The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-03-01
NV.
A JOLLY. JOLLY sH1PNArE.

OF no mean fame among the sallormen
of New London, which was then quite an
important shipping town, especially for
the whaling interest.
Railroad tracks now cover the ground
it then occupied. and the cutting away of
the blCG in that vicinity. to give place
for some heavy industries that require to
be near the water aud the iron road, has
completely changed the appearance of all
surroundings, even, OF that once favorite
resort Of the marine element of the pOpu-
latiOn OF the town, So that not one trace
oil II remains, save in memory. But il is
not OF the present We have TO treat. or
the many chaRges-some of Thorn very
sad ones-tbat hays been wrought in the
maritime interests of our coast. Our story
dates back to a time when big Amer
lean Jag hoated above a long and wide
two-ssoFy frame building where those
railroad tracks now lie; a building that
was further adorned "a to its peak, by a
carved and painted wooden statue OF the
goddess Of liberty, that seemed 10 have
been the fgurshead Of some vessel and as
10 its front, by a very widely-spread and
Raviv-gided American eagle, holding IN
IL beaiS over the door. q huge and brilliant
" red scroll. upon the flaming convOlu-
tons OF which. in brightest blue, one
might read the legend The Whalers
Haven
By day, thsrs vas little. except It's size.
10 Distinguish tbs Haven, TO tho eve OF
the casual observer, from several other
establishments of kindred character in
the vicinity; but at night, in the hgura-
Il Il Te.a ifa
proprietor, the esele screamed" Then,
until hours that were st once late aud
eariy-late for revel and early for labor
the fiddle squcaked out jigs and reels;
the thumps and shufiles Of dancing feet
made the walls vibrare aad the windows
jingle; glasses cliBked merriiy; noisy
laughter cheers, and sometimes-but not
often-sOuads Of quarrel, broke upon the
night. It was Scho0lcra!i's boGst shat a
sailor never was robbed IL this house
and. truth to tell, Re made the claim good,
farther than most men do who keep such
establishments and make ike atiirma-
tons. over the little bar near the .Tont
door was a sign IL testers SO prominent
that they might have been regarded as
sort Of painted shout, commanding
patrons OF the house: "Have your fun in
a decent wav :" and Jonathan was never
weary of repeating thai counsel % his
guests. He would not let a sailor IN his
house yet too drunk-ihat ~. too drunk TO
be able 10 find his money, when the liquor
was TO be paid fOr-snd he was sterniy
opposed 10 fights in the Haven; fOr. as be
said. they break the peace, and break
heads, and sometimes break glasses,
which is worst OF al.
One sultrY evening in July. whsu Il was
too no. 10 dance and almost too warm 20
# H.
settle down uDon the WhEIer's Haven.
Jonathan himself weat out for walk 10
get cool; the bsrsseper langaidiv leansd
over the bar and yewned only four or
five sailOrs-b0ardeTs In the Haven when
on shore-lounged between the door and
the bar, swapping yarns" concerning
their seagoiHg experiences, and AL iesiing
so depressed and spirisiess. through the
heat, that they almost stuck to the truth
IN their narrstiOns; and two or three OF
them were talking OF going TO bed, when
"a stranger, who was evidently nos a sailor.
entered, called for a drink. a1d invited all
present % JOIN him. 4 stranger who was
not sailor Was always the object Of lit
tie suspicion IL the Haven; still more
present cared about offending one vino in
troduced hlmsef so courteous.y. and the
waiting sailors took their run Just as nat
urally as If likicg, and not simply COM
piaisance gave IL its relish. Then one OF
them rstuTned the strangers treat and
soon another. and another, so that in
little while the heat was forgotten tongues
began TO w4g freely, the yarns became
much more spirited. aEd the impression
gained ground that the stranger Was a
right good fellow.
And 80 il was that. without his ever be-
ing able TO tell exactly how it came about
D. l. eNr LID To- a
himself IN almost confidential conversa-
ton with the pleasant stranger-a smooth
shaver, gTay-eved, rudy man Of forty or
iorty-hve yeaTs-upon the subject OF hie
friend aud ex-shiDmate, Dorm Iiackett.
"a nOhler. Drawer lad never signed arti-
cies," said he, nor better sailorman.
We messed together for three wears; and
take him By and large, allow and aioft, l
make bold 20 say that OF the sixteen men
in the fo'css'ie-and all good men, too,
I2ind you-he was the beet"
Pm delighted TO hear You speak 90
highly Of him." replied the stranger, with
apparent heartiness. How long Is it
since you sailed with him."
"Only little better than four months
ago. We came off the cruise together,
fishing in the Worth Pacific"
Fishing? / thought you said he was
in a whaling vessel?"
We'll. 80 1 did. nv hearty. We calls
whales fishes. When We speak OF taking
awhale We always SAYS taking a fish"
"Ah. excuse me- / didn't understand
And where is your friend now"
At this moment one Of the old sailors
called him aside and said to him in an IN
dertone:
mind your eye. Billy. I've been lis
TENN to YOU and that lubber that doesn't
know a whales a fab. and il looks squaIly
10 me. AS / make him out. he's been
leadin' you on 10 talk about Dorm Hack
EFT, and maybe it Amt for Dorn's good he
means H.
IF I thought he meant the boy sny
harm he'd get his nose rove foul in the
shake OF fiuke."
u"Well just keep your weather eye
skinned on him"
''But, shipmate, its as good es saying
that Dorm may be in some sort of o scrape
10 be afraid to talk about him"
''And so he may; and small blame 10
him. either. bein' likely young fellow as
he Is. shore il a mighty daDgersOme
place for good-looking young fellow like
him"
Right you are, sbipmate." sssented
Billy. solemnly shaking hands before re-
turping TO his conversation with the
stranger. From that time he did watch
carefully and having little natural
cunning OF his own, managed TO evade
the numerous and artfully-put inquiries
wwhfoh he wao nffaI ard .ftlf 40