Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-07-27
UGLY jim.
His Kind Heart Under Cover of q
Rough Coat

Rough Coat.
ugh What II night" was my in
volupta y exclamation, as ] came on
deck Just before eight bells twelve
o'cioekl "a that night in March, sc.
which fate had ordained ] shonld never
forget had heard the cry OF 'All
hands on deokl" beloved down the
70 castle. be scurry Of feet, the hoarse
command: "All hands aloft 10 shorten
sail Quick. lads, for your livesi" and
had bounced. ont OF my berth, jerked
into my clothes and tum bled up the
C rnT anlon-w 10 the slippery deck
What was doing aboard the ship
Wen. by profession ] am a doctor and
by occupation rambler. Not that it
is part Of my business as doctor TO
sion is to try TO restore natures jewel.
health, and !, being doctor las said
beforel, was endeavoring to do my
duty to myself and find that which
had studied hard to be able TO restore
TO others So there ] was standing, or,
rather, trying to flor the northeast
gale nearly blew me off my feet, on
the quarterback of the little brig ,Ien-
nv Lind, bound from Liverpool To Que
bee Horatio, wasn't it cold And the
sharp sleet, driven hard before the
gale, seemed like a sand blast cutting
the gravestones 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 10
the man at the wheel, and his answer
OF Ave, aye. sir, comes through teeth
set as a wise. With feet planted, or
rather, rooted to 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 starboard.' Steady Ease
her litter straining hard at the
wheel to put it port" or 'starboard"
as is ordered, and between his white
lips growing back his Aye, aye, sir"
by the ftful flicker of the pinnacle
lamp | see his face and know him to be
Jim Peters, the hardest man IN the
crew. Nobody liked him or would
have anything to do with him. He
was not prepossessing object to look
at His face lad as much sociability
and kindness in it as tombstone.
Heavy, square jaw; large mouth; eyes
black. or rather, one eye, for a large,
red scar running across his forehead
and down his left cheek back Of his
ear took that eye along with 1t;
shaggy head of sandy hair and nn-
xempt beard did their part in his make
up of ugliness. ! said nobody would
have anything to do with him. I'll
take that back, for there was one
board who pitied and tried TO he
friendly to him. He YVES the ships
boy, nice, likely lad. good-looking
and smart and sailor, every inch of
MIN. There was one thing about Jim,
however. which none could get back
IF, and that was he was strong as an
* and as good sailor as ever trod a
leck He was the only man aboard
y no could have held the wheel alone
n such a night. On we drive, reel
ln1 then plunge, and the little brig
zones out of the trough Of the sea
md shakes herself and then leaps on-
ward.
What's that cry ford? Jim starts
md see his face pale. as with all his |
mighty strength he puts the wheel to
,ort
Hard, Jim, hard, DOWN. comes a
Il
ling aft You did well. Jim. but your
hree times TO port were too late TO
ave her. for with sickeuing, ghastly \
rash She strikes and commences TO
cttle rapidly. A rough hand grabs
nv arm and deep voice growls:
IT'S the ice, DOCTOR jump for it,
ump for IT,"
Before can do so, l am taken off
nv feet; and the next moment | feel
Myself going through the air; then
udden stop. and find myself on
eld of drifting ice. ! turn tothanb my
leliverer. and find il was Jim whose
lear head and strong arm had saved
ne try to thank him, but he says,
hortly: I'D done it by the ships
OIs DOCTOR as SOou a. We Adu ne uctH |
5 handy" Nevertheless | shake hands
nd say few words to him, as he
nrns on his heels and Joins his mates
training their eyes 10 pierce the black
ess and see the little crafts last
lunge. Like bird whose wings hut-
er and then drop. her canvas shakes
nd She dives. never 10 come up. The
iew sadly bid her farewell and even
routy Jim SAYS: "6ood-by. little 'uu."
oa FOLKS ashore can't realize the fear
lat came over us as the waters closed
yer the little craft that had been to
: our home, our ''all in all" A feel
~ OF dreadful loneliness thrilled rs as
lrongh the inlSy darkness we tried to
lad the expression in our companions
ices.
mentioned it was cold. but words
re inadequate to properly convey the
y intensity. now that the blood which