The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-05-08

found already, had worked for the Por
tuguese on the coast at Fernando Pc.
"Tell them they are Free" salt
Vaughan; "and tell them that these ras
calls are to be hanged as soon as we cal
get rope enough"
| Nolan explained it in such Portuguese
as the Kroomen could understand, ant
they in turn to such of the negroes al
could understand them. Then there wa'
such a yell of delight, clinching of fists
leaping and dancing, kissing of Noan''
feet, and a general rush made to thu
hogshead by way of spontaneous worship
of Vaughan as the deus ex machina oil
the occasion.
Tell Them" said Vaughan, well
pleased, shat / will take them all to
Cape Palmas."
| This did not answer so well. Cape
Palmas was practically as far from the
homes of most of them as New Orleans
or Rio iJaneiro was; that is, they would
be eternally separated from home there
And their interpreters, as we could I'M
derstand instantly said, "Ah, non Palm
as" and began to propose infinite other
expedients in most voluble language.
Vaughan was rather disappointed at this
result of his liberality, and asked Nolan
eagerly what they said. The drops stood
on poor Nolan's white forehead as he
hushed the men down, and said;
HE says, Not Palmas.' He says,
Take us home, take us to our country,
take us to our own house, take us to
our pickaninnies and our own women
He says he has an old father and mother
who will die if they do not see him.
And this one says he left his people all
sick, and padded down to come and help
them, and that these devils caught him
in the bay just in sight OF home, and
that he has never seen anybody from
home since then. And this one says"
choked out Nolan, "that he has not heard
word from his home in six months,
while he has been locked up in an in
fernal barracoon."
Vaughan always said he grew gray
himself while Nolan struggled through
this Interpretation. /, who did not I'M
derstand anything of the passion in
volved in it, saw that the very elements
were melting with feryent heat, and that
something was to pay somewhere. Even
the negroes themselves stopped bowling
as they saw Nolan's agony, and
Vaughan's almost equal agony of sym
pathy. AS quick as he could get words,
he said:
Tell them yes, yes; tell them they
shall go to the mountains of the moon,
if they will. If / sail the schooner
through the Great White desert, they
shall go homel"
And after some fashion Nolan said so.
And then they all fell to kissing him
again and wanted to rub his nose with
theirs.
But he could not stand it long; and
getting Vaughan to say he might go
back, he beckoned me down into our boat.
AS we lay back in the stern sheets and
the men gave way. he said to me:
"Youngster, let that show you what it
is to be without a family, without a
home, and without country. And if
you are ever tempted to say word or
to do a thing that shall put bar be-
tween you and your family, your home,
and your country, pray God in his mercy
to take you that instant home to his own
heaven. Stick by your family, boy; for
get you have self, while you do every.
thing for them. Think of your home
boy; write and send, and talk about it.
Let it be nearer and nearer TO your
thought, the farther you have to travel
from it; and rush to it, when you are
free, as that poor black slave is doing
now. And for your country, boy" and
the words ratified in his throat. "and for
that flag" and he pointed to the ship,
never dream dream but of serving her
as she bids you. though the service carry
you through thousand hells. No mat
ter what happens to you, no matter who
flatters you or who abuses you, never
look at another flag never let a night
pass but you pray God TO bless that flag.
boy, that behind all these
men you have to do with, behind officers,
and government, and people even, there
is the country herself, your country. and
that you belong to her as You belong to
your own mother. Stand by her, bow, as
you would stand by your mother, If those |
lewis there had got hold of her to-day!" |
/ was frightened to death BY his calm. |
lard passion; but | blundercd out that |
would, by all that was holy. and that |
had never thought of doing anything |
Use. He hardly seemed to hear me: but |
ne did, almost in a whisper, say: "Oh, if |
anybody had said so 20 me when was
If your agei"
| think IL was this hslf-confdence of
lis, which / never abused. for | never
old this story till now. which afterward /
made us great friends. He was very
lind to me. Often he sat up, or even
rot up, at night 20 walk the deck with
nc when il was my watch. He explained
o me great deal Of my mathematics.
lie lent me books, and helped me about
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