Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-06-19
A BURGLARS YARN.

.'ihtN3 F',tA's th'''iiC
Then he peered out Of the window
into the chill London mists and moodily
watched the rain pattering against the
panes.
ga vera nice place! This weather
makes one think on 'em," he exclaimed
in a minute Or two, without turning
round.
fancy heard him sigh.
There is a grim practically about
Archie though. Down dropped from
the clouds in one swift second.
"Yaller Jack vera busy when paid
my first visit" he said shortly and
pumped himself down into his chair
before the fire.
"Ohr'
"Aye; took off many on u.s.
"And you?"
"Me. Oh, he We're vera guild friend
to me, We're Yaller Jack. Aye, I've
nowt but kind words for him."
Never before had I heard the praises
of yellow fever sung. But Archie is
original if ne is anything at all.
cit We're in this way:
"As usual, 1 were nearly always in
hot water with my obstinate temper
and my willful ways.
1.-THE cat and me was we'll acquainted,
likewise the dark cell, likewise cheens
and rings, likewise bread and water.
"Things was gettin to vera bad
pass when Jack come to my rescue.
"But it were vera hard for man to
keep out O. difficulties.
"I'll tell you about Nat the stock
man, fro Leicester, who were doin sew
en- year for scttin fire to his house. Him
and me was diggin the foundations of a
conkhcuse. Nat vera down j. the hole
ID were atop wheelin the muck away.
,ln2 day it were pipin hot, and Nat
were tallin speel-o. Comes up war
dcr-an old slave driver he were-and
looks down at Nat. Now, then, get on
with yonr work, he sings out. Nat
looks up and never moves. Now, then,
stir, Or I'll come down and make ye, ,
cries the warder.
"But old Nat only laughs. Then in
goes Mr.. Warder, and Nat knocks him
down-silly meddlin-wi' his lang
handed shovel.
"And would ye believe me? don't say
nothin about Nat-he was a bit short j.
his temper--but they gives me 2S days
bread and water for not interferin!
"'And you stood by, Sloss, and see
him do it, says the governor.
"'Do ye think I'm fuil?' I cries,
to meddle in other folks affairs? Not
me. I'll tell you what it is, sir. I've
more business O. my own nor I can man
'em fight it out.
''But it We're no good argufyin.
II only mentions it to show you what
sort of place Bermooda was j. my
time.
Galore I'd done my 2S days comes
Yaller Jack. Yc should ha' seen their
faces! Takes dcrs and ALL Spares
none! There was fair panic. A man
were full o. life in the mornin and food
for the sharks by night time.
But didn't care for it. I cared for
nowt-i' those days. I don't know as
do now-excep' for what's afore me-
Imagine somber pause, full Of sig
nificance.
"Well, Jack gets worse an worse.
''There was none lef' to tend the sick.
'"The commander of the hospital ship
comes ashore an calls for volunteers.
Halo, Archiep says I to myself.
Here's chance for a change. Lots o.
grub and smook all day long. Ye may
as well die here as anywheers else.
Here goes. So holds up my hand and
cries, I'm one
''He looks at me and begins to laff.
YOU'RE fat and lusty, Sloss, says he.
You'll be the first to CO. For Jack
were particular fond O. the lusty ones.
1t were common talk how he like 'em.
But didn't care-not me.
4e might be dead afore me, sir, ,
says l. He were a hard nut, was Com
mander Jackson. I'd had four dozen
from him once.
"'Well, Sloss, says he, 'I'll take ye.
The devil will soon get his own.' So
off l goes down to the boat-me, three
Others and him-and were soon aboard
the hospital ship.
Sure enough, my words come true.
That verra night Jack knocks at the
cabin door of Commander Jackson.
1T were fair awful, that ship. I be-
gins to think I'd best ave been satisfied
WI bread an water ashore. But I
booked, and there was no gettin out O.
the job. First he took ye in the legs,
then he mounted upward, then he
spread all over ye, till ye was all aches
and pains. Then come the black vomit. :"
Even now Archie shuddered at the
thought of the awful scenes he took
part in-men raving, men cursing, men
mad, men tied down to their hunks, all
yellow. Above, the sun burning and
blistering; below, the odors of the sick,
disinfectants, the croaking death rattle
at their throats.
Such is yellow jack, according to
Archie.
HE took Commander Jackson vera
bad" he went on. He were o hard