Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-07-09

the boy could he leading them. They
were still more surprised when he
brought them to the oddest-looking
craft they had ever seen. 1t was too
old-fashioned tub for even Captain
Matt to have ever seen its like. 1t
was big, bulky frigate, whose sides
bulged out like gourd and then mar
rowed in. The top was entirely COW
cred in with glass roof. 1t looked
like some old hot-house tied up at the
dock. Her tigure-head of grimy white
was man in frock coat. The name,
President, was lettered on the side.
Captain Matt and his son exchanged
glances over this dismantled, clumsy
apology for ship as the boy hurried
up the gang-plank. The deck had an
immense sweep and was tidy and ship
shape, with some old cannon and gun
carriages on it, all under the glass roof
The boy dived downstairs and then
to the left, and the Captain and his
son were surprised at finding them
selves suddenly in what seemed the
cosiest of little homes. There were
regular square windows as large as
those in q room, and gas chandelier,
with two or three jets lit, threw a
pleasant light on the carpeted floor
and table Uttered with a woman's
sewing. There were hower-pots in
the window. Through the door of an
adjoining room they saw a stove and
shelves. A small, wiry man was sit
ting comfol tably, reading a paper,
and bright faced, motherly woman
was sewing. The advent of the drip
ping boy and the two strangers in
stantly threw the place into excite
ment.
81 fell into the water and he pulled
me out, father; and 1 brought him
here to get his clothes dry" explained
the rescued urchin, wet and shaking
with tue cold.
"Mother, you make some tea for
'em, quick. Jennie, take the lad
in there and get him into some of your
clothes and we'll dry his before the
stove" said the little man in one
breath.
~ will. But you are nice boy to
save my James" Here the good
woman gave Billy hearty hug and
two resouNding kisses, much to his
discontinue. He hated to be kissed
and there was nothing to make fuss
about. Why do women act that way?
While the boys were getting into
dry clothes and the woman was max
ing toast and tea, Captain Hanford
and the other got acquainted. He
learned that the old frigate was the
exact copy of an American boat which
was regarded as model of naval
architecture in her time. The first
President had been copied from the
American model of the same name in
1898, nearly one hundred years ago.
This one was built exactly like the
first, and was launched at Portsmouth
in 1929. After thirty-two years of
service, she had been brought to this
dock, where she had lain for thirty
five years without being once taken
out of the water.
"There was talk of taking her over to
your Worlds Fair, but, bless yer!
the old thing would go to pieces be-
fore she got to the More lightship,"
said Gunner Seabury, for that was
the name of the little man. "But
she's big boat, one hundred and
sixty feet long and forty feet extreme
beam, has a crew of twenty. eight able
seamen, and carries one gun on the
upper deck and four on the main
deck"
"Do they do anything with her?'
asked Captain Hanford.
"No, except that the Naval Reserves
drill here every day from nine in the
morning until four in the afternoon.
The long sweep of deck with SO little
on it makes a fine place to drill em.
And we live here and keep little shop
for 'em," added s,eabury.
"And beautiful home you've made
it, ma'am," said Captain Hanford,
thinking of his own neat, white cot
tage at Bath Beach, with pang of
homesickness.
The boys came out now as fresh and
dry as ever, and none the worse for
their adventure. 1t looked as if they
were more likely to come to grief by
eating toast and strawberry jam, which
grateful Mrs. Seabury gave to them
without any restriction. The Han
fords left with the blessings of the
family on them.
"To think, William, of my bringing
you away over to London to save boy
from drowning who lived on a craft
modelled on an American frigate," ex-
claimed Captain Matt, cycling Billy
with twinkling eyes as they walked up
the dock.
1t was the first time in his life he
had ever called his son William. Moth
ing could have emphasized his appre-
citation of the boy as hero and life
saver more than this.
Billy, who honestly didn't feel as if
he had done anything great, was
pleased at his fathers pleasure. All
he said, however, was: 'If they think
that old hulk is an American ship, they
ought to see the White Squadron!"-
New York Ledger.