Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-10-28

day a backing the life-boats, and a
carrying of thepoor drowned wretches
70 his place yon', and us working to
raw 'em on the rocks, and laying
hands on all, above and below, Of
Whatsomever value might be"
The young man laughed a heartless,
reckless laugh.
"It's the way with more in the
world thar Saul; he did at least save
the live OF the poor devils, if he wreck
ed EN- first. You'd have helped them
to the bottom, Ell, Mat?"
Hi! that's about it-though look
we, now, don't you judge me too harsh.
[ have done the Christian thing by a
ow-critter afore now, though say
it. Now, We see this watch?"
He took out q massive silver watch.
attached to a heavy, old-fashioned
chain about his breast.
cay, often, have wished it was
mine" replied lazily the other, be-
tween puffs Of his pipe
"Well, it was a Dutchman-in a
calm, too--the FUNNIEST go it was;
laid hold upon her all lilzo unaWares,
and took 'em off the;r guard, settled
the business of some haI-dczen or SO,
and had the vessel and cargo all in
our hands in no time.
II heerd it as [ was going belOw-a
sort of moan-and somebody calls
'Jem.' 1 answered for Jem, seeing, as
/ expect, Jem was done in that line
for good and all.
''In his berth he was, a young Eng
lishmen, bad wi fever; l give him
some water-he asked for it, for he
took me for ,Tem all along, We see-and
he said he was dying--he knowd it.
"Now I might ha' finished the lad in
a minute with my cutlas, but, instead,
I stood for Jem, and heered all he had
to say.
"He put this here watch into my
hands with letter, and he asked me,
when I got home to a village that he
named on the Devon coast, to take it
to her-the young woman as the let-
ter was writ TO.
'3Some more he said forget, then
lie died in peace. Now will we say
was hard?"
"Well, but the watch?"
Gay, ay; it We're a while afors things
squared for me 10 get into those
parts; but the TINE did come, ard We
laid by bit. French colors | mind
we carried as ws rode off that very
coast, and | minded me Of the watch.
$50 I went, and found the wench a
well-favored lass she Wur; she had q
leaning like to sailor men, thinking OF
him, and | wur made welcome.
II let OH was a mate of his; then |
showed her the Watch-she knew it
told her he'd sent it as q token, his
ship was there, but he couldn't get
leave ashore, but would meet her II
she would come in the boat so far
with me.
"She jumped at it--simple thing she
was; Of course | took her aboard our
craft; the capt'n was ashore, and
most O. the hands-only me, and the
cook, and lad
"WellW
esOf course she blubbered and raised
a shindy when she found the cheat,
but she didn't go back.
"What became Of herr"
Dwell, l never could make out
whether it were O purpose or that she
fell overheard; but three days after,
she was missing. Yes that's the
IDENTICAL watch
He coolly passed his huge rough
hand over the watch which had lain
on his knee during the recital, and re-
placed it in his breast, then smoked
complacently; the other took his pipe
from his lips, spat into the charcoal,
and drew a long breath.
"You're about the deepest-dyed
william | ever did come across he
said, {" "and that's saying a good deal
I've been bad enough myself, but hang
Don't say that" said the other
hastily.
"No, it should be you first" grimly
laughed the other.
.'Well,. don't know; it's q matter of
opinion, Simeon Foulkes. Now /
can't, for my part, make out a man
born to one FORUM, and coming into
another, running through 'em both,
and breaking OF his old mothers heart,
and bringing her and his sisters to
beggary, and to cursing him. | never
had a mother to love, but if | had,
william as am, she Wouldn ha' want
ed, I'm thinkin'; never chucked
AWAY SOulCWllCIGS CuCOt4U UCl1 VI UWCl
Thousand, and down my throat
neither"
Hold your tongue" roared the
other.
eYou might keep civil, Simeon Foul
kes; there mayn't be much to choose"
'tHark!' cried the other, as he
sprang to his feet and held up his
hand. / heard cry!''
"Gull blown again the rock"
'sNo, no! 1 know-There! there it
was again! don't you hear?"
''Not Its mayhap one O. them
darned coast guards; they're as skeer-
ed as gals, the young uns, of black
night"
II wish to the blazes was coast
guard, or any mortal thing alive, to
have some action; this rotting in a
hole don't suit me. A short life and
merry one!" He turned half round,
as if for glass at his elbow. "Con-
found it! and no grog!"
'It'd be as much as my life or yours
Irox.y ~ CT ord ,,,.c,