The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1894-04-14

@MM' 1 D,ss,: s S,o "5l a
lis veins, along with his fathers face. y
AYE, and his mothers warm art, '
answered John Bates. you're his un'
Gle; don't be too hard on the boy"
Thomas Garth. the first speaker,
made no immediate answer. He shifted
his pipe, looked out over a gray sea
streaked with foam. torn with wind,
and then sat down again under the
weather side of q wall upon Perranpol
quay.
Its like this, Rates; Mike Tregaskis
had his evil way before he left near
eighteen years ago And this boys the
risen ghost of his father"
do Dick know about his father?"
SIN q manner of spcakin' yes Dick
knows lis father left Mary; an e ses 'e's
goin' to roam the world some fine day
and bring Michael Tregaskis back to lis
mother"
The speakers were two grizzled Cor
nishmen, and the boy whom they dis
cussed now interrupted conversation,
for he came briskly along the quay.
Dick was a smooth, brown-faced lad
froward enough, as his uncle declared
but well put together, strong, ener-
getic when he liked, and a splendid
sailor. He had wanted to go into the
royal navy, but his mother could not
nerve herself to let him go. So he
stopped at Perranpol, in mischief most
of his time, the cock of the walk
amongst the youngsters of the neigh
borhood. He was wild hawk of a
boy and risked his life from morn till
night, on the sea, ON the cliffs amid the
guil's nests, or where any spice of dan
ger lurked. He loved his mother with
all his heart and caused her a world of
mingled terror and joy. Nobody ever
knew what Dick would do next Some
times, though less often as he grew
older, he vowed to go out into the
world and find his father and bring
him home to Perranpol. but with years
the determination waned. The world
was big place, Dick discovered, and
all that was ever known of Michael
Tregaskis in Perranpol, after he went
away, amounted to q rumor that he
had gone as sailor to foreign parts
Dick came down the quay to where
old Garth and John Bates were smok-
ing their pipes. He stopped and spoke
abruptly to them:
II been up on the head. IT'S wicked
work brewing to the east'rd-a black
gale BLOWN up. The airs stingin' with
II Already"
Like enough, boy"
"How's the Devils Teeth Dick?"
asked Bates
The Devils Teeth" was a ridge of
Bunken rocks that showed a jagged,
serrate edge above water at low tide.
II lay to the east of the little harbor
Of Perranpol, about half mile from
shore.
'Old Nick's shown 'em," answered
the la d. Hes champin' the water to
froth with 'em. Lordi there's a ugly
tumble out there tonight! I'd like to
zee summat come down on that lee
shore"
''Out on you, boy!'' swore his uncle.
''You-you as dwells with fisher folks |
to wish that. Are you daft? Mayhap
God Almighty IL drive you on lee |
shore fore 'e's done with you. Your |
arts 'arder an blacker'n Cornish |
rocks!'
II don't wish no 'urt to none, uncle"
Dick. looking out into the
incoming night; ''but It's this way:
long Dykes laid by with some i'll |
hats took i'm in the loins, an I'm
lext--next for the life-boat I've got
he cap'n's word for it He seed me
null In the regatta to Falmouth last
ummer, and e Civ is word That's
Why I'd not cry If SO be there coined a
wreck on tie Devils Teeth"
"'Tis tru9, )" said Bates; Long Dykes
n dock with lumbagey an the boys
lext."
"Do your mother know. Dick?"
mo. Time to tell 'er when I've gone
n come back again"
"A dirty night, an goin' to be a
blamed sight dirtier I'm for home
aid John Bates
"Doant'e name the life-boat to moth
r"
"Nay, not me. God send NO call to
anne it to none"
The storm that night was tremen-
QUA Few Of the oldest men in Per-
. npol could remember worse. When
he tide turned and came high, the
light gfimmered with ghostly gray
ght of white water. breaking in sheets
' er the quay; the wind shrieked and
He'd Perranpol with flying brine and
lshing rain. But dawn trembled into the
haos at last. and just after the earliest
Inn touch of 1t, Dick. sleeping restless
: enough, heard = sound that brought
Inn out of bed and into his clothes like
fash of lightning Louder than the
urtle of the rain, louder than the roar
nd shrek OF the gale, came the thud ,
nd solemn boom of heavy gun. After
minutes pause the sound shook his
again in lull of the wind: ,
I'D Dick knew It was signal from the
'astguard station-the signal for the ,
fe-boat N
In less than ten minutes he was {
mad Ss1ph l. q L. =