Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-05-25
UGLY JIM.
His Kind Heart Under Cover of a
Rough Coat.

Rough Coat.
"Ughl What q night" was my In.
voluntary exclamation, as | came on
deck just before eight bells Twelve
ocloch) ON that night In March, 80,
which fate had ordained should never
forget | had heard the cry OF "All
hands on deckl" beloved down the
fo'castle, the scurry Of feet, the hoarse
command; IAN hands aloft to shorten
sail Quick, lads, for your livesl" and
had bounced out Of my berth, jerked
into my clothes and tumblcd up the
companion-way TO the slippery deck
What was doing aboard the ship?
Well, by profession am doctor and
by occupation n rambler. Not that II
is a part Of my business as doctor IA
ramble; but, you know, doctors mis-
sion Is to try to restore natures jewel,
health, and /, being doctor (ns said
bcforc), was cndeavoring 10 do my
duty TO myself and find that which
had studied hard to be able TO restore
to others SO there ! was standing, ar,
rather, trying TO (for the northeast
gale nearly blew me Off my feet, on
the quarterback of the little brig Jen.
ny Lind. bound from Liverpool 90 Que.
bee. lloratio, wasn't II coldl And the
sharp sleet, driven hard before the
gale, seemed like n sandblast cutting
/ the gravcstones for the poor chaps
who were to be that night laid foi theii
last rest, rocked in the cradle Of the
deep"
This Is a fearful night" say I,
| the man at the wheel, aud his answer
of AYE, aye, sir, comes through teeth
set as wise. With feet planted, OF
rather, rooted 20 the deck, body bent
forward, eyes trying hard to make out
/ the canvas he cannot see, he moves
only as the orders shouted through
| the trumpet come family TO him
/ Hard u starboardl" "Steadyw Ease
/ her n littlel" straining hard ut the
wheel to put It port" or "starboard
| as IL ordered, and between his white
| lips growing back his AYE, aye, sirl'
( by the ftful flicker OF the pinnacle
/ lamp see his face and know him 10 be
Jim Peters, the hardest man IN the
crew. Nobody liked him or would
/ have anything to do with him. lie
/ was not prepossessing object 10 loot
| at. His face had as much sociability
| and kindness in II as tombstone
/ Heavy, square jaw; large mouth eyes
black, or rather, one eye, for large,
red scar running across his forehead
| and down his left cheek back OF his
ear took that eye along with II; d
shaggy head Of sandy hair and I'M
lSempt beard did their part in his make.
up of uglincss said nobody would
/ have anything to do with him. I'll
take that back, for there was one
aboard who pitied and tried 20 be
/ friendly TO him. lie was the ships
boy, II nice, likely lad, good-lookinp
aud smart and sailor, every inch OF
him. There was one thing about Jim,
however, which none could get back
OF, and that was he was strong ns nj
OK and as good sailor Ms ever trod u
deck. lie was the only man aboard
who could have held the wheel alone
In such Il night On we drive, rec
and then Il plunge, and the 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 e
port
Hard, jim, hard. DOWN. comes q
faint voice, aud the captain comes run
ming aft You did well, Jim, but your
three times TO port were too late e
save her, for with a sickcnlng CHASTITY
crash she strikes and commences u
settle rapidly A rough hand grabs
my arm and deep voice growls;
TITS the ice, doctor; jump for it
jump for IT,"
Before can do SO, am taken Of
my feet, pnd the next moment ! fee
myself going through the air; then {
sudden stop, and find myself on {
Held Of drifting ice. | turn tothant my
dclivercr, and find IL was Jim whos'
clear head and strong arm had saved
me. try 10 thank him, but he says
shortly. ia done 1t by the ship
dog. doctor, as soon as ye, had hc beer
as handy" Nevertheless shake hands
and say "A few words 10 him, as h,
turns on his heels and joins his mate
straining their eyes TO pierce the black
ness and sec the little crafts las
plunge. Like bird whose wings fut
ter aud then drop, her canvas shakei
and she dives, never 10 come up The
crew sadly bid her farewell and ever
grouty Jim says; "GOod-by little 'un
You folks ashore can't realize the feal
that came over us as the waters clOsct
over the little craft that bad been Il
us our home, our 'all in all" A feel
ing Of dreadful loneliness thrilled us "a
through the inlsy darkness we tried 4
read the expression In our companions
faces.
mentioned II was cold, but word
- '-Adenuate 10 properly convey tn,