The Opelousas courier., 1898-08-06

M J
NV the whaler Marion
IN got infected, lik
- many other youn
~ fellows, with tn
A~ desire to run ava.
0 and try my luc]
elsewhere. I could not let we'll enougl
alone, though I belonged to a goo'
ship, and was we'll treated. And
listened to the seductive stories o
Tom Babson, an adventurer, who hat
led a harum-scarum life, knocking
about in the Pacific, and in the various
ports on the Spanish Main, till I con
vinced myself that we were a mucf
abused ships company, and that any
change would be for the better.
"While lying in the port Of Payta, il
Peru, we got acquainted on shore with
some seamen belonging to a ten-gun
brig, called the Tres Amigos. She
was fitting out to go and fight some.
body-I never knew exactly who, fol
these South American republics were
always in a row. think they hardly
knew themselves what it was all
about. But there was change and ad.
venture in it, at any rate; and Tom
and I laid a plan to desert from the
Marion, and get a couple of doubloons
advance by enlisting in the cruiser.
Sat various times during our stay
we contrivod to struggled nearly all
our clothes on shore, and left them
with a shark called Scotch Jock, who
kept a little pulgueria, and the last
liberty-day we were to have we left
the ship in the morning, not intend
ing to return to her.
1--WE went to the rendezvous where
they shipped men for the brig, and
found, much to our disappointment,
that the wages were not SO large as
had been represented, and that only
one doubloon would be advanced us
instead of two.
II began to perceive that all that
glittered in a beach comber's story
was not gold; but we had gone SO far
that we disliked to turn back; and
we should hardly be able to get our
clothes back from Jock, for his object
was to have us desert and spend our
advance money in his tavern.
$50 Tom Babson proposed that we
should not ship Immediately to the
man-of-war, but hide away
until the Marion had gone to sea, and
then take our chance of something
better. We could, at all event, take
up with the offer of the rendezvous as
a last resort.
"There was no occasion for us to
hide away before nightfall, for our
leave lasted until shutdown; so we
cruising about, hail-fellow-well-
met with other seamen through the
day. I took good care to keep sober,
but my comrade drank SO freely that
he was stretched out in Scotch Jocks
back room before the days leave was
up, quite oblivious of everything. OF
course, he was no company for me,
and, indeed, I was fast getting dis
with him and his plan.
"When the boat came in for the
iberty-men at sunset, l got out Of
where I could reconnoitre, and
saw one after another of my ship
mates go down and take their places
in her. I felt lonely enough to set
my sober second-thought to work;
and the result was I determined to
stick by the Marion, and let Tom Bah
son go his own reckless road. Had
he kept himself sober, and been with
me at that moment 10 use his infu-
ence, I might have seen things in a
very different light.
"The boat was in the very act OF
pushing off when, obeying the voice
Of this better angel, I a shouting
down the pier. The officer waited for
me, and, as ! jumped in, said: AL on
hand but Tom Babson, Where is he?
Does anybody know?'
IT alone knew; but, though I had
repented my own foolishness, I had
no idea Of turning informer. So Tom
was left behind, and the next morn
Ing q new hand was shipped in his
stead. OF course, when we got to sea
! was Obliged to go to the captain to
lraw more clothing from the slop-
,hest; but I never told the whole
story, and he only reprimanded me as
foolish, improvident fellow for hav-
.ng sold all my traps in port and
'pent the money.
II was better contented on board
low that I had not Toms influence at
york to make me otherwise. We were
'ery lucky in taking whales; and in q
rear afterward we anchored in Tum-
'ex, with . full ship, and. after taking
n our water, went up to Payta, to en-
oy our liberty and refit for the pas
age home. I had almost ceased to
link about Tom, and had no thought
# finding him there, more than in
ny other part1of the world, knowing
lis life to be that Of o mere adven-
urer.
"But one day, while strolling about,
passed what I took to be q prison or
'u~ard-house, where . sentry was pac-
ng back and forth, when Theard my
lalne called from a loophole.
II stopped in establishment and
tared at q face pressing up against
he opening, which I did not at once