St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-10-04

the cripple's gone. He meant you to
CO."
John, staggering up, saw the small,
black figure clinging to the foremost.
A heavy flaw came. The schooner
lurched, and the boy somehow lost his
footing and was shaken from the spar,
as a spider is dislodged from a shaken
tree, and fell into the sea.
With one mad leap, John followed
him over the rail.
"Man overboardi"
The schooner was put about, boats
were lowered, and the crew picked up
John. They threw barrels and bags
overheard, in hopes that Len might
cling to them. But the night was
dark and the sea heavy. Capt. Salter
gave up the search at last and the ves-
sci went on her way.
He greeted John with rough words
as soon as the young man recovered
consciousness, and realized that Len
?sas lost.
"Whar was youq l meant you,
when 1 said 'Mandum,' not that Grip
pied boy"
81 was wishing that he was dead.
murdered him."
"Bah you talk like an idiot. Didn't
you jump into the water after him
Turn in. This thing has gone to his
head" he said, nodding gravely to the
men as John left him.
The Harkaway brought back an
normous fare. She made the harbor of
months after the day she sailed. The
cargo was not to be unloaded until
Monday, and the crew started to their
hop,ao Ao Saltar stand
ing on the pier, man touched him on
the shoulder.
'What is it, Mandum 2"
"Will you FEATHER and mother hev
to be told. II can't do it, captain"
'I'll go, John. God help US all I'd
rather 60 on a twelve months voyage.
No, no, my lad, stay here I'll do it.
You've bore enough. You look ten
years older than when you shipped"
The captain bent his way to Rocky
Neck where the Mandums lived.
John wandered away in an opposite
direction, through the steep, crooked
streets leading up from the wharves.
He met some of his messmates, already
dressed in their best store suits, on
their way to see their sweethearts or
their wives. He passed an open church
and out from it came the sound of the
old sweet hymns, familiar to him since
his childhood.
Years ago he had planned how he
should come home from his first sue
cessful voyage, his pocket full of mon
ely. How he would buy the silk dress
his mother had always talked of, a
silver headed cane for his father, and
books for Len-and then to the Point
and Christy!
Now
There was not one of these wharves
where he and Len had not played when
they were little chaps and friends.
Len was dead, and he
He had tried through the whole vOy
age to convince himself that he was
not to blame for his brothers death,
but in vain.
81 wished him dead and God heard
me-" he repeated to himself at the end
of all his arguments. He had prayed
as one whose hands are wet with blood
and who fears to come near to his God.
He went into little church now, and
dropped into the back pew. 1t so hap
pened that the old pastor was at that
very moment reading the Command
ments.
"Thou shalt not kill" 1t was only
old DR.. Brosyer's feeble voice, but it
sounded like thunder in Johns ears.
ne no''Iu, ana .iSi"s 20" f.Y". III
church down to the docks. Yet his
brain was clear. He knew just when
the hate had begun to creep into his
heart for his brother. When Len had
tripped him up in school, and when,
instead of feeling pride in the poor
cripple's cleverness he had envied him.
hoH 10 hot
Len was always his rival and was al
ways beating him, and then laughing
at him.
He sat down among the fish flakes
on the wharves. Some of his old
friends passed, looked at him but did
not recognize him. He was thin and
haggard no longer boy. Presently
the ferry sail-bOat came up. There
was old Godfrey, who used to bring
Len over to meet him when he would
be kept late at school. That was years
ago-when they were friends. He used
to hear the boy shouting, "Hillo, Jack !"
long before the boat touched the
wharf.
For the first time the tears came to
his eyes. Nobody had ever called him
Jack but Len.
"The poor fellow! the poor little
fellow !" he muttered.
What was that?
There was somebody in the boat with
Godfrey man-lame. He tried to
go toward him, but his legs gave way.
The other ran.
"Jack Here 1 am, Jack! You
thought 1 went under, cha Why,
what's the matter, old man ?" Len put
his arm about his shoulder, trembling
himself and half crying, man as he was.
Old Godfrey had hobbled up.
Glen got hold of bar'l, you see,"
he said, N floated till he was picked
up by a bark. The Harkaway wasn't
fur from Georges Banks when he fell.
Thar war plenty of vessels about"
But as they walked home, John told
the whole story. He felt that the blood
was yet on his hands, and he must con-
fess to his brother all that had been in
his heart.
81 thought you wanted to marry
Christine Muller, and 1 wished you
were dead, Len. Just then you fell
from the mast" Len did not speak
for minute or two.
at all grew out of my conceit and
my teasing, Jack. Well 60 back to
our old ways. What do you say 2"
stopping and looking his brother
straight in the eye.
John said nothing, but the men I'M
derstOod each other for their whole
lives.
GAS for Christy," said Len, as they
walked on together, 81 never had a
thought Of her or any other girl. That
was all my fathers notion. l wanted
to earn some money fishing to give me
year of schooling. Come on faster,