The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1893-08-10
UGLY jim.


tary exclamation. as | came on deck lus
b ,fore eight bells (,welve o'clock on thai
night in March, sc. which fate had or
dained l should never rforget had
heard the cry OF All hands on deck bell
lowed down the fo'castle, the scurry Of
feet, the hoarse com mand; All hands
sloft to shorten sail Quick, lads, fo'
your liyesl and had bounced out OF my
berth. jerked into my clothes and tumb
led up the companion way to the slippery
deck
What was ! doing aboard the shipf
Well, by profession sm doctor and BY
occupation 8 rambler. Not that II is
part OF my business - : DOCTORS rsmble;
but, You know, doctof's mission Is TO
restore natures jewel, hsalth. snd |. be-
ing doctor Gas said beiors.) was en-
deavoring 10 do my duty to myself and
6nd that which had studied hsrd to be
able to restore t, others. 80 there was
stsn ding. or. rather. trying to (for the
northeast gale nearly blew ms of my fee')
on the qu uarter deck Of the little brig Jen'
uy Lind, bound from Liverpool to Quei
ueo. nuia.iv. w.en's ~ esiai A"a 'he
sharp sleet driving hard before gale
seemed like sand Last cutting the grave
stones for the poor chaps who were to be
that night laid for their last rest rocked
in the cradle OF the deep.
This is . fearful night, / say to the man
st the wheel, aed bis answer OF Aye. aye,
sir. comes through teeth set ss wise
With feet planted or rstnsr. rooted to the
deck, body bent forwsrd. eyes trying
hard to make out th canvas he cannot see,
be moves only as the orders shouted
through the trumpet come family TO
him:
Hard q starbosrd Steady Ease her .
littlel strsining hard st the wheel to put
ii port or stsrbosrd as is rdered. and be-
tween bis white lips growing back bis
Aye, aye. sirl
BY the fitfnl flicker Of the binnacte
lamp see his face and know him TO be
Jim Peters. the hardest man in tfe crew.
Nobt dy liked or would bsve anything TO
do with him. He was not p'epossess'
ing object TO look at. HIS face had as
much soci,bility and kindness in II IS
mbstone. Heavy, square jaw; large
mouth eyes black. or rather. one eye. for
. large read scar ruuniDg ACROSS his fore
head and down his left oheeI back Of his
ear took that eye slopg with II; sshsgey
head OF sandy hair and uDksmpt beard
did their p IT iu bis make up Of uslinsss.
said that nobody would have anything
to do with him. III take that back, for
there was oue aboard who pilied and
tried to be friendly 10 him. He was the
ships boy. nice likely lad, good looking
and smart and sailor, every inch Of him.
There was one thing about Jim, however.
which none could get back Of, snd that
vas be was strong IS IN OK and as good 9
sailor az ever trod deck, He was the
only man aboard uho eoaid hove hsd the
wheel alone 10 such night. On We drive
. reel and then We plunge, and the little
brig comes ont OF the ttouth Of the sea
and sbskes herself and then leaps on
ward.
What's that cry for'd7 Jim starts and l
see bis face pale. ss With all bis mighty
strens th be pats the wheel TO port.
Hard, jim, hard. dovnl comes fsiot
voice, and the csptsin comes running at.
You did we'll. jim, bu, your three times
10 por, were 70 is'e 10 save her, for With .
sickening, ghsst'y crash she strikes and
commences 10 settle rapidly. A rough
hand grabs my arm spd deep voice
srovls;
It's tie ice, doctor; jump ior it-iump
Tor IT,
] IA fore 4 can do 20, am isken OF my
,es,; aud tie next moueas ifeel myself
going through the air; then sudden stop,
/ aud l npd uthsi on hpio W "'"es ~
| turned TO thsuk my deliverer. and Ind
!, was jim whose clear bead and strong
arm h,d ssyed me. ! try to thank bin,
but be ssy,, shortly: la done II by the
ships dog, doctor. /" soon ss -, had be
hesu a. handy. Nsva u lsss 4 shake
bands. and cay a lev sords 70 hisn. ss be
iurnes on bis heels aud i1ins bis mstes
.,rsiniog their eyes 10 pierce The black
meas ana zee the little crafts last plunge
nte bird whose sinss 6aitsr ihsn snd
then drop, br eabyass SHAKES aud .he
diyss, never 10 come up. Tbs crew sadly
bia her farewell sCd eren gioaiy Jim ssysi
Coed by. little an.