The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-05-19
sea. He says Tn to 60 to Aunt Jane

the breast OF MS SHirt, anu ""' "A
scrap O. paper. awful dirty, and crum-
bled up. but with the address on it, right
enough.
1--WE all believed every word ont
even without the paper; but his look
and his voice and the way he spoke was
enough to show that there warn't
ha'porth O. lyin' in his whole skin. But
the mate didn't seem to swaller the
yarn at all; he only shrugged his
shoulders with kind O. grin. as much
as to say: I'm too old q bird to be
caught with that kind O. chaff;' and
then he says to him, Look here, my
lad. that's all very fine. but it won't 90
here-some of these men o. mine are In
the secret, and / mean to have it out OF
'em. Now you just point out the man
as slowed you away and fed you, this
very minute; if you don't it'll be the
worse for YOU"
1.-The boy looked up in his bright
fearless way, and says quite quietly:
.Tve told you the truth; amt got no
more to say
THE mate says nuthin, but looks at
him for minute as if he'd see clean
through him, and then he faced round
to the men, lookin' blacker than ever.
Reeve rope to the yard! he sings
out, loud enough to raise the dead;
smart now
".Now, my lad says the mate, in a
hard. square kind o. voice that made
every word seem like fittin' a stone into
wall, you sec that ere rope? Well.
I'm give you ten minutes to confess (he
took out his watch and held it in his
handy and if you don't tell the truth
afore the times up. I'll hang you Ike
dog!
"The crew all stared at one another
as If they couldn't believe their ears
Il didn't believe mine, / can tell ye).
and then low growl went among EN-,
like a wild beast awakin' out of nap.
".Silence therc! shouts the mate in
a voice like the roar of more easter.
Stand by to run for'ard!' and with
|, his own hands he put the moose about
the boys neck. The little fellow never
fiinched bit, but there were some
among the sailors. (big. strong chaps
as could ha' felled ox) as shook like
,, leaves in the wind. As for me, / be.
! thought myself O. my little curly
: haired lad at home, and how it 'ud bt
|, if any one was to go for to hang him,
. and at the very thought on It l tingled
|, all over. and my fingers clinched them
selves as if they was agrippin' some
7 body's throat. clutched hold o.
handspike and held it behind my bacl
all ready.
".Tom,' whispers the chief engineer
!, to me, dye think he really means t.
n do itp"
az don't know says !, through m,
\ teeth; but if he does he shall 60 first
!. if have to swing for it!'
= "'Eight minutesr says the mate, hi
8 great, deep voice breakin' in upon tn
silence like the toll of funeral bell
r. If you've got any thing to confess, m
). lad, you'd best out with it. for ye
# times nearly up
1--we told you the truth. answer
It the boy. very pale. but as firm as ever
d May l say my prayers. pleased?
n 1.-The mate nodded; and down goe
a the poor little chap on his knees (wit
,e that Internal rope about his neck a
a the time), and puts up his poor littl
IS hands to pray. 1 couldn't make on
"a what he said (fact, my head was
D. stitch a whirl that hardly ha' knowe
,e my own name). but I'll be bound Go
Dr. heard it, every word. Then he ups
" his feet again and puts his hands b
III hind him and says to the mate, qui
of quietly. I'm readyr
he .sAnd then, sir, the mates hard. gri
nv face broke up all at once. like I've SEE
Mt the ice on the Baltic. He snatched
the boy in his arms and kissed him, al
k? bust out a-cryin' like a child; and
=, think there warn't one of us as didn
We do the same. I know did for one.
es ".God bless you. my boy? says h
is smoothin' the child's hair with b
v. great, hard hand You're tr
nut Englishman. every inch of you; y
re wouldn't tell lie to save your lii
re. Well, if so be as yer fathers cast
lat off, I'll be yer fatherfrom this day fort
all and if ever forget you, then may G.
he forget me-!
as '.And he KEEP his word. too. VIII
of we got to Halifax he found out the lit
all un's aunt and gave her lump O. mon
ad to make him comfortable, and now
re- goes to see the youngster every voya
a as regular as can be; and to see the p'
Mt on 'em togethcr-the little chap SO TO
ut o. him, and not bearin' him a bit
tie grudge bout as pretty sight