The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-02-16
AN OLD SALTS YARN.
How Peter johnson Was Used rs Plug
to Stop Leak on ShipbOard.


Old Peter johnson, familiar "landmark''
the Oldest deck hand in thus city, has never
been known to stir away from his seat on
an old box at the corner Of South street and
Coenties slip, tells the New York Eventag
Sun most remarkable tale of the troubles
through which he had to pass to become an
American citizen, and to run away from his
birthplace in Sweden.
It seems that Peter, whose name is not
Peter at all, but some thing in which all the
letters in the alphabet are combined, was
born in a little hamlet in Sweden Ever
since he first read translation of s'Robin-
son Crusoe," at the age of ten, Peter had a
violent passion for the sea. One day he
heard of America. He asked how far OFF
this great land might be, and his father re-
piled that it was on the other side of the
great Irish sea and across the Atlantic.
The next day Peter made up little bundle
of necessaries and started Off to find this
glorious Ell Dorado. He reached Leis, a
small fishing port on the coast Of Sweden
Walking along the wharves he saw a
bark Of about eight hundred tons that was
advertised to start for New York on that
very day. He had never heard of New York,
but as he olambered over the 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 He Sc
creted himself among number of barrels,
andas he was very tired he fell asleep
About ten hours afterward he was awak-
ened by peculiar clanking noise. The
ship was rolling horribly. Her wooden
sides were being strained to the utmost ex-
tent, and Peters heart stood still.
sWell, the end OF it was" said the old
man last evening to the writer, 81 that
went on deck. was a mighty sick colloose,
I can tell you. But wasn't too sick TO see
that something horrible had happened. The
cap'n stood near the wheel looking hope
lessly toward shore, and didn't even notice
me- The sea was ruunin' high. A heuvy
gale had caught us to leeward and we had
sprung a leak. Our ship was pretty fast
and we We're 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' Oh 'e1n
and they were losin' heart and hope.
When she cap saw mo he didn't fire off and
cat-tail me. No; he,just caught me by the
shoulder here and he jest looked up to
Heaven thus way, and he jest said, trhanl6
God!' sorter happy like
s.,Then he hurried me down into tbs hold
and then he said somethin' to one Of the
men as was at the pumps. The man went
away, but he soon come back IN told tho cap
that all was right
.rhen the capn took me down into the
bow of the old hulk. That's wher' she'd
sprung a leak. Their was a hole bout the
size Of your body On the starboard side.
The cap'n, he and the man theu cotched me
up, an mates, would you believe ita they
just stuck me in that hole up to my
armpits, they did, blast me if they didn't?
1t was mighty uncomfortable to me, but it
stopped the water from fowin' in. After a
while the water was all pumped out, am
then the carpenter fixed the hole. For my
part of the work the cap'n gave me free
passage, and here lam
And then Peter johnson closed his teeth
or an old clay pipe, nor would he open them
again to say one word in explanation OK his
strange adventure.