Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-09-06

] "John, he said, "you run and tell
your father to call out the militia.
and tell him to bring the l2.p.und-
ers and plenty of shot. Hurry up,
now-you understand"
"Yes, sir" said John, and he took
of his cap, "I'll do it sir" and he
was off like deer. He burst into
the old house opposite the mill like
a cannon ball himself,
"Father-fatherr' he shouted,
"the Commodore sent Inc to tell you
to call out the militia, and to bring
the l2-pounders and plenty of shot"
"W hate" said Mr.. Shaw as he
Jumped out of bed, only half awake,
did the Commodore say that?"
"Yes, he did, aud he told me to
hurry, too-and the British brig is
standing in fast"
''Je-ru-salemw said Mr.. Shaw,
captain of the militia-and that
meant great deal. "If the Com
modore said hurry there's need of
it,
He hurried so much that in half
an hour the company of militia
very much mixed as to uniform, it
must be confessed-were on the
beach with their two l2-pounders.
IL thought So" cried the Com.
modnre, when a puff of smoke came
from the side of the Ninirod, "that
nit, too" And he sighted one of
the guns aud fired, but the British
vessel was out of range and the shot
fell short. The officers of the MINI
rod saw that the guns were of no
use, and fired rapidly, not only at
the disabled vessel, but also at the
crowd on shore. But the range was
a long one, and when the shot
struck the beach their force was
spent, and the boys, who had col
lected in large number--for every
boy in town was there-ran to catch
the shot as they struck. John ran
with the rest and was lucky enough
to catch two balls, but one was Just 1
spent and came down on his 1
with such force that he /
was knocked over He and another |
boy, who was only II years old, and .
vino with John helped the men to
serve the guns, caught more balls
than anyone else.
The Nimrod fired faster and faster
with telling effect, and at last every
one ON the beach gave great groan,
for the boats of the Swedish vessel
were lowered and the crew and the
men from the fiotilla jumped in and
lifted Others in and pushed off, and
1t the very same moment boats were
owered from the Nimrod and were
pulling toward the disabled vessel,
while the ships guns fired over
heir heads. The crew and the sea-
nen reached the beach, They
,rought with them several men
Who were wounded, and they were
uickly carried up into town, and !
ne of the seanIen said sadly: ,
"We left one of our dead men on ,
he deck"
The boats from the Nimrod
cached the ship about the same u
ME that the crew got ashore, and
leir men jumped on board but =.
erry's l2-pounders were able TO /
lrry as far as the stranded vessel
nd he opened fire upon it, and
the men from the Nimrod
lshed off, and almost instantly q -
eat tongue Of flame burst up "
ON the deck Of the snip. The ! \
ptain stood on the beach, stamp -
G with rage and grief, and Com
odore Perry went up and spoke 10
M but he was so wild with his
riUus emotions that he did not "
EN- to understand him, but the
pointed to the north.
1t aud he turned and looked aud
did all the people. John looked, an
D, and in another moment came liza
eat cry, in which he heard his RI
m voice, Of "The gunboats."
Commodore Perry had sent an
'und two gunboats through the p@ ca
tone Bringe," and for some rea- -
John never knew they were be-
nd time. They began 10 fire on A.
Nimrod as soon az they were in !"
mt of i'er, and soon weighed an
or and stood out at sea. In the sbu,
antime the seamen and crew aud 4
my Of the men from Newport Srl Tal
mt out in boats and put out the -
, on the brig, ard as soon as the
lboats came back-which was
s very soon, as they only wished MI
drive the Nimrod away-all WI
ads set to work to get the vessel "a,
aud 10 get her into the harbor, Zen
at the next fi,0d tide she 'fioated or {
was brought up TO the wharf
ne boys who had captured the Inc
Is lugged them home with great 'hS
,mph, and for years after they
re shown 10 their children and
Or war trophies. The
e boy who had shown such bra
y in catching the balls was sent
few days after, by Commodore RAJ
RS, and he asked him If he would
to be a midshipman, and as he
very anxious to lie one aud his
lily were willing, Commodore
'ry gave him an appointment. Upo
lie died quite young OF yellow
er in some foreign port. In after :,