News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-02-01

initiated each motion, and then all hands
cried in chorus, "Here she goes y and
the rites of Bacchus were duly cele-
brated.
"Gentlemen, demanded the doughty
captain, "ain't I alters did what [ could
for the good name of Turbot Town?
Don't [ alters put down suthin' on scrip
ton papers for new guide-boards, for
liberty pole, for a town clock, for Fourth
of July fireworks %
A moist murmur of assent steamed
forth from a score or more mouths,
moistened at the captains expense.
''WelI, then" continued the Captain,
taking a soda cracker from the yellow
dish on the counter, and eyeing 1t sternly
as if it was his manuscript, and It's shall
low dimples were the heads of his dis
course. "Ill tell ye that the good name
of Turbot Town is at stake. We shall
be looked upon as oncivilized and bar
bavrious. For fOrty-eight hours that
Norwegian feller has been showing
signal of distress and not a bit of notice
has been taken of him. l have been nigh
enough to hear groans aboard on her, and
noman knows how much human MISERY'S
'twixt her decks, specially if she's got
the yeller fever. This very morning the
port doctor says to me, Captain Caleb,
amt there no way can be put aboard
that foreigner? I can't get a steam
craft to set me aboard. They all make
one repIy-ycllow fever aboard, and we
won't have another ton or passenger if
we go nigh her.
"Now, then" declared the Captain,
after again consulting his annotated
cracker, I'm going to set the doctor
aboard myself, and what he wants is
good, true man to go with him and
nurse the poor creeturs.
I'm your man, and I'm ready now"
said some one outside of the company
that were grouped about the great
hearted Captain. They all turned to
look upon Francis Torrent.
Gentlemen" said he, with his hand
upon the rude latch of the bar room
door, 81 have learned this morning that
1 have lost my credit at this bar and my
good name in this community. When
[ return I hope to have regained the
latter. Goodbye, all.
The whole bar room adjourned to the
beach. and watched the little expedi-
ton of mercy embark upon the upheav-
ing waters, and continued to watch the
narrow sharpee lifted along on the
shoulders of the swelling waves until
the brig was reached, and the doctor and
volunteer nurse had struggled up the
rolling vessels dusk sides and disap-
peared below. Twice a day thereafter
the doctor visited the plague-visited
brig, aud from him there went abroad
the MIDST sorrowful accounts of the situa-
ton, ahd with these reports, to praise
worthy degree, the name of Francis
Torcht was mingled, until men began
to speak of it in an TndertOne, and with
UNCONSCIOUS respcctfulncss. And before
the week closed there were circulated
through Turbot Town a most touching
and beautiful story. Even from mouths
that we're often foul with oaths and al
coholic odOrs-tainted with tobacco
smoke and distorted by the phrases of a
vulgar diaIect-there went forth the self
purifying and soul thrilling story:
How Francis Torrent-the identical
one that Turbot Town bar had disOwned
and dishOnOred-ha behaved nObly be-
| tween the decks and in the lurid and in
fected atmosphere of the Norwegian
brig; how he had forgotten self in the
| awful scene of woe around him; how he
went about in that dismal forecastle
bearing cooling drinks to men with death
tokens on their discolOred faces and
! death thirst on their blackened tongues
| how he answered every cry for comfort
with cadenced footballs and an exquisite
carefulness of touch that made the dying
| think the angels had come to their relief;
! how he read from a Norwegian Bible Che
had passed a winter in Norway the most
radiant passages of Divine promise which
! his mother had marked to dying Nor
wegian lad. who once, like himself, had
left pleasant home for the privations
of the sea, and how at last, himself
stricken by the dire contagion, he had
sunk exhausted, his helping hand help
! less. and his warm heart that never felt
a chill before growing cold in death.
1t was evening time, and land and sea
were TRANQUILITY receiving the purple
benediction of sunset A little group
was on the strand, observing the brig
and incoming sail. Presently the brig
colors were dipped and then shottet
canvas sack was lowered into the illim
liable sea.
"They are paying a tribute to pool
Frank Torrent, said one. 1.-The doctor
sent word ashore that he was dead"
-his-ashes !" said Cap
tain Caleb, as without a sound he CLOSED
the four cases of his ships glass-a cast
to word-and then the little group o
seafaring men lifted their tarpaulins anC
together said "Amen. - PrOUidenc
star.