The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-09-10

three or3four bodies cast up on the shore,
ono OF them q small drummer boy, side
drum and all; and, nearby. part Of q
ships gig, with II. M. s.. Primrose cut
on the stcrnboard. From this point on,
the shore was Uttered thick with wreck
age and dead bodics-tl1e most Of them
marines In uniform; aud in Godfrey Cove
4 in particular d heap OF furniture from
the captains cabin. and among II
watcr-t tight box, not much damaged, ana
full OF papers. by when when 1t came
to be examined next day. the wreck was
cnsIlytrnhdt out to be the Primrose OF
eighteen guns, outward bound from
Portsmouth, with Il fleet Of transports
for, tho Spanish war, thirty sail. I've
heard, but I've never heard what became.
OF them. Being handled by merchant
slsir,1,ers no doubt they rode out the gale
and reached the Tag,is safe and sound.
I not but what the captain of the 'Prim-
rose (Meln was his Inamc) did quite
right to try and club-ha his vessel
when he found himself under the land;
only no never ought to have got there.
IL he took proper soundings. But us
easy talking.
A''rhc Primrose sir was handsome
vesscl-for her size, one Of the hand
soonest In the Kings service-andl newly
fitted out Mt Pl ymouth Dock. So the
boys had brave pickings from her In the
way OF brass work, ships instruments,
and the like. let alone some barrels OF
storcs not much spoiled. They loaded
themselves with as much as they could
carry and started for home meaning to
make n second journey before the pre-
vcntlvc men got wind OF their doings,
and came to spoil the fun. But as my
father was passing back under the Dean.
he happened to take a look over MS
shoulder at the bodies there. 'Hullo!
says he, and dropped his goar, ! do be-
lieve there's a leg moving! and running
: fore, he stopped over the small drummer
2 boy that told you about
..'Thc poor little chap was lying there,
with his face mass OF bruises and his
eyes closed, but he had shifted one leg
an Inch or two, and was still breathing,
So my father pulled out a knife and cut
him free from his drum-that was dashed
to him with n double turn Of Manila
;rops-and took him UP and carried him
along here to this very room that we're
sitting in. He lost a good deal BY this,
for when he went back to fetch the
bundle he'd dropped, the preventive men.
had got hold Of It, and were thick as
thieves along the foreshore, so that twas
only by paying one or two to look the
other way that he picked up anything
worth carrying off, which you'll allow
u,
man TO give news of the wreck.
the inquiry was held, Of course,
and my father gave evidence, and for the
rest they, had to trust to the sloop's
pa pers, for not a soul was saved besides
the drummer boy, and he was raving In
a fever, brought on by the cold and the
fright. And the seamen and the FIVE
troopers gave evidence about the loss of
the Despatch. The tall t1umpeter. too,
whose ribs were healing, came forward
and kissed the book; but somehow his
head had been hurt in coming ashore, and
he talked foollsh-like, and twas e Aiy seen
he would never be proper man age.n.
The others we're taken up, to Plymouth.
and SO went their ways, but the trumpe-
ter stayed on in Coverack, and King
George, finding he was 1T for nothing,
sent him down a trifie of a pension after
a while-enough to keep him In board and
lodging, with a bit OF tobacco over.
Now the first time that this man
William Talllfer he called himself-met
with the drummer boy was about a fort
night after the little chap had hettered
enough to be allowed a short walk out of
doors, which he took, II you please, in
full rsgimentals. There never was O SOL
der so proud of his dress. Ills own suit
had sllrunk a brave bttlwith the salt Wa
ter, but into ordinary frock and cordu-
roys he declared he would not get, not
If he had to 60 naked the rest of his life;
SO my father, being a good natured man
and handy with the needle, turned to and
repaired damages with piece or two OF
scarlet cloth cut from the Jacket of one
of the drowned marines, Well. the poor
little chap CHANGED to be standing, in
this Rrig-out, 4 down by the gate of Gum
ner's Meadow. where they had buried
two score and over Of his comrades. Tho
morning was fine one, early in March
month. and along came the cracked trum-
peter, likewise taking a stroll
'Hullo!' says he; good mornln'! And
what might you be dom here 2
+ I was a-wishin'.' says the BOY, Il had
+ o pair o. drum-sticks. Our lads were bur-
led yonder without so much rs drum
tapped or musket fred, and that's not
2 Christ Ian burial Tor British soldiers. =
''Phut!' says the trumpetcr. and spat
on the ground; a parcel of marines!'
'~rhe boy eyed him second or so. and
answered up. IT'D a tab OF turf handy,
I'd bung It mt your mouth. you greasy
cavalrymnn, and learn you to speak re-
spectful Of your bcttcrs The marines
are tho hnndlest holy o men In the SER
Vice. 55 .t5
$'Thc trumpeter looked down on him
from the height of six-foot two, and ask
4 cd "Dld they die well?'
They died very we'll. There was a
lot OF running to and fro at first, AMI
some OF the men began to cry, and a few
TO strip off their clothes. But when the
ship fell off for the last time, CAPTAIN
Meln turned and said something to Major
FGriniths, tho commanding officer on
hoard, and tho major called out to me to
beat to quarters, It might have been for
I. wedding, he sang It SO cheerful. We'd
had word already that twas to 40 parade
dress; and tho men fell In as trim and
decent as II they were going 10 Church
7 one or two even tried to shave at tho
last moment. The major wore his medals.
one of the sean1en, seeing had work 10
keen the drum steady-the sling being \
bit loose form and the wind what YOU
remember--lashed It tight With II piece or
rope; and that saved my life aftei ward, q
4 drum being rs good ms n cork until rs
stove, I kept beating away until every
man was on deck; and chen the major
formed them IN and told them to die like
British soldiers, and the chaplain road a
prayer or two--the boys standing all the
while like rocks. each mans courage
keeping up the others. The chaplain was
in the middle of q prayer when %e
struck. In ten minutes she WIS sone,i
That's how they died, caynlryman,' M XII
,.