The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1891-07-24
REUBEN'S FIRST VOYAGE.
DY NARLToN DOWNING,

willing, sturdy youths, who ob,yed their
kind parents every mandate, but it is
upon Reuben, the second. born, that the
interest of this story centreS.
He hated the work about the farm, in
fact, detested labor of any kind; he was
wilful aud disobedieut, and was a sore
trial to the entire household.
If the lad was sert 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
--strqllAa -slana tbs. adsa- of -tha -Lroak 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
6tructive, he rather chose those contain
ing tales of adventure, which, it must
be said, he devoured ravenously, until
he began to long to become fierce buc-
cancer, or an Indian slayer of the plains
One cay his father called Reuben to
his side, and said:
''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"
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 marc and the two
sacks of corn. But first he stole up into
the little attic chamber which was occu-
pied ny himself and two brothers, aud
taking pillow-case from the bed, he
thrust into 1t few articles of clothing,
and then fastened down again without
being observed by any member of this
busy household.
~ shall leave the old farm, he said,
"and no one in this village shall know
where have gone until return a rich
man."
The lad drove the mare straight to the
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 chestnut tree, and placing his bun
qAs ,uaaas his Read ,ohhga'lEht ts,tpv sAas,a
not know, but suddenly he was awak-
ened by feeling some one shake his arm
and hearing voice in his ear saying:
''What, my son! sleeping away the
best hours of the day3 If you are on a
journey the time TO travel is between sun
up and sundown.'
AS Reuben opened his eyes he saw
bending over him a large man with a
pleasant face, although bronzed and
weatherb beaten ty exposure to the ele-
ments. At the first glance the lad saw
by the strangers clothing that he was o
sailor.
Now the 10y had never met real
mariner in his life, but he had seen many
pictures of them and he was right in his
conjecture.
"Who are you2' asked the young ad
venturer, arousing himself and sitting
up.
'I'm jolly tar, my lad, and bound
away on long cruise; but who might
You be2"
at matters not what I am" replied
the boy, "but will tell you what am
going to be, and that is sailor"
'Say you so, my hearty2 Then you've
fallen In with just the right kind of a
craft to cruise with. Come with me,
and I'll soon have you slowed away in as
tine ship as ever spread canvass"
Reuben was delighted at his good for
tune in so quickly finding an opportunity
to carry out his thus far i'll matured
plans, and springing to his feet he swung
his bundle over his shoulder and said
II am ready. Let us 90, for I am
impatient to be away on the deep, blue
sea.
"Avast there, shipmate, avast," ex-
claimed the sailor. "Never start on a
cruise without first taking good de-
parture." So he seated himself on log,
and producing some food out of bun
die, which ne also carried, he gave some
to the boy, and the balance he ate him
afu the 90 sen (DoatswaIn) OF the
ship Fiery Dragon" said the man, be.
tween mouthfuls. "She is bound away
to China. You shall go in her."
Reuben thanked his companion, and
when they finished their repast thew
continued their journey along the
road
The distance to the sea. port seemed
to be very short, for the boatswain en-
tertalncd the boy with strange tales OF
the sea and his adventures in foreign
lands, which turned the lads head, and
before he realized it he found himself
upon long wharf, beside large ship,
that was all ready to sail.
Here we are, my merry MASTER" ex-
claimed the boatswain, slapping Reuben
on the shoulder, with force which the
boy thought wholly uncaled for.
"Herc we are, say, my jolly young
tar, jump aboard, lively! Don't you see
the lines are about to be cast off? One
ser And VIE this the nariner arssssd "a ssss
the lad by the arm and hurried him up
the gang plank, but the grip of the
Aai!or was so firm that it brought tears
fp Reuben's eyes which, however.
the farmers son was careful to conceal.
When they reached the deck, the
hoatSwain left Rarbor