Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1917-09-20

Tell Them" said Vaughan, well
pleased. that | will take them all to
Cape Palmas."
This did not answer 80 well. Cape
Palmas was practically as far from
the homes Of most OF them AZ New Or
leans or Rio Janeiro was-that Is. they
would be eternally separated from
home there. And their interpreters, as
we could understand. instantly said.
"Ah. non Palmas." ana began to pro-
pose 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 own
country, take US to our own house.
take us to our own pickaninnies and
our own women And this one says"
choked out Nolan, that he has not
heard word from his home in six
mouths. while he has been locked up in
an internal barracoon."
Vaughan always said he grew gray
himself while Nolan struggled through
this Interpretation. l. who did not .un-
derstand anything Of the passion in
volved In It, saw that the very ele-
ments were melting with fervent heat
and that something was to pay some
where. Even the negroes themselves
stopped bowling as they saw Nolan's
agony and Vaughan's almost equal
agony Of sympathy. As quick as he
could get words. he said:
Tell them yes, yes. Tell them they
shall 60 to the Mountains Of the Moon
II they will. II l sail the schooner
through the Great White desert they
shall 60 home!"
And after some fashion Nolan said
30. And they all fell to kissing him 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 1t Is to be without a family.
without a home and without a coun-
try. And II you are ever tempted to
say word or to do q thing that shall
put bar between you and your fam
lily, your home and your country. pray
God in his mercy to take you that in
slant home to his own heaven. Stick
by your family. boy. Forget you have
self. while you do everything for
them. Think Of your home. boy. Write
and send and talk about 1t. Let It be
nearer and nearer to your thought the
farther you have to travel from 1t. and
rush back to 1t when you are free. a.
that poor black slave u doing now.
And for your country, boy" and the
words ratified In his throat. land for
that dag" and he pointed to the ship
never dream dream but OF serving
her az she bids you. though the service
carry you through q thousand bells.
No matter what happens to you. no
matter who 6atters you or who abuses
you, never look at another dag. never
let q night pass but you pray God to
bless that dag. Remember. boy, that
behind all these men you have to do
with. behind officers and government
and people even. there IL the country
herself. your country. and that you be.
long to her as you belong to your own
mother. Stand by her, boy, as you
would stand by your mother II those
devils there had got hold Of her to-
dayr'
was frightened to death by his
calm. hard passion, but ! Numbered
out that would, by all that was holy.
and that had never thought Of doing
anything else. He hardly seemed to
hear me. but he did. almost In a whis-
per. say. "Oh. n anybody had said 80
to me when was of you age!''
think II was this half confidence Of
his, which never abused. for never
told this story till now. which after
ward made us great friends. He was
very kind to me. When we parted
from him In st. Thomas harbOr at the
end Of our cruise | was more sorry
than can tell. was very glad to
meet him again in 1890. and later IN life.
when l thought had some influence
In Washington. moved heaven and
earth to have him discharged. Hut It
was like getting q ghost out Of prison
They pretended there was no such man
and never was such q man. They will
say 10 at the department now:
There IL story that Nolan met Burr
once on one Of our vessels. when q /.
party Of Americans came on board In
the Mediterranean. Rut this | believe
to be lie: or. rather. It 10 q myth. we'll
found, involving trs mend0us blowing
up with which he sunk Burr asking
him how he liked to be without
country"
After that cruise ] never saw Nolan
again. ] wrote to him at least twice
year. for in that voyage we became even
conf3dentially intimate: but he never
wrote to me. The other men tell me
that In those fifteen years he aged very
fast. And now II seems the dear old
fellow ID dead. He has found home
at last. and country.
Since writing this ! have received
froyv, ~,h<. 4. - h~n~a a..