Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-04-28
NARROWING A BOY.
BY NJ. Quad.

Copyright, 1901, by c. B. Lewisl
We were loading the Liverpool brig
Memo for London at Bombay and |
had been shipped as second mate OF her
when one day boy about 16 years of
age came down to the craft and en-
deavored to ship as cabin boy, assist
ant to the cook or as an apprentice.
He was an English lad who had run
away from home and wanted to get
back. He was frank spoken, had an
honest, innocent face, and was glad
to help him to an interview with the
captain. 1t did him no good, however.
Captain Joyce was a selfish, hardheart-
ed man, and he not only refused the lad
the place he could have made for him,
but cursed him roundly for having
dared to come aboard ! felt sorry for
the boy and slipped him a crown. and
when he went over the side advised
him to try other vessels and not get
discouraged
l did not know that the boy returned
and worked on the sympathies of some
of our crew and was slowed away by
them in the forehod, but that was
what happened. Had or any other
officer of the ship got an inkling OF
his presence the stowaway would have
been hauled out of his hiding place
very quickly, but he was smuggled
abroad SO adroitly that only two or
three sailors knew of his presence until
we were three days at sea. Then by
their advice he showed himself and Of
fered to do anything he was set at to
pay his way Some shipmasters would
have put him at work and said no more
about it, as he could have been made
very useful, but Captain Joyce was
pleased to look upon it as a henous Of
Tense not to be overlooked. After
abusing the lad for ten minutes by
word Of mouth, he picked up ropes
end and fiogged him till some of the
men cried out against ii. That stop
ped the flogging for the time being but
the lad was set at the dirtiest of work,
given only food enough to keep soul
and body together and was cursed at
and struck whenever the captain could
reach him The first mate joined his
superior in this, while / stood as neil
trail as I could. Had | openly sympa-
thized with the lad | should have had
row with the captain, but could and
did show him decent treatment and en-
courage the men to do likewise.
We had run as far south as the Lack
adivh Islands and owing to a strong
gale had been set in much nearer than
our course lay, when one day. as the
brig was becalmed under the lee OF one
of the smaller islands, was ordered to
take a crew and row the boy ashore and
leave him. 4 was at first for refusing
shine with Her Nose on the Beach.
point blank, as 1t was monstrous
thing to do, but saw that the captain
was in liquor and would have the af-
fair carried out at any cost. Any re-
fusal to obey orders would result In my
being disrated and clapped in irons.
realized also that could help the wan
derer more by going than by refusing.
While the boat was being made ready
slipped down to my state room after
matches, knife, some fishhooks and
other things, and upon returning 10 the
deck found that the captain had pro-
vided the lad with about ten pounds OF
hard bread, the same OF pork and an
old kettle. He refused him matches.
however. and it was lucky thing that
] had brought three or four dozen
along The lad made no fuss about go
ing, although he knew that he was to
be set ashore on a lonely island.
knew he was in deadly fear Of the cap
tain and mate, and TO escape them in
any manner was a relief On the way
to shore advised him as best / could,
and the men at the oars were not back
ward in expressing their sympathy, and
when we left Joey on the beach he was
feeling quite stout-hearted.
What happened to that Lad after We
sailed away reads like romance He
had been marooned on one Of the most
easternmost Of the group, and perhaps