The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-07-14
Written for the Waterman.
A Narrow Escape.
BY NED OWEN.

to the erection of block of build
ings on a site that for many years had
been occupied by house just re-
moveO I" wasn't this 247?"
" Yes" was the reply.
go, sir, can you tell me what has be-
come of Mrs. Branch, who hired here?"
to the one called Jack.
Sorry, but live a mile away and
don't know nothin' bout the folks here
abouts; but Smith down there-Smith,
where are the folks who lived here?n
" Dunno" was the gruif answer.
i" When you live jest over the wayl"
Got suthin' else to tend to, sides
keepin' track o. folks faint nothin' to
me-" was the mans next reply.
I" Perhaps your wife may know, for
here's a youngster as wants to find
somebody or somethin'."
/" My mother and sister, sir" and a
pleading and homesick look overspread
the face of Willie Branch, sailor boy,
who had returned from his first voyage
expecting to find his mother at No. 247
Belknap street, to which place she
had moved from their old home in the
country shortly after he sailed away
on the blue ocean.
When the house in which she and
Anna had found home for twelve
months was sold, to be removed, she
Immediately found another and more
desirable one and wrote to her boy
where he would find her when the time
came for his return, but the letter did
not reach him.
Willie Branch felt that he could not
wait for the fond greeting he would re-
ceive, and wholly unprepared for the
disappointment that awaited him, big
boy that he was, had he been alone |
doubt not he would have wiped away
tears.
Two hours later, tired and discour-
aged, he heard Halloo, Branch''
familiar voice which was warmly
welcomed.
After listening to his story, the other
said: "Never mind, Will; We'll find
them somewhere.
But I've seen all of the neighbors
and the man who owned the house
and nobody knows anything about
them"
"Come home with me, then, and to-
morrow morning We'll start and never
give up till you see Them
81 can't, Jim, l can't; l must fine
them tonight"
go, come along"
No, yOu're been home"
Yes, and seen them all, and now
Pm out after some of the boys
ooh, Jim, and your first night a
home!"
What a homesick fellow!" but hi
good-naturedly went from place t.
place, till the evening was nearly spent
asking for Mrs. Branch and Anna, bu
all to no purpose.
Come, now, we may as well turn
in said jim, and disconsolate Willie
agreed with him, feeling glad that hi
need not spend the night with entire
strangers, though not wholly approving
of James Spalding, who, on board the
vessel that Willie never wished to sec
again, had chosen for his companions
the more dissolute seamen
"Jim, jim! is it you?" and bois
ferrous greeting was received from {
young man who hurried them into {
doorway and up flight of stairs into {
place that to Willie seemed gorgeously
furnished before he had any concep
ton of the true state of affairs.
On farm, from whence he wen
when reading books had made sail
or's life his souls desire, he had spent
his few years, and city, with its pitfalls
was to him but dream.
a friendly word to waiter and {
How are We, Joe?" and the three
young men were seated around a table
What'll We have, boys?"
The odor of the liquor, the tobacco
smoke and the smaller boys at othel
tables caused Willie to start from hi:
chair, eXclaiming, must go!"
Go where?" said he oldest youth
with sneer.
90, he's a green one," Whispered
jim. "I'll fetch him."
Will, don't leave us-besides, you
don't know the way to my home
Hold on and have some lemonade
where's the harm?"
You're mighty squeamish, seems
to me-" interrupted the one called Joe
He was finally prevailed upon, but he
did not see the wink Spalding gave the
waiter, and the tired and hungry boy
who had not thought of supper, only OF
finding mother and sister, drank the
lemonade almost at one swallow.
Good, isn't il? You'll have some
more?" said Martin, who thought il
great fun to lead an unsophisticateC
youth into ways dark and mean, and {
still more expressive wink caused 6
double quantity of whiskey to be added
to the second glass and little of some
thing else.
Willie had sailed with a captain who
was strictly temperate and had returned
from the voyage to be met by a" land
shark " who, when compared with the
sailors who went with Captain Jones
was like black beside white.
However innocent a boy might be
when he had completely lost his head
he was a fit tool for Joe Martin, or al
least Joe thought so.
Boys, the officer on our corner tells
me the mayor has ordered raid on all
saloons that are open after ten O'Clock
and intends to commence in this
vicinity tonight; so make yourselves
scarce, if you please, but be around to-
morrow
Immediately there was scattering
of cards, rafting of glasses, as chairs
were pushed back, and from this, their
chief rendezvous, there was stampede
of boys over whom angels might weep.
James Spalding was allowed to go to
sea to keep him from his evil associ-
ates, and with such man as Captain
Jones his best qualities had been cul-