The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-02-08

OIOpD6u Ills SlC0tu AAAACS ~ WAC
sharp, and when l lowered myseR-in
my bare feet, as we all were-I got q
mighty nasty cut in my left foot on
that knife. The salt water inf1amed 1t,
so that it was a sight to see by the time
we got to La Guayra, and l was think
ing more about my chances for lockjaw
than anything else. So l couldn't hus-
tie around to hide my stuff, as the other
fellows did, and of course I couldn't
trust any of them, and the upshot was
that when we were arrested every piece
of gold and every jewel l had was cap
tured, all but the opal, which, being an
unset stone, l had slipped into the waist
band of my old trousers. 1t was not
found.
THE superintendent knew we'll
enough that all the valuables we had
belonged Of right to the company, but
be couldn't prove it, at least he couldn't
to the satisfaction of the Venezuelan
authorities, SO after a long hard fight in
the courts we were let 60, but not until
we had been. upon II or another pre-
text. stripped Of everything in sight. He
recovered nothing except his longboat,
but the sailors, lawyers, courts and ev-
erybody else pretty much took a hack
at Us until nothing was left. Then We
were literally kicked out.
II got to Porto Rico on a goleta; then
to Trinidad before the mast to Liver
pool in the same way, and finally back
to New York, firing on a steamer Lord!
What q tough time I hadi But through
everything l managed to retain my big
opal. Invent to see Jenny Paterson, and
she would have nothing to do with me.
Alec had got home some time before l
did and poisoned her mind against me
with stories of l don't know what. l
had hoped he had forgotten the opal and
our fight, but he had not and had done
me the worst hurt he could.
"In a few days after my return l was
arrested again, at the company's in
stance, Oh the old charge of stealing re-
covered jewels, and a little gold pin
with three or four cheap small stones in
it that was found in my possession when
l was taken up was held to be an in
eliminating proof Of my guilt. 1t was
not, for I had won it fairly at cards
from another fireman coming over from
Liverpool, and, SO far as l know, it had
never been within q thousand miles Of
the wreck of the San Pedro Alcantara.
The company did no better prosecuting
me at home than they had done abroad,
for proof was lacking, and l was dis
charged. But the effect Of the affair was
damning, so far as work in my profess
sion was concerned. No wrecking COM
pany would hire a diver supposed to be
dishonest. I tried for work in other
ways, got several successive situations
and was driven from each in turn by
some unknown person-Alec, I've no
Notwithstanding to my employer a news
paper account of my trial.
II lost heart and hope, took to drink
ing hard, had only rags to wear and
many a day was miserably hungry, yet
through all that bitter time, with a
strange unreasoniug infatuation for the
fascinating and accused thing, l man
aged to keep my opal, and when
deemed myself secure from observation
l would take it from it's hiding place
among my tatters and gloat over it, and
wonder how much it was worth, and de-
bate with myself whether 1 could make
up my mind to sell it, and, If SO, how
could, in my condition, dispose Of such
a gem without being deemed thief anC
having it seized from me without any
compensation. All such questions were
suddenly settled for me.
lone night I had become SO utterly
wretched that I deliberately resolved tt
Jump off the pier and end it all. l hat
been looking at my opal until the con
trast between its glory and my debase
ment seemed to madden me. Within
block of the river, as l passed a darl
alley, a house seemed to fall suddenl.
on me, and / knew nothing more. Whel
/ recovered my Senses, l don't know
how long after, my hair and beard wer'
matted with blood from a cut on m
head, my face was caked with mu'
from the street where I had fallen, ant
my opal was gone. No doubt som
robber had seen me handling it, follow
ed, and after knocking me senseless rob
bed me.
1.-The blow left me still dazed after
had got ON my feet, and I staggere
along aimlessly, in the direction m
nose happened to be pointed, until l &c
to Broadway. And there I encountere
r Jenny, with her mother, returning HON
from q visit. The agony in my heart a
!, sight of her, SO beautiful and far abov
the thing / had become, leaped to m
lips, and without knowing what I di
/ cried ont her name as a lost sor
, might shrek to an angel. By sight tn
, dear girl could not have known me, 8
9 she has told me since, SO much had mil
. cry changed me, but my voice WEI
y straight to her heart, and with an al
. swering cry of "Oh, you poor Ben !!
: she sprang to me and held me up, or
y should have fallen. And her mother,
- noble, good woman, who always like
y me, she, too, knew at once whose voit
had called her daughters name ar
! helped sustain me.
"They took me home and fixed n
! up. l was i'll for a few days, and the
- Ao~l~ $3.50 -. l:rlIr No f I bod 1ocar