Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-06-18
CHAPTER u.
The Happy shle

up along ed wear . silk hat, the only
one on the Labrador. Yes. Sundays
ed be ashore salkin' predestination
an grace out of book . KEEP in IL
berth. but never q wcrd about tish or
the state Of the ice. Mother'd been
raised to . belief in Christians. 10
when Nose dropped in 1t her shack.
admirin' 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 Zeds-
kiah. l remember hidin' away At the
back Of Ole Oleson's bunk. axing God
please to turn me into an animal. Any
sort would do, because I seen men
kind to animals. You know an animal
mostly consists Of pure heart. and
four legs. which Is q great advantage.
Queer world though. II all our preyers
was granted.
Delay thar. A man sets out to tell
adventures, and II 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.
W. 1,,, t. <ho hg~ {aa s.onb ~ Tapo
Breton. The Zedek,ah was old. just
paint au' punk, and she i;d surely
groan to the thrust Of tho pack. was
too scared to sleep. 20 went up on
deck
I'd allus watched for chance TO
run away, and thar was Jim. the an.
chor.watch. sQuatting on the bits
dead asleep. He used to be that way
when nobody chased him.
seen the lights Of the three-masted
schooner . couple Of miles to wind
ward. I grabbed sealing ga6 and
aid down on the ice.
First, az the pans rocked under me-,
I was scary. next warmed. getein'
venturesome. until came near slid
ing into the wet, and AFTER tAs$ 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 tho water. all the
guide l had. But times the squalls Of
wind was likes scythes edged With
sleet, 30 I was blinded. waiting. frseL
! ing until q lull came. and I'd get ON.
| 1t was broad day. and reckon each
step weighed . ton before made
| that schooner.
! A gray man. fat. With chin whis-
ker, lifted mo in override. "Come
| far" says he. and turned round to
show him the Zedekiah. She wasn't
there. She was gone-foundered.
| So that's how I came aboard Of the
| Happy Ship. just like Q Ill lost dog
with no room In my skin for more'n
bones and famine. Captain Smith
used to say he'd signed mo on as fam
lily ghost: but he paid me honest
wages, fed me honest grub, while n
to clothes and bed. was snug 10 Z
little rabbit. He taught me reading
and writing. and punctuation With hii
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 thu
United States, and playing the from
bone, with three pills and good lick
ing regular Saturday nights. Mother
little boy began to sst up and take no
tice.
The I'VE years IN the Pawtuckst a
along. from Montreal to Colon. iron
banjos plunking In them portales Q
Vera Cruz, to bugles crying reva.iy II
Quebec. and the oyster boats aslee
by Old Point Comfort, and the Glouces
ter fleet a-storming home past Sable
and dagos bAsking on Havana qusyi
Suck oranges in the dinghy under tn
moonlight, waiting to help the old ma
aboard when he's drunk. II ever
: went ashore without me, I'd be lik
. lost dog. and he drunk before tn
, sun was over the yard-arm. But AVA
together Il wasn't master ana boy, bu
Just father and con. He'd even name
me after himself. and that's why N
: names Smith.
0 I disremember which port-som,
4 where's up the st. lawrence where y
loaded lumber for the Gulf O. .Mexie,
i but the captain and M was away nsl
a ing. Mother had como from the Lat
rador to hnd me, old gray mother. 6h
a put on her round horn spectacles :
smile 1T the mate aft. and the secon
mate forward, tho Urinary seama
. painting IN the name board. and BIZ
In his bos'n's chair a-tarring down tn
:, rigging, and the bumboat laundres
J. who'd been tearing the old man
It shirt.fronts. She Just sat happy Ut tn
: sight Of the Pavnticket, and she sur
: " admired everything, from Old Glor
y to blue Peter-until our Niger COO
J. came and spilled slops oversid'
. Seems he'd had news Of the lady. IN
:. came to grin but was back in his q
- Icy, like rabbit to his borrow, Will
: she marched up the gangway. Can
e abide dirt" says mother. and even Ii
new boy heard not . word else 'csI
the splash. For mother Just sscorts
that niger right through the gale.
II out at the other end. over the POI
It ran, ana boosted him into the BIZ
d hafbor, for the first and only bat
It he'd ever had. Then she took Of HI
t horn spectacleS. her old becksk
Il ..r d