Bisbee daily review., 1913-12-28
CHAPTER Ia
The Happy Snip.

The Happy Snip.
 Cap'n Nose Of the Zedekiah v. 8aggs e was Sunday Christian. All dp along ed wear silk hat, the only one on the Labrador. Yes. Sundays ed be ashore talzin' predestination an grace out of a book e kep' in is berth, but never Q word about fish or the state of the ice. Motherd been raised to a belief in Christians, so when Nose dropped in at her shack, admiTin' how she cooked. she'd be- pleased all up the back, and have him 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 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. I remember hidin' away at the back of Ole Oleson's bunk, sxing God please 10 turn me into an animal. Any sort would do, because I 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.
 Relay thar. 4 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 cut sorrow to persons bearing their full share al ready. So we proceeds to the night when I 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 I went up on deck.
 I'd allus watched for a chance 10 run away, and thar was Jim, the an. chor-watch. squatting on the bitts 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. I grabbed a sealing gaf and slid down on the ice.
 First, as the pans rocked under me, was scary, next 1 warmed. gettin' yenturesorne, until I cane near slid. ing into the wet, and after that I'd look before I lep'.
 You know how the grinding piles an edge around each pan. of broken splinters? That edge shoue white agin the black of the water, all the guide had. Bat times the squalls Of wind was likes scythes edged with sleet, SO I was blinded, waiting, sreez ing until luIl came, and I'd get on 1t was broad day, and reckon each step weighed ton before I made that schoouer.
 4 gray man. fat. with a chin whis- Ter, lifted me in overside. Come far?" says he, and I turned round to show him the Zedekiah. She wasn't tbere. She was goue-foundered.
 So that's how I came aboard Of the Happy Ship, just like a lil' lost dog with no room in my skin for more'n bones and famine. Captain Smith used to say he'd signed me on as fam. fly ghost; but he paid me honest wages, fed me honest grub, while as to clothes and bed. I was snug as little rabbit He taught me reading and writing. and punctuation with his belt, sums. hand, reef, and steer, cate chism, knots and splices. sewing. sque. gee, rule Of the road. soojie moojie, psalms of David. constitution of the United States, and playing the trom- bone, with three pills and 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 hanjos plunking in them portales oi Vera Cruz. to bugles crying reva.iy in Quebec, and the oyster boats asleep by old Point Comfort, and the G1Ouces . 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. IT ever he went ashore without me, I'd he like a lost dog. and he drunk before the sun was over the yard-arm. But away together 1t wasn't master and boy, but jnst father and son. He'd even named ne after himself. s.-S- ...s..... ....:ss : why. my names Smith.
 disremember which port-some where's up the St. Lawrence where ws loaded lumber for the Gulf O Mexico but the captain and me was away fish