The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1902-03-20
High School Compositions.
CAPTAIN JED'S WHALE STORY.

CAPTAIN JED'S WHALE STORY.
| tell You, sonny, whales is intelligent
creeters. Did | ever tell you the story
about that whale tanned down in the south
seas? You see twas this way. When |
was Il young Teller | got tired of laying
stunwalls and hoeing pertetters, so one
night | run away to New London and ship
ped on a whacr. Sick enough | got of it.,
too afore | see home. We went away south
an one day we see ar old whale and d young
one, You know young whales follers their
mothers around Just the way a calf follers a
COW. When we killed the old whale
begged em not to hurt the little Teller. He
looked so kinder cunning, | seemed ter take
a shine to him. He seemed to take to me,
too, and after I'd petted him and talked to
him few times he knew my voice jest as
we'll as could be and would come whenever
| called him, even if he was so far away It
had to use the fog-horn. We had a cow
aboard. Most all whalerS carries cows, We
know, and wen the Cap'n wasn't lookin',
I'd milk her and feed that whale How'd l
do it? Well, we had piece of iubber hose
aboard en- got that leetle creeter soft he'd
come up an take the end of that hose in his
mouth. Then I'd put the milk in pail an
stick the other end into it, and dye know,
that cunnin' little feller'd suck it all out
Rely seemed to enjoy it, too.
"What'd l call him? Oh, | named him
Zerubbabel, kinder sounded lik blubber,
We know. When we see a school of whales,
Zerubbabel would tow em right along side
whilst we harpoOned 'em off the deck In
two months we had every cask full of oil
and got ready to go home. l hated awfully
to leave that little Teller and | was scat to
death for fear he'd follow us and git kilt
by and by storm come up and we got
separated, but the crew all got back to New
London all right. After I'd seen the folks
and spent my money | shipped again ON a
Whaler and we started OIL a cruise to the
same latitude where first see Zerubbabe].
Before we'd seen a single whale, there
come up the tormentedest gale | ever see.
The old craft sprung leak and down she
went to the bottom. | clung onto top
mast watching for boat of some kind to
come along. l didn't see no boat but putty
soon see a whale spout an the mint see
him | knew twas Zerubbabel | holered
and he came for me like a steamboat. l
never see anything so tickled ir all my days.
He fairly turned somersaults all around me.
He seemed to know all about it, how was
in trouble and poorly soon came right up
side of me soft cd get ON his back. This
seemed to be just what he wanted and off
he started, dretful keerful not ter give me
spill nor nOthin'. We made great speed,
till we'd been goin' quite while when 1
see land right ahead. He never stopped
but Topped right up onto the beach to let
me off comforta bly,, then with caressng
flap of his tail sailed off. fairly boohooed.
The natives crowded round NE not KNOWN
what the matter was. They asked ques.
lions | couldn't understand no more'n if we
weren't made by the same Creator. But
never mind all that. / got home all right
but never see Zerubbabel agin.-'O5.
0A5ToH TA,
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