The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-10-03

right in to dinner. He'd Kiss me,
talkin' soft about little children. Yes.
That's how e got me away to sea as
boy on a sealin' voyage, without pay
ing me any wages.
Mother never knew what Cap'n
Nose was like on weekdays, and Sun
day didn't happen aboard of the Zede-
kiah. remember hidin' away at the
back of ole Blossoms bunk. axing God
please to turn me into an animal Any
sort would do, because | seen men
kind to animals. You know an animal
mostly consists of a pure heart, and
four legs, which is a great advantage.
Queer world though, If all our preyers
was granted.
Delay thar. A man sets out TO tell
adventures, and If his victims don't
find some excuse for getting absent,
he owes them all the happiness he's
got It's mean to hand out sorrow to
persons bearing their full share al
ready. So we proceeds to the night
when | ran from the Zedekiah, and
Joined the Happy Ship.
We lay in the big ice pack off Cape
Breton. The Zedekiah was old. just
paint an punk, and she did surely
groan to the thrust of the pack was
too scared to sleep, so | went M on
deck.
I'd allus watched for a chance to
run away, and thar was Jim. the an
chor-watch, squatting on the hits
dead asleep. He used to be that way
when nobody chased him.
seen the lights of the three-masted
schooner a couple of miles to wind
ward. | grabbed a sealing gan and
slid down on the Ice
First, as the pans rocked under me.
I was scary, next l warmed. gettin'
venturesome, until l came near slid.
ing into the wet, and after that I'd
look before lep'
You know how the grinding piles
an edge around each pan, of broken
splinters? That edge shone white
agin the black of the water, all the
guide had But times the squalls of
wind was likes scythes edged with
sleet, so l was blinded, waiting, freez-
ing until a lull came, and I'd get on.
1t was broad day, and reckon each
step weighed a ton before | made
that schooner.
A gray man, fat, with a chin whis-
ker, lifted me in oversize. Come
far?" says he, and | turned round to
show him the zedekiah. She wasn't
there. She was gone-foundered.
So that's how l came aboard of the
Happy Ship, just like a Ill lost dog,
with no room in my skin for moren
bones and famine. Captain Smith
used to say he'd signed me on as fam
lily ghost; but he paid me honest
wages, fed me honest grub, while as
to clothes and bed was snug as a
little rabbit. He taught me reading
and writing, and punctuation with his
belt, sums, hand, reef, and steer. cate
chism, knots and spices, sewing, sque-
gee, rule of the road, soojie moojie,
psalms of David, constitution Of the
United States, and playing the from
bone, with three pills and a good lick
ing regular Saturday nights. Mothers
little boy began to set up and take no.
tice.
The five years in the Pawtucket all
along, from Montreal to Colon, from
banjos plunking in them portales of
Vera Cruz. to bugles crying reva.ly in
Quebec, and the oyster boats asleep
by Old Point Comfort, and the Glouces-
ter fleet a-storming home past Sable.
and dagos basking on Havana quays.
Suck oranges in the dinghy under the
moonlight, waiting to help the old man
aboard when he's drunk. II ever he
went ashore without me, I'd be like
lost dog, and he drunk before the
sun was over the yard-arm. But away
together it wasn't master and boy but
Just father and son. He'd even named
me after himself, and that's why my
names Smith.
ITO BE CONTINUED