that all the i'm.
provements of later science had failed
to make anyimprovements in telescopes
that would eclipse his cherished old tel
escope.
But nothing cold induce him to tell
how the glass came into his possession.
We knew that he had had many adj
ventures, like every man who has ever
been to sea, and surmised that there
was something peculiar attending his
right to the old spy-glass, although nc
M who knew Uncle ST ever expected
that there was anything discreditable to
him in having it.
But one day, it happened that the
death was reported in the sail loft of a
well-known ship-master, Captain Luce.
.'Is Captain Luce dead, then?" ex-
claimed Uncle ST. "sWell, that reminds
me that he knew as much about that
spy-glass as I do"
Every one at once gave attention, for
We seemed on the eve of learning the
story of the old telescope.
.'Not that it's so much of a yarn,
either" said the old skipper; s'but 1
just remember the wage l took with
him come twenty-five years ago last
August. 1 shipped before the mast for
Calcutta in the ship Skinner of the
Seas. Luce was master, and he had his
wife and little girl with him. He knew
his bizness, it's q fact, but he made us
toe the mark. I tell you, and wouldn't
stand no loafng nor impudence.
.'We had a good run out to Calcutta,
and nothing special to note. But on the
way home we met a hurricane near
Mauritius. The ship behaved well, but
the gale carried away some of the light
spars.
"a few days after this we sighted q
wreck, and bore down to see if she had
been abandoned. The wind was mod.
crate, and SO q boat was sent off to her.
eve found she was a French ship.
There wasn't a living soul on board.
The crew had all left her in the boats,
you see, except n poor fellow who lay
dead just inside the companion-way.
1--WE didn't dare to stay long, for the
barque was wallowing deep in the sea
and went down just after we left her.
But we brought away with us a box Of
tea and this ERE spy-glass.
CATER this we had Gains until the
tar all came out Of the seams of the ship
and the Captains temper gave out. The
heat and the terrible long calm kinder
made him crazy, / think. You couldn't
wink but what he'd be at you.
CHOW it was the man at the wheel he
abused; then he'd heave belayin' pins
at the lookout, or he'd kick the steward
Twas only when his child Ella-he
called her Birdie-was around that he
wa quiet. He loved her, and when hi
began to swear and cuss, Mrs. Luce
would send the little girl to him, and
he'd stop right off and take her in his
arms and wind her curls around his
Zone day, it was my turn at the
wheel. The Captain was aft fooline
with the glass we'dgot from the French
man. He took it all to pieces and wiped
it clean and talked about it to himself
"'This is the glass to use,' said he
in m~uttering voice. 4 never see thu
like on it. Guess I can scare up a breez,
with such a weapon
"Just then the ship gave a lurch. Sh.
was ~onsteady-like, you see, bein' as i
was a dead calm and a lump of a swell
a-heaving up from the south'a ard bring
ing a wind with it. This threw one o
the lenses in the glass on the deck, ane
it went a-rollin' towards the scupper
but it lodged in the waterways.
1.-The Captain got up and looked a
me. His face was as white as ashee
he was SO mad. His eyes glared like
demons.
''He walked up to me with his teetl
clenched. Then he up with his fist anc
made a blow at my head, saying;
"'Where did you larn to steer, vol
COMPOUNDED son Of a land-lubber?'
II jest lodged the blow, and Eh,
fetched another clip at INC.
"tCaptain Luce saws /, I'm a-dcin