Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-19


privilege of your eating such lovely food as
I've put afore ZEE today, and arter you're
gone near to break your heart with the work
they'll put upon We without paying you the
worth of fardens worth Of silver spoons for
it, then, when your times out, they'll kick
We ashore that you may make way for the
blooming foreigner as'll be glad to take your
place for half the money We ask. Oh, but
amt it manly life, thought Ny eyer
'sWell, told him be might turn in when
it came 8 O'Clock l showed him how to get
into his hammock, but made him keep on
his knickerbockers For says l, it looks
dirty weather, and it may be all hands
presently.
HE asked for sheets
"'Poohr | saws, says l, there amt no
sheets at sea- Hain's ye got good blanket
up therea That's all the sheet a sailor
wants.
well, left him, and waited till thought
he was fast asleep, and then, running into his
room, it being about half-past 10 o'clock at
night, blew an old whistle that was mine
when was bo'sun's mate, stamping heavily
with both my feet whilst piped, and then
reared out at the top of my voice, All hands
reef topsailsl bear hand, my livelies, afore
the hammock.
"'What am I to dor sings out the poor lit
tie chap.
Tumble up, tumble up' | yells out.
There's a whole gale O wind busted upon u.s.
''Well, be gets up and l shan't forget the
sight Of his little legs over the edge Of the
hammock, 1 bawling to him to bear hand
all the time, helping him without appearing
l,-,,, ~, \ 4
then making him wrap himself up in his oil
skins; and then, pretending to be in fearful
hurry as though he was in sittivation OF
of awful danger, rushes him out into the
back yard AS luck would have it, it was
really blowing fresh, but not cold, with a
teasing drizzle Of rain in squalls.
"'There,' says l, 'we'u imagine you've
been aloft, and now your watch on decks
come round, and We amt to go to bed again
for four hours. So tarn too, my lively, and
pace this ERE deck to keep yourself warm,
and when my watch comes round III relieve
ye' And with that left him.
''Well, sir" said my nautical friend, as he
finished his beer, sit ud take me all day long
to tell you how | handled that there little
Tommy. Twas on a Toosday that fetched
him, and he hung out till Friday, and then
coming home from herrand | asted my
missis where the boy was, and she said he
was a-nissing. | sot down and laughed,
knowing how it was, for I'd seen it in his
face ever since Wednesday, when the duff
came up for his dinner, along with bit of
salt horse the old woman had billed for him;
and, sure enough. two hours afterward comes
Mr. Parkinson, a-smiling all down his back.
Jimmy says he, i allow you've done it
this time, my boy Little Tommy's come
home ands been a-crying like a baby to his
mother, and SAYS that he don't see no more
manliness left in the sea, and would rather
be a clown or an engine driver than had
miraL'"
And So" said I to my nautical friend,
'.the lad was really cured, effectually cured,
OF his desire to be a sailor?"
He looked at me with a grin.
so much cured. sir" he answered, 'that
it was only the day before yesterday that he
came up to me as l was standing on the
beach, and after making himself beknown-
For he was growed SO, and so colored with the
sun that | should never have recognized him
he says to me: Let me see, Jimmy; it's
four years ago now, | think, since l was
aboard your cottage. 1t wasn't fair, Jim.
The LIES better nor your dam rnesses and
backyard I'm just home from Frisco, and
tell zee what, Jim, the life may be as hard as
you told me it was, and p'r'aps harder; but
l amt disappointed in the manliness of it,
and, spite Of its puddens, and its soap and
bullion, I'd rather be sailor than boat
man. Here, You old villain he says, giving
me five shillings, go and drink my health
he says, says he, and wish my ship a speedy
voyage, for I'm bound away to New Zealand
in three weeks, and I'll tell ye more about it
when l comes home next time Cure him"
continued my nautical friend, with a face of
disgust. ''No, by the piperl and who wanted
to! Cure an English lad of his taste for tho
sea? tn be good night to Britannia as is tho
pride of the hocean when that's to be done,
sir. From Mystery of the Ocean Star, By
Clark Russell.