The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-07-28
The old Spy-Glass.

!olieu SPy -SlitSS lilit he kept III Il sail.
loft on the end Of decaying wharf
where he stored the spars and sails of
his boats in winter-timc. The loft was
warmed by Il rusty, drum-shaped, sheet
iron stove. There were no chairs il
it., only one or two benches. Uucl,
generally sat on the floor when he wa.
patching the sails. For thimble he
used what sailors call Il palm, which i.
Il leathern band, with Il central piece OF
steel punctured like a thimble. Will
this depressed the large spike-like needle
through the heavy canvas. There was
always nllmberUf old sca-captains OF
fishermen or sea=loving lads Willing
away the time in Uncle Si's sail-loft
telling their experience or listen..e t,
stories Of the sea. Or they would tail
about their favorite ships, or look out
ola small square-shaped window, shaped
like a port-holc, ut the vessels gliding
into the harbor.
They often used the old rlckety spy.
glass, which threatened to fall to pieces
every time it was taken up; but the
glass was Uncle SIPS especial delight.
lie priced it as the apple of his eye. TO
say anything against that spy-glass was
to start him into long discussion.
which went to show that he was behind
the times. For he always insisted that
all the improvements of later science
had failed to make any improve
mcnts in telescopes that would
eclipse his cherished old telcscopc. But
nothing would induce him to tell how
the glass came into his possession. We
knew that he had had many advent
ureS, 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 no one
who knew Uncle 81 ever suspected that
there was anything discrcditaDe to him
in having it.
But, one day, il happened that the
death was reported, in the sail-loft. of
Il Well-known ShimpaStcr, Capt. Luce.
els Capt. Luce dead, then?n" cx-
claimed Uncle 81. "Well, that reminds
me that he knew as much about that
spy-glass as | do"
Every one at once gavcattcntion. for
we seemed on the eve of learning the
story of the old telescope.
Not that it's so much of Il warn.
either" said the old skipper; but |
Just remember the v'yage | took with
nm, some 70 years ago last August. |
shipped before the mast, for Calcutta,
III the ship Skinner Of the Seas. Luce
was master, and lie had his wife and
little girl with him. lie knew his biz
ness, it's fact, but he made us toe the
M sNl loalnhg }s5 hd,S Si2% Si}oaecy ana W0"dnt stand
1--WE had Il good run out to Calcutta
and nothing special to note. But vi
the way home we met a hurricane near
Mamitius. The ship behaved well, but
the gale carried away some Of the light
spars.
"a few days after this we sighted 4
wreck and bore down to see if she had
been abandoned. The wind was. mo-
derate, and SO Il boat was sent Off to
her. we found she was Il French ship.
There wasn't living soul on board.
The crew had all left her in the boats,
you see, except one poor fellow who lay
dead Just inside the companion-way.
we didn't dare to stay long, for the
bark 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 'erc spy-glass. After this we
had calmS until the tar all came out of
the seams of our 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 ut you. Now 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
Blrdic--waS around that he was quiet.
lie loved her, and when hc began to
swear and cuss, Mrs. Duce would send
the little girl to him, and he'd stop right
OIL and take her in his arms and wind
her curls around his fingers.
"One day it was my turn at the wheel.
The captain was aft fooling with the
glass we'd got from the Frenchman.
lie took it all to pieces and wiped it
clean and talked about it to himself.
''ThiS is the glass to use,' said lie, in
mutterring voice. Il never see the like
on It. Guess can scare UP IL breeze
..n such Il weapon
V then the ship gavea lurch. She
$50 On ,cady-like, you see, bein' as it
rs /; aad calm and lump Of II swell
..-lIeaving up from the southland bring
ing & wind with it, This threw one Of
the lenses in the glass on the deck, and
it went a-rollin' toward the scupper,
but it lodged in the waterways. The
captain got up and looked at me. His
face was as white as a sheet he was 50
mad. His eyes glared like a demons.
lie walked up to me with his teeth
clenched. Then he up with his fist and
made blow at my head, saying
"Where did you larn to steer, you
confOunded son OF a land-lubberp'
l jest d0dgcd the blow, and he fetched
another clip at ne.
Capt Luce says l, I'm a-doin'
the best | can. It's this swell that did
it. can't steer without nary a breeze. ,
Yes, you can, you lubber You
did it apurpose! Pm a good mind to.
make slark's meat of you!'
"'Y 0u'd better take carc!' says |,
speaking up smart, for there was blood
in his eye, and we'd stood this sort Of
bullying long enough
"'Y on dare to Sass me, do y0u?' said
he. 'l'll teach you to mutiny on board
my ship2' and he made a movement as
If he was going to draw the revolver out
of his pocket.
81 let 90 Of the wheel and was just
a-goin' at him with both hands, didn't
want to draw my knifc-wllen l heard
the wild scream. We both stopped and
looked around. Mrs. Luce was a-flyin'
up the compani0n-way, a-shriekin' and
a-cryin,' My childl Oh, my child She's
OVerboardp