The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1908-11-18


1--WE shall go round tomorrow for
the last time SEES Sam, as We told 'er
we're sailing the day AFTER
Meantime ses Peter Russet, you
mustn't forget that you've got to send
us post office money-orders every
week
Ginger said e wouldn't forget, and
they shook 'ands all round and 'ad q
drink together, and the next afternoon
Sam and Peter went to the Blue Lion
for a last visit
1T was quite early when they came
back. Ginger was surprised to see
'em, and he said so, but e was more
surprised when e heard their reasons
1T come over us all at once as
we'd bin doing wrong Sam ses, set
ting down with a sigh.
"COme over US like a chill, it did,
ses Peter.
Doing wrong?' ses Ginger Dick,
staring. 'Wot are you talking about?'
Something the landlady said
showed US as we was doin' wrong
ses old Sam very solemn; 1t come
over us in fash
Like lightning ses Peter.
1T amt fair play agin a woman
says old Sam, three strong men agin
one poor old woman; that's wot we
feel, Ginger
"'Well. 1 don't feel like it, ses Gin
ger: you please yourself, and I'll
please myself
"'E went of in a huff, an next
morning e was so disagreeable that
Sam an Peter went and signed on
board steamer called the Penguin,
which was to sail the day arter. They
parted bad friends ell round. and Gin
ger Dick gave Peter nasty black
eye, and Sam said that when Ginger
came to see things in proper way
agin he'd be sorry for wot ed said.
And e said that I'M and Peter never
wanted to look on is face agin.
Ginger Dick was a bit lonesome
arter they'd gene. but e thought it
better to let a few days go by afore e
went and adopted the red-'aired land
lady. He waited a week, and at last,
unable to wait any longer, e went out
and 'ad a shave and smartened hisself
up. and went of to the Blue Lion.
Glass O bitter, ma am, please he
ses to the old lady as she came out O.
the little parlor at the back o. the bar.
The old lady drew the beer, and
then stood with one and holding the
beer-pull and the other on the coun-
ter. looking at Ginger Dick in is new
blue jersey and cloth cap.
Lovely weather, ma'am.' ses Gin
ger, putting his left arm on the coun-
ter and showing the sailor-boy dancing
the hornpipe.
Its ard life, the sea- ses the
old lady
"She kept wiping down the counter
in front of i'm over an over agin, an
e could see 'er staring at is wrists as
though she could 'ardly believe her
eyes. Then she went back into the
parlor, and Ginger card her whisper
ing, and by and by she came out agin
with the blue-eyed barmaid.
"'Have you been at sea long?' ses
the old lady.
lover % years, ma'am,' ses Ginger.
the barmaid's eye wot was
fixed on is wrists, and I've been ship
four times; the fust time
when l was a little nipper O. four
teen.'
Pore thing ses the landlady,
shaking 'er 'ead. 1 can feel for you;
my boy went to sea at that age, and
I've never seen i'm since
I'm sorry to ear it, ma'am, ses
Ginger, very respectful-like. I suppose
I've lost my mother, SO can feel for
you
Suppose you've lost your mother!'
ses the barmaid; don't you know
you have?'
NO ses Ginger Dick. very sad.
When was wrecked the fust time l
was in a open boat for three weeks,
and, wot with the exposure and 'ardly
any food, got brain fever and lost my
pore thing, ses the landlady agin.
81 might as well be a orfin,' ses
Ginger. looking down; sometimes
seem to see a kind, 'andsome face
bending over me, and fancy it's my
but l can't remember 'er
name, or my name, or anythink about
er.
"'You remind me O. my boy very
much ses the landlady, shaking 'er
cad.
Ginger Dick would ha' liked to ha'
seen 'er a bit more excited, but e
ordered another glass o. bitter from
he barmaid, and tried to think 'ow
he was to bring about the ship on his
chest and the letters on is back. The
served a couple O. men, and
BY and by she came back and began
.alking agin.
81 like Sailors she ses; one thing
S. ny boy was sailor; and another
hing is, they've got such feelin' carts.
There was two of 'em in ere the other
lay, who'd been in ere once or twice,
md one of EN- was that kind 'earted
thought he would ha' 'ad a fit at
told him.
".Ho.' ses Ginger, pricking up his |
ears, 'wot for?'
81 was just talking to i'm about my
BOY, same as might be to you, ses
he old lady, and l was just telling
i'm about the poor child losing is i
niger
Losing is wot?' ses Ginger, turn |
ng pale and staggering back.
Finger ses the landlady. e was
)nly ten years old at the time, and I'd |