The Opelousas courier., 1891-09-26
REUBEN'S FIRST VOYAGE.
By II L DOWNING.

With his oldest and youngest children
we have nothing to do, for they were
willing, sturdy youths, who obsBed their
kind parents every mandate, but it ID
upon Reuben, the second-born, that the
interest of this story centres.
He hated the work about the farm, in
fact, 6etested labor of any kind; he was
wilfuY and disobedient, and was a sore
trial to the entire household.
If the lad was sent to drive the cows
to pasture, he would leave them to wan
der away by themselves, uncared for,
while he went to chase butterflies, or
strolled along the edge of the brook, rod
in hand, trying to catch the spotted trout
which darted hither and thither in the
babbling stream.
Very fond of reading was the boy, but
he cared nothing for books that were in
structive, he rather chose those contain
ing tales Of adventure, which, it must
be said, he devoured ~ravenously, until
he began to long to become a fierce buc-
cancer, or an Indian slayer of the plains.
One Gay his father called Reuben to
bis side, and said:
s'My son, | wish you would take the
brown mare and put those two sacks of
corn, that are in the barn upon her back,
and drive to Nelghbor Griswold, the
miller. If you do not tarry on the road,
you can easily get there and back before
milking time.a
This did not at all please the youth,
for he wanted to get away by himself and
play; however, he dared not openly dis
obey his father, so he reluctantly started
for the mill with the mare and the two
sacks of corn. But first he stole up into
the little attic chamber which was occu-
pied by himself and two brothers, aud
taking a pillow-case from the bed, he
thrust into it a few articles of clothing,
and then fastened down again without
being observed BY any member Of this
busy household.
81 shall leave the old farm he said,
ssand no one in this village shall know
where | have gone until | return q rich
man"
The lad drove the marc straight to tue
mill, and tying her to a tree before
Neighbor Griswold's door, he told the
miller that his father would come for her
soon.
Then the boy hurried along the coun-
try road toward the nearest seaport.
Several miles he travelled, until at
length feeling tired, he turned aside and
lay down beneath the spreading branches
of a chestnut tree, and PLACING his bum
die under his head, thought to enjoy d
little nap. How long he slept he did
not know, but suddenly he was awak-
ened by feeling some one shake his arm
and hearing d voice in his ear saying:
aWhat, my son! sleeping away the
best hours of the day. If you are on a
journey the time to travel is between sun
up and sundown.n
As Reuben opened his eyes he saw
bending oyer him a large man with q
pleasant face. although bronzed and
weather-beaten ty exposure to the eIe-
ments. At the irs6 glance the lad saw
by the strangers clothing that he was o
sailor.
Now the boy had never met q real
mariner in his life, but he had seen many
pictures of them and he was right in his
conjecture.
aWho are you2" asked the young ad-
~venturer, arousing himself and sitting
up.
Elm d jolly tar, my lad, and bound
away on q long cruise; but who might
you be2'
at matters not what | am, replied
the boy, s.but | will tell you what | am
going to be, and that is a sallor.a
s.say you SO, my hearty2 Then you've
fallen in with just the right kind Of o
craft to cruise with. Cone with me,
and III soon have you slowed away in as
fine q ship as ever spread canvass"
Reuben was delighted at his good fof-
tune in SO quickly finding an opportunity
to carry out his thus far ill-matured
plans, and springing to his.feet he swung
his bundle oYer his shoulder and said
81 am ready. Let us go, for / am
impatient to be away on the deep, blue
sea.
aAvast there, shipmate, avast," ex-
claimed the sailor. ssNever start on a
cruise without first taking d good de-
parture. ! So he seated himself on q log,
and producing some food out of a bum
die, which he also carried, be gave some
to the boy, and the balance be ate him.
self.
II nm tho bo'sen (boatswain) Of tbs
ship Fiery Dragon said the man, be-
tween mouthfuls. aShe is bound away
e China. You shall 90 ii her. =
Reuben thhaaaaked his companion, and
when they finished repast they
continued their journey along~the
road.
The distance to the seaport seemed
to be very short, for the boatswain en-
tertaincd The boy with strange tales Of
the sea and his adventures Id foreign
lands, which turned the lads head, and
before he realized it he found himself
upon i long wharf, beside q large ship,
that was all ready to sail.
Here we are, my merry MASTER ex-
claimed the boatswain, slapping Reuben
OF the shoulder, with d force which the
boy thought wholly uncalled for.
sHere we are. ! say, my jolly young
tar, jump aboard, lively Don you see
the lines are about C be cast OH One
must always work quickly aboard q yes
SCI. And with this the mariner grasped
the lad By the arm and hurried him up
the gang plank, but the grip Of the
sailor was 5 D firm thati IL brought tears
to Renhen's eyes which, however,
ths farmers son was careful to conceal.
When they reached the deck, the
boatsWain left Reuben standing BIZ him