Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-05-22
AN ASTONISHED LAD.

That's queer-loOking objocs,
Aleck, floating In the cove. 1t looks
like huge piece OF hard soap"
Hard soap don't SWIM" replied
Aleck shortly. "lt's probably dead
hake, or little yonker's (baby seal)
pelt. But we must hurry, Denny,
and get these fish upon tho fake
The sun Is coming out finely this
morning.
The speakers, two Newfoundland
lads, brothers. aged IA and 1t. lived
at Bear Coo, Bonavista Bay, on the
northeast coast OF that great fOgVy
island. and they had never been out
side the bay district"
Their 10. In lie was not an easy
ona Since a recent disaster TO the
teaIing feet whom their father had
lost his life, they had been the whole
support Of q family OF ten po.sonA
inc udinK Two aged grandparents
their mother and flve younger broth.
ers and sisters.
In that remote settlement of Usher
folk there were no schools nor oppor-
tunities for learning any craft save
fishing and sealing To provide even
che barest necessities Of life for them
selves and their kinsfolk tho boys
were obliged to work constantly and
sLtend sharply to their fishing.
The tioatl. z ob.ecL however, e1.
cited DenDy's curiosity. II was po-
culiar in appearance He did not be-
lIeve that 1t was a dead f.h, and he
glanced atit occasionally as he spread
the dressed coifsh on the flakes to
cure In the June sunshine. At length,
when his task for the time being was
over, he picked I'd an oar, pushed
their era y old dory into the water,
and skulled out to make sure what
the .ueer-looking mass was
The strange object was Of singu
lar, variegated, grayish, greeni.h-
yellow color, and at first sight he
thought IL was jelly BUT on touch.
ing 1t with the oar he found that it
was hard-as hard, Indeed, as hard
soap
Then he touched 1t with his fingers,
and found that II gave forth a pecu.
liar odor. at length he reached
ouu III hOlu Oh UllS
mass, lifted 1t into the toaL 1t was
of Irregular shape, nearly as large as
q half-bushel measure and about o.
heavy as he could lift
He ca ried 1t ashore and set It on
one end of the tlsh-fake, where both
he and Aleck tested 1t with theiJ
knives
1t is hard, gummy stuff" said
Aleck. II don't believe it is good
for anything. l don't like the smell
Of it."
II do Ike the smell of it." said
Denny, "but 1t makes me feel queer"
The old grandma of the family
came out to the fakes and after
poking 1t and smiling 1t, said that IL
was whale stone"
1t remained on the fake for
month or more, when the Novia
Scotia skipper OF a coaster which had
put In to buy their fish happened tC
notice it. After turning It over and
pois ng 1t in his hands to note It's
weight, and trying his jack knife
upon it. he cast an inquirlng look at
Aleck.
That's quite chunk of rosin,"
ae said. Where dye get 1t?"
washed ashore" repl.e ed Aleck.
Granny says it's whale stone"
added Denny.
The skipper turned away with ap-
parent carelessness, "My cook plays
the fddle," he said, looking back
"I'll give ye a dollar for that to rosip
his fiddle bow with"
Aleck would have said yes at once;
out Denny. who had quicker perccp-
tions. had noted the furtive glance,
aud said:
40; I'd rather keep it"
The skipper talked of various mat
tiers for some time, but at length
came back to the subject Of the
"ro,i D." and offered two dollars, then
three ami at last five. But Denny
still obstinately said, mo; Id rather
Keep It,"
The skipper staId with them for an
-Four or two, but at last went of to
his vessel without further allusion to
tie '.To5in."
AIeck. much veyed, called Denny
fool for not accepting the offer made
,y the captain. Five dollars was a
arRe sum to these poor boys But
Denny still resisted.
Il found it." he asserted. "and l
hall set my own price Skipper Mo
-eod cannot buy it for five dollars
lie wants 1t more thap he cares to
ct US know. l saw that plainly
'nough In his eyes"
Before night, too Denny prudently
;ook the whale stone of the fish
lake aad hid 1t away IN u safe place.
This was wise act for the next
morning the boys found everything
opsyturvy about the fakos and tho
and ng Jetty, as If some one had
,een searching there diligently.
The coaster still lay at anchor In tho
,ay.
This very suspicious circumstancI
oupl d with the shippers behavior.
aused Denny to think quit, serious
y about his whale stone and its pos
iblc value, until at length h. be-
amo SO earn ST about 1t
hat he resolv d to ind out /
n somc way what It was and what H.
rss worth. But tho fsherfolk WHO
Ived near had no knowledge Of such
natt.ra
81 during the following we.k