Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-03-16
Lost
A story Of the international
Date Line.
BY CHESTER WILLIAMS.
BY CHESTER WILLIAMS.
Copyright, 1910. by American
Association.

An ulQ SILT tOlu uAc SAAS bVOEy with
was waiting on the dock for an In
coming ship. He was queer looking
old chap with rings in his ears:
ave was a-drawin' nigh New Zea
land. A year afore we'd h'isted an
Choir at ACKNOWLEDGMENT I
town In New Zealand, boss-and artel
roin' clear round this ERE globe a-ship
MIN cargoes in heather lands and
a.sellin' 'em in Christian lands we wal
s.eittin back to where we'd started
from to settle up with the owners.
"our cap'n knowed well enough how
TO trade, but he wasn't nowhere al
navigation. He'd been one year afore
the mast when his brother, In the soap
boiln' line. up and died and left him
$4,000 He put the lump in with the
owners Of the Polly Milford and got
the command. He warn't fit to COM
mand a yawl, boss, and all the men
knowed it.
"They made plan to seize the wes-
sci and put the second officer, Mr..
Witbers, in command. Now, Mark
Withers didn't have nothin' to do with
the mutiny, fer he didn't know nothin'
at all about 1t. He was the best man
YOU ever sailed under, boss--kind and
considerin' to the men and with a
head like q sperit level with the bub-
bic always in the middle. That was
fist the kind Of man the cap'n I'D
almost hate. and he hated Mr.. Withers
like pizen.
"Well, jist afore the mine was ready
to spring some Of the men weakened
and give away the hull thing. Now.
If the cap'n had managed the sailin'
of the ship as well as he managed
wot he was a-goin' to do he wouldn't
"a had no trouble. He put Mr.. With
ers in irons and made court out Of
the men wot give the plot away, and
they understood well enough that II
they didn't find Mark Withers guilty
every mothers son Of 'em nd have
to stand trial when we made port.
"They tried him. and they convicted
him. He was sentenced to be hanged
to the yardarm at noon on Friday. the
Both day Of June, till he was dead, and
God have mercy on that poor soul Of
his'n.
''Now, Of all the men aboard that
ship there wasn't none wot thunk
more of Mr.. Withers than this mis'a'-
bic hulk wot stands afore you.
swell, didn't sleep none that night.
I iiSt taf1 En Nd hun
wot could l do to stop the hangin'.
You see, there wasn't no reason for 1t.
We would reach port In day or two,
and there'd be a fair trial. But the
capn knowed that we could prove his
ignorance OF navigation and that I'D
weaken his case. What he wanted was
to git squar' with the man he hated
afore 1t was too late.
THAT night I goes on a-thinkin'. l
thunk and thunk till 1 reckoned the
top Of my head nd split OF. Mr.. With
ers was TO hang the next day but one
at noon. What was a-drivin' at was
to delay the execution till we could
make port But there wasn't no way.
l opened my knowledge chist a hun
dred times and shet 1t ag'in without
gittin' nothin' out.
list afore mornin' l fell asleep, and
/ ACKNOWLEDGMENT q sure enough
cream this time. amt a-goin' to tell
you wot l dreamed, boss, but that
dream give an idee. / didn't think
1t was much Of an idee at the time.
but 1t was better'n nothin', and l saw
that there was one small chance for
MIR. Withers. stayed in my ham
mock long enough to think out plan
to give the prisoner that one chance,
and when turned out knowed what
was a-goin' for to do.
When four bells in the mornin' was
a-strikin' started aft at the head Of
seven men. They was the best men
on the ship. and they was the only
best men. All the rest was worst. We
marched aft to the quarterback, where
the cap'n was a-standin'. and we all
drawed up in line afore him.
Well he said, a-snif11n' somethin'
In the wind.
"'Cap'n,' says I, here's eight Of us
come to reccymend pint of law
"'Wot do you know about law. you
iubbers? Git back forrard!
"'Cap'n,' says l, you have given
Mr.. Withers fair trial. You see,
concluded to start in favorable and
Shift round arterward. 'Cap'D,' says
!, seem as you've given Mr.. Withers
. fair trial, don't you think you'd orter
give him fair hangin'r
"'Wot do you meanr says he, chang
In his talk by shiftin' to the left leg
instead Of the right.
II mean says l, that If you hang
Mr.. Withers tomorrer you'll do it agin
marrytime law
Marrytime law! Wot do such fish
as you know about marrytime lawy
Il reckoned it was about time to
Unfit the wind few points. 30 says,
kind Of bracin' myself, AS cap'n Of
this zero xvoQuoI - vNu normffa an iIIQ-