The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-01-15
FULL OF MYSTERY.
How Overheard Plot, and What
Came OF It.

Gods ways are full of mystery"
and no one realizes the truth of the
quotation more than the men who 60
down to sea in ships. My fifteenth
birthday found me an orphan and a
waif in the streets of New Orleans. /
had runaway from farmer in Hi
nois. to whom | was bound, and, by
hook and crook, had reached the great
town on the Father of Waters. | had
been living a precariOus life for a
month when the proprietor of an
oyster house gave me a job. 1t was
part OF my work 10 open the oysters
consumed in the place, and this portion
was done in "A little room just in rear
of some private stalls or cOmpart-
ments. The stalls frOnted the public
room, of course, and were intended for
parties who desired privacy while eat
ing a stew Or drinking a glass of wine.
/ could hear all that was said in two
of them, as the partitions were only
cloth; but had been in the place two
weeks before any thing OF particular
interest was dropped from either. One
evening while was III work TWO men
entered one OF the stalls, devoured a
stew, and drank some grog. and, after
lighting cigars. entered upon a con-
versation which at once attracted my
attention.
We'll, have you got it all fxed?''
asked one.
Every thing ship-shape and under
stood" replied the other.
''She is insured?'
"Way up"
'.And no suspicions?"
Not a one"
I'VE take machinery to Rio
Janeiro?"
'Yes. That and other stuff"
land bring back sugar and cOffee?"
ayes, if We return"
What do We g";?"
Three thousand apiece"
We'll, don't like i. Eut I'm in
with you. She's 10 20 down off the
Guinea coast, eh?''
Yes, down thai way"
Spring a leak and founder and all
hands take TO the boats. SUPPOSED"
That's the plan"
"Well. here's success TO it. The Al
batross is good old craft, and l hate
to see her go, but one must look out
for himself"
AYE! mate, that's Gospel truth
That's what YOU and me are going to
do now. It'll come from the rich in
surance companies and no one will be
the poorer"
And We c2n trust Williams TO hand
over our diyyy?"
Hes square. He's got to be square. :"
| was a green country boy, but /
caught on to their talk. They were
sailors. and they were planning the loss
OF a ship to get the insurance. L rose
up and found hole in the cloth
through which | could get a LOCI at
them. They talked bit more and
then went out, and within twelve hours
one of the mysteries occurred. A boy
who had formerly worked for the res
taurant, and who had fallen sick, re-
covered sufficiently to displace me.
and / was east adrlft again with only
four bits in my purse. The next day
but one. as | entered 4 tavern on the
levee in hopes of finding something to
do, the proprietor gave me cordial
welcome with a dinner. and at last got
around to say:
Now, my boy, | feel like father
to you. do, indeed. You have had
hard time. and you have been full o
pluck. I'm interested in seeing you do
well, and have got d nice place for you.
My brother. who is the best man in the
world, Is a sea captain and he wants
good boy to sail with him"
But was never on a ship" / pro-
tested.
''Of course not. but that makes no
difference. ou viii have nice little
room to yourself, live like a prince,
and as for work. ali you will have to do
will be to hand the captain his spy
glass when a ship comes in sight"
had no desire to go to sea. Indeed,
i had a dread of il; but in half an hour
he had won me over. and that after
noon | was sen a. 10 the ship in
company with several sailors. In two