Nebraska Newspapers

    Oh. take me back to that dear old land.
To the Land of Yesterday!
Where Youth's fresh flowers on ev'ry
hand
In a wild profusion play,
Where the loving smiles of a mother
greet
The world with their tender light;
Where I hear that loved voice, soft and
sweet,
Aa ihe bade me fond good night:
"Good night, good night, my boy!
God keep you ever, ever safe, I pray!
Good night! May Fortune smile
When far from home and kindred
you may stray.
Good night!" ao low, go sweet!
It sounds there, through the years,
away, away!
"Good night. grod night, my boy!"
Dear echoes from the Land of Yes
terday. Love ne'er grows cold In that old, old
land,
In the Land of Yesterday!
'Tla the same warm clanp from each
filend's hand
That cheered me on my way.
The same blue sky, and the same sweet
birds
Their love In warhllngs tell
Dear music, that, for a mother's words
As she bids her son farewell:
"Good night, good night, my boy!
God keep you ever, ever safe, I pray!
Good night! May Fortune smile
When far from home and kindred
you may stray.
Good night!" so low. so swet!
It sounds there, through the years,
away, away!
"Good night, good night, my boy!"
Dear echoes from the Land of Yesterday,
A HAPPY ENDING.
One of those case, which convince us
that truth Is stranger than Action, came 1
to my knowledge when I was serving
what might be terned an apprenticeship
In our profession. My experience with
the world had been comparatively small
and the facts thai I am about to relate
made a much greater Impression upon
me than they might have done later In
life.
I knew from the first day that I en
tered Into the employ of Harvey Thur
mer that his head bookkeeper was a
pronounced favorite with him. This was
understood and accepted throughout
the Immense establlshment;yet, strange
as the fact may seem. It created no
Jealousies or heartburnings. The book
keeper was Twlng Gordon, as hand
some a specimen of manhood as you
would joe In a lifetime, possessed of
brilliant talents, naturally charming
In his manners because of a good heart,
magnetic, the soul of honor, and, In
brief, one of those rare men whom you
like and trust on sight. This may seem
a questionable laudation of a young
man of 20, but he was so large, so cap
able and so thoughtful In all he did
that every one thought of him as a ma
man of business.
Thurmer was one of the best men I
ever knew. He was yet in the prime of
life, yet he had come from somewhere
I In the country, commenced his career
' In a small way and steadily built up an
enormous business. His extensive char
ities were quietly bestowed, he had built
a hospital and there waa no cause for
the good of the city that he did not
liberally promote. His paper was as
current as legal tender and his credit
without limit among those who knew
hlra. He'was generous with all those In
his employ, paying them what their
services wer worth and advancing their
salaries as they deserved this substan
tial recognition.
The first time I saw Thurmer depart
from the even tenor of his way, marks
the beginning of my story. He walked
briskly Into the office one morning and
nodded a smiling recognition to each
one of us. On the top of Gordon's neat
desk was a vase of flowers, white lilies,
heliotropes, Japonlcas and roses, and It
is easy to believe that their fragrance
Hilled the room. I saw Thurmer look
at them with a frown of Impatience
that came dangerously near being an
ger. "It Is very close In here," he remark
ed as he walked to a window, "stifling
what kind of flowers are those? They
must be poisonous, to Judge from their
Sickening odor."
This was like a bolt from a clear sky
to all of us, but Gordon said nothing.
He simply took the flowers and placed
them In a closet.
"What do you mean by that?" asked
Thurmer, In a tone that was new to us,
"The flowers must not offend you, sir.
They are too pretty to destroy and I
ball take them home with me."
Thurmer paced the floor for a few
minutes and then going to Gordon's
desk, asked him to step Into the private
Offloa,
Those of ua who were left looked at
each other and then began the low buzz
Of conversation. I will not repeat It,
but w wondered why so handsome
and so noble a young fellow as Gor
don might not enjoy the beauty and
weets of blooming flowers. As one
sentimental maiden put It, he was as
Lebanon, and It was a funny thing If
he waa to be lectured, possibly dis
charged, Juat because ha sought to
brighten their surroundings and make
thetn more attractive.
I have had to present a portion of the
eequel In order to open a way for the
story. When Thurmer had first come
to tha city be had opened up a small
Bolton .tore In partnership with a man j
named Gordon. They were doing well
and extending their lines of buelneoa
When Gordon suddenly disappeared. He
left Thurmer with lesa than nothing,
for there were bills to be met soon and
nothing with which to par them. Thur
snrr waa a man to Inspire confidence,
aad even tbua early in hla career he
found It possible to obtain leniency
tram arodltora Ho exerdaed the moat
rigid oaoaomy, worked to the limit of
sua payafoal endurance aad not only
allot through bat eetahlUhed a repu
.tettoa for latafrHr taatt waa of taoal-
culable benefit In building up the Im
mense business that he now controlled.
Gordon also left a wife and two sons
One was Twlng, already Introduced,
and the other, Henry, a physical con
trast to his older brother, being small.
Incapable of manual labor and almost
an Invalid. He was a constant student,
however, and gave promise of fln
scholarship.
