The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-03-02
A Leak Plugged With . Stowawsy.

i
Old Peter johnson, . familiar "and-
mark" Of South street. and who. in
the memory Of tho oldest deck hand in
this city has never been known to stir
away from his seat on an old box at tho
corner of South and Counties slip, tells
most remarkable tale of the troubles
through which he had to pass to become
an American citiz,n and to run away
from his birthplace in Sweden.
1t seems that Peter, whose name is
not Peter at all, but something in which
all the letters of the alphabet are COM
bined, was born in little hamlet in
Sweden. Ever since he first read q
translation of Robinson Crusoe" at
the age of 10 Peter had a violent pas.
sion for the sea. One day he heard of
America. He asked how far off this
great land might be, and his father
replied that it was on the other side of
the great Irish sea and across the Allan
tic. The next day Peter made up q
little bundle of necessaries and started
OF to find this glorious Eldorado. He
reache Leis, small fishing port on
the coast of Sweden.
Walking along the wharves he saw
bark of about 800 tons that was adver-
tised to start for New York on that
very day. He had never heard of New
York, but as he clamored over tho port
rail of the little ship he blindly hoped
that it was somewhere near his goal
On board he found all deserted. By
accident Peter stumbled into the hold
of the ship. lie secreted himself
among a mum Der of barrels, and as he
was very tired he fell asleep. About
ten hours afterwards he was awakened
by peculiar clanking noise. The ship
was rolling horribly. Her wooden
sides were being strained to the ut
most extent, and Peters heart stood
still.
"Well, the end of it was" said
the old man last evening to the waiter,
"ihat went on deck. Twas a mighty
sick colloose, / can tell you. But
WASH TO sick to SEQ that something
horrible had happened. The Cap'n
stood near the wheel looking hopelessly
toward shore and didn't even notice me.
The sea was runnin' high A heavy
gale had caught US to leeward and we
ha sprung a leak. Oar ship was pretty
fast and we were out of sight of land.
The leak was big one and our ship was
film fast. All the men were at work
at the pumps, but the water was gainin'
on EN- an.l they were losin' heart and
hope. When the Cap saw me he didn't.
fire off and cat-tail me. No; he jest
caught me by the shoulder here and he
jest looked up to Heaven thus way. and
he jest said Thank Godr sorter happy
like.
Then he hurried me down into the
hold and then he said somethin' to ono
Of the men as was at the pumps. The
man went away, but he soon came back
n told the Cap that all was right.
"Then the Capn be took me down
into the bow OF the old hulk. That's
wher' she'd sprung leak. Their was
hole bout tho size of your body on the
star board side. The Cap'n. he and the
man thea cotched me up, an, mates,
would you believe it2 they just stuck
me in that hole up to my armpits, they
did, blast me if they didn't! 1t was
mighty uncomfortable 20 me, but it
stopped the water from fowin' in.
After q while the water was all pumped
out, an then the carpenter fixed tho
hole. For my part Of tho work tho
Cap'n gave me free passage, and here
am."
And then old Peter johnson closed
his teeth on an old clay pipe, nor would
he open them again to say one word in
explanation of his strange aiventure.-
New York Sun.