The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1894-11-29

| some @ our spare canvas forrid Jist you
leer inter the galley, Jack, says Bill,
land LII spy out the cabin y
With that he Went rolf, aft till he
pitched up alongside the 81 .mps Of the
mainmast
"More dry rot, Jack, just like told
ye," roared Bill, lookin back.
That minute near fell over into the
chains, for up out Of the cabin compan-
lon behind Bill was a human head as.
bald as grape shot
What the h." says the head,
and Bill was that skared, being power
1ul superstltlous, that he started to run
ana caught his toe in the main hatch
and rolled over on the deck. The bald
beaded man came out in his shirt, With
a belayin pin in his hand, snortin like
a porpoise. "Why don't ye speak
ship afore ye board herr" says he. cuss-
in awful. and then he threw up his
hands and dropped the pin.
my God, forgive mep' he says. ''It's
Bill Marlin''
What ef 'tis?" says Bill, gettin on
his pins, mighty sore and put out. 'tWhat
sort Of a d----d blue nosed sea LAWYER
Of a-walkin ghost be you anyway to
shoot up out Of a wreck and nigh skeer
the life out O. two honest sailormen often
raft, and them swamped and starvin?
I'm a fo'oastle cat stuck in tar ef I
didn't think better O. you, Lige Haw-
klns, and with that they fell a-foul of
each other, waltzin all over the deck,
and while they was at it the Kanaker
sailorman walked his black legs out of
the companionway and began to dance
around the two.
Today s the day." says Bill, punchin
Llge in the chest and gettin the Boston
newspaper out Of his oilskins "There's
the governors proclamation. Read it. !"
"Well, I'm d--d!" says Lige, leerin
at it upside down.
After Bill shook hands with the Kama
ker man from the guano ship he intro
duced me all round and explained to
Hawkins how we had left the Nancy
and how we had refused to 20 on board
the ship for Liverpool the night before.
BY that time the sun was lightin up
Hawkins bald head, and he a-gapin at
Bill, with his breeches in his hand,
which the niger had brought to him.
Now" says Bill, "what be you lay
In here for, Lige Hawkins, and what's
become of the skipper and the crew Of
the Lightfoot?''
"What am I layin here for?" says
Hawkins. "I'm a-waitin for a ship into
Boston. The old man and therest O. the
hands went aboard bark bound into
Bristol two weeks ago, and wanted me
to go along with them, but I told 'em
ia see 'em id first hevin q date
with shlpmet in New Bedford on the
'Mer1can coast.
Cit into yer togs," says Bill
"We've got chest full Of plumduff and
grog aboard the raft.
The Lightfoot was loaded with wool
and some light merchandise, and when
the crew left her Hawkins said the sea
was SO rough the skipper expected her to
swamp, and it was all they could do to
get off the men. There was no lack Of
provisions and stores on board, and the
kanaker man and turned in and did
the cookin, and Bill nailed the govern
or's proclamation to the mizzenmast.
Business is business" says Bill
whats the bloomin cargo worth,
Lige?"
"Nothin where she lays, I" says Haw.
kins, sorreyful "If we had her into
port, she'd be good for 800, 600. It's
pity, Bill, SO tits, but there amt q yard
of canvas onto 'er 1"
'"That 'u'd be $25, 900 apiece allowin
four lays into 'er share and share" saws
Bill.
"Waal, +" says Hawkins, "what Of it?''
"Nothin," says Bill, "only I've
brought along two mainsails and yer
far'd sticks. -
And with that the two went down
the fore chains onto the raft.
By dinner time they had got new
yet of sails onto the mizzenmast, hoist
cd the chest on board and laid their
plans for riggin light canvas forward
and takin the prize into New York. all
Of which we afterward did.
When we sat down to the spread on
deck, besides the plumduff and the
yrog, we had soup and salt junk'.and
marmalade and coffee, and Bill said,
'onsiderln of what we'd gone through
and what we had before u.s. he'd be will
n to give a small lay into the cargo
'or sea parson to say grace onto the
grub
When we had cleared the board, we
brought out the pipes and baoy from
he chest, and all hands lowed we had
,lenty to be thankful for.
I'm plain sailorman,' says Bill
Marlin, land a 20 heave no, but when
makes date with shipmet I'm goin
or to keep it if SO be can, and the same
or Lige Hawkins from New Bedford
own, and 20 heave no. heave no"
-------'---a--
A letter received by The MAIL this ii
'eek from Don Greer, former resident
no business man of Granite, informs us
nat + ne ls still located in Sandy Hill,
!. T., and is now engaged as foreman in
he works Of the Portland Cement com
5c Eo11