Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-10-21
A NOBLE HEART.

used to think, said Captain Streeter
that logging at sea was necessary duty
AT that time there were but few masters
more passionate or severe than l was. Mel
used to run away from me, and on NOR,
than one occasion my life has been in dan
| ger from the violence of men whom l haC
abused. l used the cat and ropes end al.
most as freely as used my tongue; and
used to wonder how it happened that al
ways had the luck TO get such bad men.
| When l was about forty years of age
took command of the ship Petersham. She
was an old craft, and had seen full as much
service as she was capable of seeing with
safety. But her owners we're willing TO
trust a valuable cargo in her, so wouldn't
refuse TO trust myself. We were bound to
Liverpool, and nothing! unusual happened
until about the third day out, when we ran
foul of small iceberg. TWAS early in the
morning-before sunrise and not above
six or eight feet of ice was out OF water, it
having been melted away in the warm wa
ters OF the Gulf stream. / did not think we
had sustained much injury, for the shock
was slight; but was very angry, and gave
the lookout" severe punishment, without
stopping to inquire whether he could have
seen the berg in season to escape it.
My cabin boy was named Jack Withers
de was fourteen years of age, and this was
his first voyage. He was bright, quick,
intelligent lad, but soon made myself be-
lieve that he had an awful disposition.
fancied he was the most stubborn piece of
humanity had ever come across. | made
up my mind that he had never been properly
governed, and resolved to break him in.
told him should curb his psm tsmRsE. .Rsf8Fss
that / might kill him if / liked; and /
hogged him with the end of the mizzen
top gallant halyards till he could hardly
stand. / asked him il. he had got enough,
and he told me that might fog him IN ore
if l wished it. felt a strong inclination
to throw the boy overheard; but at that mo-
ment he staggered back against the miz-
zen-mast from absolute weakness, and /
left him to himself. When 1 reasoned
calmly about the boys disposition 1 was
forced to acknowledge that he was one of
the smartest and most faithful lads had
seen. When / asked him to do anything
he would be off like rocket; but when
roughly ordered him to do it, then came
the disposition with which 1 had found
fault.
One day, when it was near noon, spoke
to him, and told him TO 90 below and bring
up my quadrant. He was looking over the
quarter-rail, and knew that he did not hear
Il
and intimated that If he didn't move I'd
help him.
II didn't hear you," he said, with rather
an independent tone.
"No words," said /.
II suppose l can speak" he retorted,
moving slowly toward the companionway.
His looks, words, and the slow, careless
manner in which lie moved, fred me in
moment, and 1 grasped him by the collar.
"Speak TO me again like that, and / will
fog you within an inch of your life, /" said 1.
"You can fog away" he replied, firm and
undaunted as rock.
And did fog him. caught up the end
of a rope. and beat him till my arm fairly
ached; but he never WINGED.
"How's tn atP" said L.
There's little more life in me you'd
better fog out" was the reply.
A nd beat him again. l beat him till he
sank fIom my hand on the rail; and then /
sent one of the men for my quadrant.
When it came, and l had adjusted it for my
observation, 1 found that the sun was al
ready past the meridian and / was too late.
This added fuel to my madness, and quick
ly seizing the lad by the collar, led him to
the main hatchway, and had the hatch TAX
en- off. l then thrust him down, and swore
1 would keep him there till his stubborn
ness was broken, The hatch was then put
on, and went into the cabin. 1 suffered q
good deal that afternoon, not with any
compunctions for what / had done, but with
my own temper and bitterness. It made me
mad 10 think / could not conquer the boy
that could not break down his cool oppo-
sition. But Ill do it, said TO myself; by
the heavens above me, Ill starve him into
It, or he shall die under the operation.
After supper went to the hate hway, and
called out to him, but he returned me no
answer. So / closed the hatch and went
away. At 10 o'clock / called again, and
again l got no answer. l might have
thought that the fegging had taken away
his senses, had not some of the men as
sured me that they had heard him not an
hour before talking to himself. l did not
trouble HIM again till morning.
After breakfast / went to the hatcbway
and called out to him once more. 1 heard
nothing from him, nor could see him.
had not seen him since / put him down
there. / called out to him several times,
but he would make no reply; and yet The
same men told me they had heard him talk
ing that very morning. He seemed TO be
calling on them for help, but he would not
ask me. Hell beg before he'll starve,"
thought, and so determined to let him stay
there. l supposed that he had crawled for
ward to the forecastle bulkhead in order 10
make the sailors hear him. Some Of the
men asked leave TO go down and look after
him, but refused. threatened TO punish
the first man who dared to go down.
At noon went again, and, as he did not
answer mo this time, / resolved that he
should come TO the hatchway and ask me
ere 1 went any more. The day passed
away, and when evening came 1 began 10
be startled, 1 thought OF the many good
qualities the boy had-and Of his widowed
mother. He had been in the hold thirty
six hours, and oil of forty without food or
drink. He must be too weak to cry out
now. IL was hard for me 10 give il up. If
he died there from absolute starvation II
night 60 harder with me still, SO, at