The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1898-11-17
''HURSDAY, NOVEMBER II, 1898
.1r the BOAT DeTJre / r5li run snosy,
-1lgSI

ar the BOAT Der0r6 / r5H Eun sn5,y,
understand all?'
There was a low muruar from the
men, and the skipper contaued:
'Mr Smith will take barge Of the
boat"
The mate, with look atthe skipper,
climbed into the boat as she hung in
the davits The skipper tha called the
names of the crew he proposed to send
in her, sendirg first the saihrs, so that |
the nate might place each IN his proper |
station in The boat before tae freinen,
etc., who would be of no use in the |
critical maneuvers of getting her away
from the ships side. crowded her up.
But these same flremen did nc, under |
stand his reason and though, he was
showing undue preference to his own
men, and, q heavier sea than usual
striking the steamer. thert was a cry
Of, "She's going down. arli he's send
ing the sailors flrssl' afstaSIra ssuAh for the
stana pao.s-s Of L9kssr@a -
Crack, and the rcrang fEff 7saaslE seead
ont his hands and ,isches "a On his
face, rolling in a limp bund9tle CBwn on
to the lee rail. The rsst Sbf the men
stopped. They might as weRl be drown
ed as shot, they thought, aIhd they hud-
died together, looking with Mortified
glances at their dead oo1nrade. The
skipper paused, lowered his revolver
and then called the next name. They
had learned their lesson and went quiet
ly to the boat, which was got safely
away and drifted out Of sight in the
mist Of the gale.
The other boat was filed without any
mishap, and the skipper, the only man
left on the deck, lowered her. She also
got clear away and drifted out to the
full length of her painter The skipper
walked aft to wait for them to l..- up
again. He had to pass the body of the
dead man, and he did not look at it.
The boat was hauling up on the painter
and was getting close. The skipper got
on the rail ready to jump. At that mo-
ment fireman, the brother of the man
he had shot, reached over the boats
bow, and with a cry of "Blast you,
stop and drown with BillP' cut the
painter.
The distance between the ship and |
the boat began to widen instantly, and |
in spite of the frantic efforts of the sail !
ors at the oars the deeply laden boat |
was swept away and blotted out in the |
mist. The skipper got down from the
rails and made his way back to the
bridge deck. He had just ten minutes !
xs SS lire IL Ten minutes to prepare for the
next world after &c e years years ~ :.5s-s5eess!I
He climbed up on the bridge again
and sat ON the canvas wind screen to
think. His wife and children, who
would look after them now: His wages
were e16 per month. On that he had
had but small chance to save. Well, he
supposed the Shipmasters' society would
do something for her, but she would
have to give up her little house at For
est Gate and drop from the position Of |
-s4s4sat=.iinlA4.sSisp tl<5ttihg- ieesssssiA<sr
Perhaps one Of tKe children could be
got into an orphanaga If not, we'll, it
neaHt starvation or the workhouse. He
thought Of his own life, Of his hard, i'll
1sed boyhood, cabin boy in a Quebec
timber ship: of his manhood, spent in
1nremitting toll in all parts of the
world; OF the various ships he had COM
in each of which he had been
expected to use less coal, less paint,
ever provisions and to go with smaller
rews than in the last He thought of
he blackguards he had had to command
IS crews and the trouble he had had
With them, and the old sailor proverb
ose to his lips, ITO live hard, work
lard, die hard and go to hell after all
would be too ID hard " Well,
ed not had much fun out of life, and
ow be was going to find ont what it
II meant. Anyway he had always done
is best for his ship
His eyes fell on the dead body Of the
reman. That tool II the man should
1dict him at the bar Of the last iudg- l
lent, he would answer there, as he
Tould have answered to an earthly
Ourt I'm my Judgment it was neces-
ary for the safety of the men in my
barge. A sudden quiver warned him '
be was nearly gone, and he rose to his 6
eet for one last look to windward. AS a
looked into the binding spray, he I
Nv large wave come out of the mist, =
nd knew it would swamp her. He !
ripped the rail with both hands, and I
is lips moved in half forgotten pray
:. "Our Father. which art and the
ave swept on. But the Saraband had
me. The skipper had gone to meet his 6
'eman where "there shall be no more b
q. Temple Bar