Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-06-22
THE OLD SPYGLASS.

AASAO N|AAshD AA<SSA
I epyglass that he kept in sail-loft on the
end OF a decaying wharf, where RESTORED
the spars and sails of his boats in winter
time. The loft was warmed by rusty,
drum-shaped, sheetiron stove. There
were nochairs in it, cnly one or two
4 benches. Uncle generally sat on the
floor when he was patching the
sails:
Fer thlmble he used what sailors
sail a palm, which is leathern band,
with acentral piece of steel punctured
like a thimble. With this he pressed
the large spike-like needle through the
\ heavy canvas.
There was always number of old
sea-captains or fisherman or sea-loying
lads Willing away the time in Uncle Sis
sail-loft, telling their experience or lis
tening to stories of the sea. Or they
would talk about their favorite ships, or
look out ofa small square-shaped win.
dow, shaped ike port-hole, at the yes
sells 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 special delight. He
priced it as the apple of his eye. To
say anything against that spyglass 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 improvement of latter science
had failed to make any improvement in
foIocnnvnc that II. L.. u
ished old telescope
But nothing would induce him to tell
how the glass came into his possession.
We knew that he had many adventures,
like every man who has ever been to
sea. and surmised that there was some
thing peculiar attending his right to the
Old spyglass, although no one who knew
Uncle 81 ever suspected 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, Capt Luce.
ls Capt. Luce dead, them" exclaim-
ed Uncle 81. swell, that reminds me
that he knew as much about that spy
glass as do.''
Every one at once gave attention, for
we seemed on the eve of learning the
&
Not that it's 80 much of warn.
either, !" said the old skipper; 'sbut /
just remember the wage I took with
him core twenty-five years ago last Au-
gust. 1 shipped before the mast for
Calcutta in the ship Skinner fthe Seas,
Luce was master, and he had his wife
and little girl with him. He knew his
bizness, it's a fact, but he made us toe
the mark, tell you, and wouldn't stand
no Ioating nor iinpudence.
y We had good run out to Calcutta,
and nothing special to note But on the
way home we met hurricane near
Mauritius. The ship behaved we'll, but
the gale carried away some of the light
ispars.
9 "A few days after this we sighted
a wreck and, and bore down to see if
she had been abandoned. The wind was
moderate, and SO boat was sent off to
her
s'We found she was French ship.
There wasn't a living soul on board.
The crew had all left her in the boats,
you see, except one poor fellow who Law
dead just inside the Co.. lnanion-way.
. I'VE didn't dare to stay long, for the
barque was wallowing deep in che sea
and went down Just after we left her.
But We brought away with us box of
tea and this ERE spyg)ass.
After this we had calms until the tar
all came out Of the seams of our ship
and the captains temper gave out. The
beat and the terrible long calm kinder
made him crazy, / think. You couldn't
wink but what he'd be at you.
Now il was the man at the wheel
pins at the lookout, or he'd kick the
steward. Twas only when his child
Ella-he called her Birdie-was around
that he was quiet. He loved her, and
when he 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
fingers.
Zone day, it was my turn at the
wheel. The captain was aft fooling with
the glass we'd got from the Frenchman.
He took it all to pieces and wiped
it clean and talked abont it to himself
This is the glass to use" said he, in
mutterlng voice. never see the like
on it. Guess l can scare up a breeze
with such weapon
just then the ship gave q lurch. She
was on-steady. like, you see, bein' as il
was dead calm and a lump Of swell
a-heaying up from the southland bring
q wind with it. This threw one of the
lenses in the glass on the deck, and it
went a-rollin' towards the scupper, but
1t lodged in the waterways.
The captain got up and looked at me.
His face was rs white as sheet he was
80 mad; His eyes glared like a de-
He walked up to me with his teeth
clenched: Then he up with his fist and
made a blow at my head, saying
Where did you larn to steer, you con-
founded son of q land d-lubber?"
jest lodged the blow, and he
fetched another clip at me.
Capt. Luce" says I, tPm a-doin' the
best ] can. It's this swell that did it. I
can't steer without nary a breeze"
Yes you can, you lubber! You did
ita-purpose! it Pm good mind to make
sharks meat oi youp
You'd better take carew says I,
speaking up smart, for there was blood
in his eye, and we'd stood this sort of
bullying long enough.
You dare to sass me, do YOUR said
he. I'll teach you to mutiny on board
my shipp and he made a movement as
If he was going to draw the revolver out
of his pocket.
II let go of the wheel and was just
a-goin' at him with both hands-I oidn't
wa Y,k III, dra yu NV knifo-whap r bAard