The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-05

dockyard," he answered. till transport
hans alongside the hulk for cargo"
when will that be?
Impossible to say. MISS"
Nv Ill you get me the rules Of the hulk ?''
They are the same as the jalls.'
But have not seen Captain Butler since
his conviction, nor heard from him, nor
know whether he has received my letters"
He answered that he would make inquiries
and call. He was intelligtby punctual be-
cause he had to receive 10 guineas. but he
brought me what wanted to know, and to
my JOY l learned that l was at liberty TO
visit Tom next day, and that he would be
brought on board to see Inc If he was ashore
when | arrived.
The morning following / dressed with
care; wore black clothes; | had worn
black ever since my sweetheart was taken
from me, | put on a black veil, and going
into the street walked till | met with
coach. and drove to Blackwell. / had not
visited these parts since Tom and | and the
others had seen Will tombstone off, and
dared not glance in tile direction OF the
hotel in which my sweetheart had made
love to me and asked me TO marry him; in
deed my heart needed all the fortitude my
spirit could give it.
1t was bright hot day, the sky was high
with delicate frost-like cloud, and the run
ming river blue with the reflection of the
heavens. The wind was a light summer
breeze and blew from London, and many
ships of many rigs foated before 1t, some of
them lifting lofty fabrics Of swelling breasts
ofcanvas, some OF them dark. with weather.
stained look like my fathers coasters.
Here at BLACKWELL 1 took boat and told
the man 10 row me to the Warrior hulk.
You know her?" SAID l.
He was an elderly man, dressed in a tall
hat and jersey; he exposed few yellow
fangs as he lay back on his oars and said.
Know her? Yes. Know the Warrior?
Yah MIC lat a uall Qck If | know St
PanPs. Going ab0ardT"
YES"
Friend aboard ?"
inclined my head.
II had nevvey locked up in that there
hulk said the man HE had six year
cart drawn by anag as could trot, and called
hisself pig-dealer Do 'spectable pig
dealers break into houses o night? The
Warrior cured my nevvey. He amt above
talking of that ship. Get him in the mood
aDd he'll spin yah some queer yarns about
her."
How are the prisoners treated?
Sights o Undertaking and stacking O.
timber. They put my nevvcy TO draw carts.
They sunk his name and caa's him a nun
Der. A man doan feel a man when he's
number. But the job my nevyey least en-
joYed was scrapiug shot"
"How are they ted? ?"
'By contract. Yah knows what that
means. Beef all veins. Ever heard of
'smiggins. mlss?"
M"
tits hulk soup; eonvicts' name for greasy
warm water. Call it twenty years ago,
was passing hulk stationed afore the De-
tense came up; a boat was 'lOngside with
provisions for the day; what dye think I?
with my own eyes L see the prisoners as
was hosting the grub out of the boat
chuck it overheard. Was they flogged ?" lie
6hOOk his head grin niup h0rrihly
His manners and answers shocked and
depressed me, and l asked him no more
questions.
"Ain't 1t rather sing'er," said he, after a
lew minutes pause, that there's only one
flower ash grow upon cOnvicts grave?"
us that SOP
"Ay. and what flower dye think 1t is,
miss" said he, again showing his fangS.
Il don't know"
IT'S nettle. If yah would care to visit
the burial ground yonder." he continued
with backward nod of his head in the
direction Of Woolwich, "yah'l see for your
SELL As II nothen would blow over a con-
Wet but that! or course the finger o.
matters in IT, The finger O nateTs got the
straight tip for most jobs. It's daisies for
the likes OF you and ne, and nettles for
them as goes wrong"
was too agitated TO converse with such
a heartless creature as this. My mind was
full OF Tom. | wondered how he would
greet Inc, how | should find him looking.
We should be allowed but a quarter of an
hour; what time would that give me to
whom long summer day was all too brief
In which TO tell him how loved him, how
meant to follow him, how our loyalty to one
another should If God permitted it triumph
Yet over the horrors and the suffe:ings
which might lie between the now and the
hour Of victorious emergence.
Copyright. 1893. by w. CLARK RUSSELL.
To be continued.