The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-01-11
USED TO STOP A LEAK.
How Potter johnson Paid His Passage
Over tho Atlantic.

How Potter johnson Paid His Passage
Over tho Atlantic.
Old Peter johnson, q familiar '1and-
mark" of South street, and who, in the
memory of the oldest dock hand in
this 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 q 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.
1t seems that Peter, whose name is
q. not Peter at all, but something in
which all the letters of the alphabet
are combined, was born in a little
hamlet in Sweden. Ever since he
first read translation of Robinson
Crusoe," at the age of 10, Peter had
violent passion for tho 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 tho great Irish sea and
across tho Atlantic. The next day
Peter made up Il little bundle of neccs
saries and started off to find this glori-
Gus Eldorado. He reached Leis,
small fishing port on the coast Of Swe-
den.
Walking along the wharves he saw
bark of about 500 tons that was adj
vertised to start for New York on that
very day. He had never heard of
New York, but as he clambered over
the port rail of tho little ship he blindly
hoped that 1T was somewhere near his
goal. On board he found all deserted.
BY accident Peter stumbled into the
hNI ri Of N..1, l., ot.,ll L., IL
among number of barrels, and, as he
ten hours aftcrward he was awakened
by peculiar clanking noise. The
ship was rolling horribly. Her wooden
sides were being strained to the utmost
extent, and Peters heart stood still
well, the end Of it was" said the
old man last evening to the waiter,
that went on deck. / was q mighty
sick colloosc, can tell you. But I
wasn't too sick to see that something
hor'ble had happened, The cap'n
stood near the wheel looking hope
lessly toward shore and didn't even
notice me. Tho sea was runnin' high.
a heavy gale had caught us to lee
ward and we had sprung n leak. Our
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 'em and
they were losin' heart and hope.
When the cap'n saw me he did didn't
fire off and cat tail me. No; he jest
caught mo 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
one OF the men as was at tho pumps.
The man went away, but he soon come
back an told the Cap that all was
right.
Then the Cap'n he took me down
into tho bow of tho old hulk. That's
whcr' she'd sprung leak. Their was
q hole bout the size of your body on
tho starboard side. Tho Cap'n, ho and
the man then cotchcd mo up, an,
mates, would you believe it2 they just
stuck me in that hole up to my arm
pits, they did, blast mo If they didn't.
1t was mighty uncomfortable to me,
but it stopped the water from nowin'
phaampea5t phaampe a5t16 6dt, lEhi' an then the carpenter
fixed tho hole. For my part of the
work the Cap'n gave me q free pass
age, and here I am"
And then old Peter johnson closed
his teeth on an old clay pipe, nor
would he open them again to say one
word i'll explanation of his strange a9-
venturc.--New York Evening Sun.