The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-04-12
UGLY JIM.
ms Kind Heart Und6r cover Of q
Rough Coat

At0ukn OoLk
ugh What n nightlr was my In.
voluntary exclamation, IS I came on
deck Just before eight bells twelve
o'cfocl1 on that night In March, 80.
which fatc had ordained should never
forgot l had heard the cry 81 eAll
hands on docks beloved down the
fo'castle. the scnrry Of feet. the hoarse
command; IAN hands aioft Is shorten
sail Quick. lads for your llvesr' and
had bounced Out Of my berth, jerked
into my Clothes and tnmblod up the
eompaninn-way 10 the slippery deck
What was | doing aboard tho shipe
Well. by profession am doctor and
BY occupation q rambler Not that Ii
4 Il part 81 my business as doctor 70
rambio; but you know. doctors mis-
sion IS 70 try % restore natures Jewel,
health. md ], being doctor tas said
beforcl was enaeavoring 10 do my
duty to myself and find that which
had studied hard 70 be able to restore
70 Others So there ! was standing, or.
| rather. trying 10 (for the northeast
gale nearly blew me on my fcet), on
tho quartorsdecl OF the little brig Jen-
ny Lind, bound4r6 Liverpool 10 Quo.
bee Horatfo, wasn't Il coldl And tho
sharp sleek driven hard before the
gale, seemed like sandblast cutting
tho gravestoncs for the poor chaps
who were to be that night laid for their
last rest. rocked in the cradle OF tho
deep.
"This Ii fearful night / say Is
the man at the wheel, aud his answer
Of Aye, aye, sir, comes through teeth
set as wise With teot planted, OF
rather, rooted TO tho deck, body bent
forward, eyes trying hard to make out
the canvas no cannot see, no moves
only an the orders shouted through
/ tho trumpet como family 10 him;
"IIard starboardg "Stcadyp' Ease
hor Hitler Atraining hard at the
wheel 10 mt 4 port Or ''starboard"
| as IA ordered. nnd between his whlto
lips growing back his '.Ayc, aye, STRIP
By the iitful flicker of tho binnacle
lamp see his face and know him TO be
Jim Petork the hardest man IN the
crew Nobody liked him or would
have anything TO do with him. He
was not a prepossessinG object TO look
ut. His fnee had rs much sncIability
and blindness iii Il as tombstone.
Heavy, square jaw large mouth; eyes
black, or rather, one eye. for large,
rcd scar running across his forohead
and down his left chees back Of his
car took that eye nlong with It;
shaggy head Of sandy hair and nm
kempt board did their part In his make
mp ~ ugilness, | said ntbody would
have anything 10 Do with him. I'll
take that back, for there was ono
aboard who pitied and tried 10 BIO
friendly ID him. lie was the slips
boy. nice, likely lad, goodslooldng
and smart and sailor, every inch Of
him Thcre was one thing about Jim.
however. which none could get back
OF, and that was he was strong as an
OK and MS good sailor as ever trod q
dock. He was the only man aboard
who could have hold the wheel alone
ID such night On we drive. reel
and then a plunge, and tho little brig
comes out Of the trough Of the sea
and shakes herself and then leaps ON
ward.
What's that cry for'd2 jim starts.
and see his face pale. as with all his
mighty strength he puts the wheel to-
port
"Hard, jim, hard, da@nl'' comes
| faint voice, aud the captain comes rum
ming aft You did we'll, Jim, bus your
three times ID port were Too late to
save her. for with n siclsonipg. CHASTITY
crash she strikes and commences To
settle rapidly. A rough hand grabs
my arm and q deep voice growls:
J TITS the Ice, doctor; jump for it--
jump for it. !"
Before can do so, ! am talScn off
my feet; md the next moment ! feel
myself going through the air, then a
sudden stop, and find myself on
held OF drifting leo. turn tothnnlx my
deliycrer, and find II was Jim whose
clear head and strong arm had saved
| me. try 70 thank him, but he says,
| shortly: I'D done It by the ships
dog, doctor, as soon as yc, had he been
as handy" Nevertheless ! shake hands,
and say d few words to him. Ms he
turns on his heels and joins his mates
straining their eyes 10 picrccthe black
ness and see the little crafts last
| plunge. Like bird whose wings fut-
| ter and then drop, her canvas shakes
| and she dives, never 10 come up. The
crew sadly bid her farewell and even
grouty Jim says; '.Good-by, little 'un-
You folks ashore can't realize the fear
| that came over us as the waters closed
over the little craft that bad been 10
us our home, our ''all In all A feel
ing of dreadful loneliness thrilled us as
through the inly darkness we tried to
read the expression in our companions
| faces.
mentioned II was cold, but words
are inadequate TO properly convey the
icy intensity, now that the blood which
had been quickened BY the strain and
Excitement had become normal Added !
to the bitter cold was the chill Of fear.
| We drew close together to diagnosti-
cate our case Naturally we looked
to the captain for advice. and when
asked what we should do, he said,
tersely:
Stick here till morning Then we
can get our bearings and shape our
course accordingly
Now, when the brig stuck, we had
had close call. and SO had o chance to
save nothing but what we stood In
The captains advice was excellent as
far as It went; but 70 stay whore we
were, huddlcd together like so many
frightened sheep meant certain death,
/ as,d the dotrs. "a A hrnIxe would fall