The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1893-06-03
UGLY JIM.
Els Kind Heart Under Cover Of q
Rough Coat.

Il
1
ugh! What q night!' was my in
voluntary exclamation, as / came on
deck just before eight bells twelve
o'clock on that night in March, 49,
which fate had ordained should never
forget. l had heard the cry Of "All
hands on deck" beloved down the
fo'castle, the scurry of feet, the hoarse
command: "All hands aloft to shorten
sail! Quick, lads, for your lives!" and
had bounced out of my berth, jerked
into my clothes and tumbled up the
companion-way to the slippery deck.
What was doing aboard the ship:
| Well. by profession am doctor and
by occupation rambler. Not that II
is part of my business as doctor to
ramble; but, you know, doctors mis-
| sion is to try to restore natures Jewel.
health, and ], being doctor las said
before), 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 Jen-
ny Lind, bound from Liverpool to Que
bee. Horatio, wasn't it cold! And the
sharp sleet driven hard before the
gale, seemed like sandblast 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"
Well may the poetic dreamers sing
the praises of "Snow, snow. beautiful
snow" They view it from the inside
OF a warm, CHEEKY room, reclining in
an easy-chair, pipe in mouth, watching
the little feathery flakes peeping
slyly in through the glass and then
driven roughly away by their master,
wind, for daring such impertincnce.
Aye, it is Leautiful snow then! But
change the scene. A night, as black
ms coal and almost as dense, for the
eye can hardly see a rod away, the
wind tearing, booming, bowling
through the taut rigging. the sleet
driving, cutting, grinding the flesh ex-
posed to it, and the little brig of ouly
one hundred and fifty tons lurching,
grooming, bouncing here and there in
the mad, fierce grasp of the sea. Lord,
what yells! start, shiver and find it
is only that devil, wind, laughing as it
slaps old Neptune in the face, flashing
him to still more fury. / am almost
frozen, for the heavy spray which flies
over US as the brave craft holds its own
freezes as fast as it strikes, coating us
with thick crust.
This is fearful night" 1 say to
the man at the wheel, and his answer
of AYE, aye, SIR" comes through teeth
set as 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!" "SteadyIa Ease
her little!' straining hard at the
wheel to put it port" or ..starboard''
rs is ordered, and between his white
lips growing back his AYE, aye, sir!"
By the ftful flicker of the pinnacle
amp see his face and know him to be
linn Peters, the hardest man IN the
rev. Nobody liked him or would
lave anything to do with him. He
vas not prepossessing object to look
It. His face had as much sociability
nd kindness in it as tombstone.
ieavy, square jaw; large mouth; eyes
lack. or rather, one eye, for large,
ed scar running across his forehead
nd down his left cheek back of his
ar took that eye along with it; a
haggy head of sandy hair and I'M
empt beard did their part in his make
p of ugliness. said nobody would
ave anything to do with him. I'LL
AXE that back, for there was one
board who pitied and tried to be
'iendly to him. He was the ships
oy, nice, likely lad, good-looking j
nd smart and a sailor, every inch of
i'm. There was one thing about Jim, 7
owever, which none could get back I
!, and that was he was strong as an
< and as good sailor as ever trod a i
,ck. He was the only man aboard
no could have held the wheel alone b
such night. On we drive, a reel j
I'd then plunge, and the little brig
mes out of the trough of the sea b
I'd shakes herself and then leaps OH e
ard. a
What's that cry ford? Jim starts, a
ID see his face pale, as with all his
ghty strength he puts the wheel to Il
rt ~
Hard, Jim, hard, DOWN. comes a Ie
int voice, and the captain comes run n
ng aft You did well, Jim, but your M
rec times to port were too late to
We her. for with q sickening, CHASTITY az
ish she strikes and commences to >,
tile rapidly. A rough hand grabs pl
: arm and deep voice growls:
It's the ice, doctor; jump for it. u
mp for it, a,
Before can do so, am taken off hs
feet; and the next moment / feel W
self going through the air; then a al
lden stop. and l find myself on a ae
d OF drifting ice. / turn to thank nv 10
iverer, and find it was Jim whose WI
ar head and strong arm had saved US
try to thank him, but he saws av
'rtly: I'D done it by the ships I'M
!, doctor, as soon as We, had he been al
handy" Nevertheless shake hands, 100
say few words to him, as he OIL
ms on his heels and joins his mates ne
aiming their eyes to pierce the black a
s and see the little crafts last tai
nge. Like bird whose wings fiut- ou
and then drop, her canvas shakes OF
she dives, mover to come up. The an