Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-05-11

the collects, The boy SAID the Amens.
After the grace l turned to him. The
men were standing looking at him with
wonder that was also an awe. They told
me afterwards that none of them had seen
him join the group; so far as ! have been
able to learn in these now many weeks, no
human eye saw the boy till he began to
sing there at the graves.
"Where did you come from. my lad?
and hadn't you better put your hat on?' ]
said. as ! smiled into his fine eyes and
smoothed his hair with my hand.
Il came from the ship, and, please, sir,
/ have no hat"
ship? What ship, lad? And what is
your Nance
He took his eyes off nine and turned
towards the sea He covered his face with
his elbow and seemed to shudder, as he
pointed a finger towards what was once
the Jason. He did not tell me his name;
he never has told me.
/ had him in my arms in second.
dozen coats were off to wrap around him,
though he was clad warmly enough, and
was in no distress.
DO you mean to say you were in the
wreck?" / exclaimed, and the men pushed
up close and tiptoed to look at him. You
can imagine what our EXPLANATIONS and
questions were, and how we gave him no
time to answer. At last we stopped to
hear him say
mo one brought me. The ship was lost
in the storm, and went to sleep in bale
down there on the beach till you went by
with the wagon, and ! came after you.
There was in this little to explain how
he was saved. but il was all we could get.
There had been a long voyage, and then
terrible storm. All the sailors had been
washed overheard. He had forgotten aft
er that; he must have been asleep, and
when he awoke he was nice and warm in
the lee of a iute bale on the beach.
The men looked out al sea, then at each
other, then at me. Here was not only
strange happening; here was mystery
which neither that day nor any day since
has fathomed. The Jason struck three
hundred yards from the shore. Il would
have been a miracle had the toughest sea-
man reached land and lived; a child could
never have done it. There was no life
! preserver on the boy: he was dashed to no
spar. and no tender hands had received
| him from the surf, to roll him, to breathe
into his lungs, and rekindle the spark of
life He had Weakened quite alone, lying
| on the shore snug and warm, and his
]
YOU wonder ] did not care to tell this till
now that more than yea has passed, and
| | have had time to think it over, and make
sure that there is no mistake?
"Must have walked on the sea, like St.
Peter" said old Brad Standish, perhaps
half in fun, certainly half in awe.
There was nothing TO be done. and the
men were needed on the shore.
Il will take care of the boy. You 60
join your mates" ! said to them They
started off.
please, sir. are We to chant some mOre|'
asked the boy, in my arms.
"Whv. are YOU not cold or wet? You
do not seem to be. But are you not hun
gry?" 49,
mo, indeed, sir And hope you will
not be thinking | need to be carried, sir.
l am a strong lad.
$50 you are, and brave one, too.
ought to turn You over to some good
mother, but your jacket is warm and dry,
and maybe you ought to see me bury your
ships people"
Now that was cruel thoughtless
speech, but the boy never WINGED. Then
l said, more tenderly,
Had you father or mother on the
ship"
Neither" he replied. ~ loved them
all, though, except the steward, who beat
my monkey; but do not know them now
they are changed so. But l should like tc
be with you at the burials 1t is like when
| used to sing, sir.
So | took him with me. That day and
the next we went, l walking, he mostly
on my shoulders, from one to another OF
the graveyards of four towns, saying the
service together. The story of my com
panion was ahead of us, and everybody
came out to look at him. Brad Standish'
remark had got abroad, too, and the name
''little St. Peter was bestowed spontan.
eously and universally upon the lad
Many of the people did not believe he hac
been on the Jason at all; many do not be
lieve it now; and though ! know they art
mistaken. do not blame them.
Well. that is all. l took st. Peter home
with me- He has lived with me evel
since, and will have it no other than that
he shall always live with me. He is tel
years old, and in some regards is as simple
and innocent as he is beautiful; in other,
he is astonshingly well informed and keen
He told me the particulars of the wreck a
have given them, but he simply doe,
not know what miracle saved him. | dc
not know what he was doing on the Jason
he does not know himself. He know,
much about England and about India, but
he does not recolect ever having been il
either. A mental scientist would say thai
the events of that night etfaced much from
his memory. ] have another theory, Sc
sacred that l will not write it down.
He will say to me: II am sure / have
no father nor mother. ! think l did not
have any name. / remember all about
the long, long voyage, and my monkey
and the captain, and our touching at a
place they called Nautilus. When / re
member anything else | will tell you, but
am sure that there isn't anything else
Won't just the name the village folk cal
me do? And may l call you father
dear, kind, good father-at least when
you have your cassock On?'
OF course | don't allow the adiectives
but l am as much of a father out of a
cassock as in one. During the day he i,
in my study, and he reads the books
have long ago given up trying TO under
stand. In the evening we sit at the win
dow and watch the sun, dropping into the
sea, splash up the gold and crimson
lad so contented with the present that he
has no wish for past, and man Sc
happy in it that he wants no future if il
must be different,
Yesterday st, Peter and l, he holding
my hand, walked on the beach. When