Milford chronicle., 1883-01-19

Excuse me, with thaaks, Captain,
was the courteous reply.
Eagerly athirst as were many Of tn
captains bibulous benefieiaries, and a
proximate as were their glasses to thei
lips, yet no one ventured an indulgence
for Turbot Town had its exacted statute
upon the subject of drinking, and at N,
time were these unwritten laws so invio
late as on the occasion of a public treat
Therefore, all Turbot Town-that is
such portion of TTbot Town as wai
formed into a green oasis and separated
from the great desert of general thirst by
the captains invitation-silently awaited
the inviter's motions. Slowly the cap
tain threw back his head and laxly lei
fall his under jaw, and with a semi-circu-
lar action of his arm, like that of the
sword-swallower at the circus, curved his
tumbler to his mouth. Turbot Town
initiated each motion, and then all hands
cried in chorus, Here she goes - and
the rites of Bacchus were duly cele-
brated.
Gentlemen, demanded the doughty
captain, ''ain't 1 alters did what could
for the good name Of Tmbot Town !?
Don't alters put down suthin' on scrip
ton papers for new guide-boards, for a
liberty pole, for a town clock, for Fourth
Of July fireworks ?"
A moist murmur of assent steamed
forth from score or more mouths,
moistened at the captains expense.
well, then, continued the Captain,
taking a soda cracker from the yellow
dish on the counter, and cycling it sternly
as if it was his manuscript, and its shall
low dimples were the heads of his dis
course. "T'll tell ye that the good name
of Turbot Town is at stake. We shall
be looked upon as oncivilized and bar
bayrious. For forty-eight hours that
feller has been showing a
signal of distress and not bit ti%notice
has been taken of him. Ihave been nigh
enough to hear groans aboard on her, aud
no man 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 I can be put aboard
that foreigner? 7 can't get steam
craft to set me aboard They all make
one reply-yellow fever aboard, and we
won't have another ton or passenger if |
We 90 nigh her
Now, then, declared the Captain, /
,fter again consulting his annotated /
'racker, "Tm going to set the doctor
iboard myself, and what he wants is a |
yood, true man to go with him and
Nurse the poor creeturs.
"Tm your man, and I'm ready now,"
aid some one outside of the company
hat were sgroupsd about the great
learted Captain. They all turned to
ook upon Francis Torrent
Gentlemen, said he, with his hand
pon the rude latch of the bar room
oor, 81 have learned this morning that
have lost my credit at this bar and my
ood name in this community. When
return 1 hope to have regained the
liter. Goodbye, all. !"
The whole bar room adjourned to the
each, and watched the little expedi-
on of mercy embark upon the upheav-
ig waters, and continued to watch the
arrow sharpee lifted along on the
loulders of the swelling waves until
le brig was reached, and the doctor and :
)lunteer nurse had struggled up the
lling vessels dusk sides and disap- :
cared below. Twice a day thereafter :
e doctor visited the plague-visited :
'ig, and from him there went abroad 5
e most sorrowful accounts of the situa- +,
IN, and with these reports, to praise .
1rthy degree, the name of Francis n
,rTent was mingled, until men began 4
speak of it in an undertone, and with s.
respectfulness. And before n
e week closed there we're circulated .
rough Turbot Town most touching o
d beautiful story. Even from mouths o
at were often foul with oaths and al 4
holic odors-tainted with tobacco O.
Ioke and distorted by the phrases Of a d
lgar dialect-there went forth the self
iifying and soul-thrilling story:
How Francis Torrent-the identical
e thst Turbot Town bar had disowned
dishonored-h behaved nobly be- u Z.
cen the decks and in the lurid and in = =
ted atmosphere of the Norwegian =. !,
g how he had forgotten self in the e
full scene Of woe around him,
Mt about in that dismal fore,
iring cooling drinks to men with deau
,ens on their discolored faces and E.
lth thirst on their blackened tongues -
" he answered every cry for comfort II
h cadenced footfalls and an exquisite - -
of touch that made the dying G,
nix the angels had come to their relief; :,
v he read from a Norwegian Bible Che 3
passed a winterin Norway the most &,
liant passages of Divine promise which i
mother had marked to a dying Nor s s
yian lad, who once, like himself, had =
a pleasant home for the privations =,
the sea, and how at last, himself 4.
cken by the dire contagion, he had
k exhausted his helping hand help
, and his warm heart that never felt to
lill'before growing cold in death. it,
was evening time, and land and sea N,
e tranqLilly receiving the purple fol
edictioi{ Of sunset A little group fal
- Al y -l,7 f. II