La Junta tribune., 1898-11-12
And su.icrr y 10 started Up. ahouting,

= did not dream that these wer0 tho
last words Of sanity he would speak. Aud
ySt-I don't kncw-the space between
snni,y and madness IL so small thnt-but
you shall judge for yourself .t
THE story of the wreck we learned
from the other survivors The vessel WINS
the Figuc, n corvette running for Bristol
with $3.50 oC0 In silver t,.sen from .
French transport. The gale had driven
tAsfn out of their reckoning.
f"when hope seainesi gune, the command.
q bad ordered him to call all hands att
ard the huYicr to call the marines, This
done, he haranGucd the crew, telling them
that Ms there was nothing to he done 1t
only remained Tor them 70 die like British
aiiors, He then gave Tom charge Of his
on and ordered him for shelter into tho
ronndhouse. for the SOFAS were now flying
over them
ut wns sad work bnrying tn, poor dead
fellows, for 30 bodies washed up. ard md
der to sec the pale, weeping, widowed
mother who came to the funeral Of her
little son.
but thcse things passed and left us
with Tom. He had taken up his abodc1H
the roundhouse. which hnd been hauled up
above the high water mark, and hero hs
stuck.
He turned out mild, harmlcss mnn
and was grssat friend Of NIL our childrcn
I he villagers took him under their charge
fitted up his strange dwelling and kept
him provided with such simple food Us
they themselves used l helped of course
Presently we learned that hc had
strange ways Al night. and especially nt
the full of the moon aud In wild storms
ho would wander nlcng the sand dunes.
now ard again winding his call-the call
for 'All hands tece- Witt 1t it :it.it.
IL teeee-whrr-r-r-r-r-in Then lie would
lift his deep yoico, An hands, ahuy''
ale bccai.'e an nttendcr ut tho little
Methodist chapel. and In moments of ex-
citcin ent-the only times when ho did be-
come cxsitcd-would declaim against the
church. as also no would sometimes do In
his talks with mo But we were good
friends for all that More than once I
asked him about Lis nightly ran bles.
Pm wal. ,ng tho captain. he would
reply He'll come up from yont.er one
day, and he'll ask rre, Tom, Ec'll say,
where Ia Master Chnrlcsy And who but
me can tell him. l shall say: He u gone
on ahead, your honor. Tho Lord High
Admiral Christ called him. and he could
not wait for us. The captain wouidn be.
lie,e NJ one else. Cause why. Eo gave
the lad into my charge. But when he ". ca
mo he'll know that all's we'll and he u
know the old Pique's roundhouso Dye
sect
God seems very tender TO such ~ he.
Not eoul round hero would have harmed
tho old man. Even the lads the widest.
never tcas,d him.
''Ono moonlit night something prompt
ed Inc to go down To tho beach and see
Tom. He WIS not in h!s house. so wan.
dcred along the sand dunes and presently
snw him standing motiOnless on . little
hiliock
"He took no notice Of my approach, hut
stoUd staring out to sea. SPOKE, asking,
as many times before 1 had asked. why he
stood there. He turned and spoke with
even more than his usual kolrmnity:
"'I've been Called sir, md they told
mo to get ready. for should soon havo TO
meet my commander.
who arc theyY' asked.
'''Tho<e that sleep dow n there. hs an.
swercd, pointing TO where tho ship Ind
gone TO pieces. those and the others up in
tho churchyard. When ripcd all hands
tonight. heard them answer And 20
know that the captnin will soon be com
ing. and he'll want to know where Muster
Charles Is. Then he'll want the hands
turned up to muster. and Ill have 70 be
hero to call en-.
lyon dom know the discipline Of n
ouIp-O -NuT. NbCu suS VI
chief calls We must all answcr ioecthc
smartly. All I'm sorry for IL that them
joilies won't have no buRler to blow the
assembly for 'em. Poor chap, he lost tic
nun her Of f's mess with the rst And
yet don't know Perhaps he'll have his
bugic ready-maybe Anyway they II hear
mo wind my CALL
1.-THE following night ono Of tho wiling
crr, who had been 70 SEQ Tom, called and
told me was wanted down on the beach
BY the old man.
"A gale was rising and walled mourn
fully In the air As walked down the
moon rose. As on that terrible night of the
wreck 1t was full
The old iran was waiting and was evi.
IDENTIFY in state Of excitement He gave
me no gree, nG, but began smutterlng
'1hey are calling mel
lyon wanted me. Tomr asked at
length
".Yes, sir, said be. Now that the time
has come feel afrnid TO meet the COM
n,antier nlone. and somehow felt would
rather have you than the minister. Your
gentleman and know what is due to mn
officer and a gentleman, and don't think
Christmas Elias Chat was his minister) Is
quite used to the quality
1.-THE moon had risen, but va, now be-
hind . low hank Of clouds The breakers
were moaning. IL was evident that q
Storm was apprcnct Ing Iswas nearly low
water. and long strctch of bcach and
reef I y between us and the ~.
~ held back bit. Hs pnced forward
By himself, mounting ono Of the sandy
hiilocks Then he stood. black against the
Frightening sky. Suddenly his shrill call
rang out; then bis hoarss shout 'An
hands. ahoyf ,s - ssstsa
ut sent cold shudder down my back
he turned and beckoned me. ss,,5l
a.They're mutteripR,' he whispercd as
n came up 20 him .LOokf But ] saw
nothing Don't you ses 'em. Sirf' he
said. pointing sesward, with staring eyes
"Juse then the moon emerged from the
cloud which had over hsdowcd her and
struck the line Of breakers. which. CLINT