Pity was a veritable passion In Thur
mer's heart. He learned later that oGr
don had died In prison. The spirit of
vengeance suggested that he let the
widow and orphans of the man who had
wronged him Bhift for themselves, but
the man'a better self prevailed and he
started out one fine evening to find
Twlng Gordon, who, he had learned,
was a newsboy. The great man of af
fairs bought a paper from the hustling
little merchant and was delighted to
find film a manly, honorable lad with
plenty of energy and ambition.
"Kver go to the theater?" asked
Thurmer, who was studying the boy
and knew how largely his class went
to make up the gallery gods at places of
amusement j
"No, sir. Not but what I'd like it, for j
the other kids say It's the Jolllest thing
going, but I can't afford It. One wo-
man sewing and one boy selling pa-
pers, makes U hard scratching for us
tomakealfvlr.gfortlireeof us."
"How much do you earn?"
"It averages about 2 a week. The
best I ever made was J3.60. That was
the week of the big exposition."
"Hut do you turn It all over to your
mother?"
"Of course. Every cent of It. Then we
i holl regular council of war planning
to make It go 'round. It takes some
mighty fine work sometimes, I can tell
you."
"Can't your brother help you out?"
"Yes, he gives me lessons every night
ana ne s a one nanu 10 cneer mama up.
Some day he'll write for books or go to
congress, for he's got a great head, and
when he's not studying he's thinking."
"How would you like to come to me
at U a week?" asked Thurmer abrupt
ly. "I'd come tomorrow morning. I know
who you are and I've heard people say
that it would be a mighty good thing
for the city if it had more men like you.
I'll try to earn my wages, too, for I'm
going to be a business man myself,
some day."
"Report to me at 7:30. I'll give you a
fair chance and everything will depend
on yourself."
Thurmer walked away, realizing that
he already had a strong liking for this
attractive son of the man who had
wronged him. The boy was on hand and
his mother with him. The terms were
promptly made with her, as was the
custom in those old days, for she was
his natural guardian. Then she took
Thurmer aside, bravely restrained her
feelings that the boy might suspect
nothing, and In a womanly way thank
ed him for the magnanimity he had
shown. She assured him that she had
good sons and that he would have none
more loyal In his employ than the child
he had Just hired. And this proved to
be the case. Gordon had wonderful
adaptability and a genius for grasping
just what was required of him. He
worked like a Trojan and never seemed
to grow tired. He was cheerful every
day and the whole day long, and his
spirit of earnest devotion to the Inter
ests of his employer seemed to pervade
the entire establishment. His liking
for Thurmer went beyond veneration,
and was that strong love which one
man sometimes has for ancther He
had repeatedly said that Thurmer could
ask nothing within his power to give
that he would not grant, and the boy
meant It. It was not to be wondered at
that Gordon was head bookkeeper at
twenty, and one of the best equipped
business men I ever saw.
I have given one of the lines of in
cidents leading up to the scene in the
counting room. Another may be com
menced with an event that set the
whole establishment to thinking one
afternoon. It was rajnlng and the nar
row cobblestone street, dark, muddy
and crowded wth the trucks that were
coming and going presented a dismal
appearance. Entirely out of place
among those seemed a handsome car
riage that drove past the main en
trance, returned and stopped. Out of It
stepped a stout old gentleman, who
commanded the trucks to stand still In j
a tone that secured obedience. "There's;,,
no other way, little one," I heard him
say, for I was just talking with the
head teamster about the delivery of a
big consignment to the docks.
Then the commanding old gentleman
dove half way Into the carriage and
came out again with aa lively a bundle
as I ever saw, kicking, protesting and (
demanding that she be permitted
to
walk.
"Couldn't think of It," was all the
comfort she got. "Too muddy, too wet 1
and too many chances to get hurt. I'm
under contract to deliver you In good
shane. Where's Mr. Thurmer?" to me.
"I'll call him," but he had appeared,
and stood, pale and expectant The
stout man only stopped to nod and set
the girl on her feet before commencing
business. "Thurmer, he began famil
iarly, "this la Miss Frances Hall, a very
pretty, good-hearted, self-willed young
l&r. 1 mr eay. I can't argue as to
tne propriety or winging ner nere, lor
I'm simply obeying orders. Her mother
la dead and It waa her last request that
the girl be brought tp you. Here Is a
sealed packet of papers that explain j
everything, will you accept tne guar
dlanahlp or do you decline the trust?"
"I think that I understand," answer
ed Thurmer In an unsteady voice, and
It seems to mt that I am called upon
for too much. Tou must give me Uu
to consider."
"Can't da It
Buslnoaa of
tmportaaoe at noma, Mar got Use
first train back. She has taken the fam
ily name of her grandfather. That was
Ihe wish of her mother."
"Yes, Christopher Hall."
"Nobody else. The old man lost his
mind, his health and his princely for
tune, all within an Incredibly short
space of time. The girl has no dower.
As I said before, I'm simply obeying
orders and am now awaiting your de
cision." The girl had taken a long look at
Thurmer and now stood holding his
hand. She was as pretty and dainty a
little creature as I ever saw, an I
could have sworn to a resemblance In
her to the man who hesitated about
becoming her guardian. "I think that
I could love you," she said with a tear
ful smile, "but I will never go away
with that horrid man, never!" and she
stamped her foot while she put her
other dimpled hand in Thurmer's."
"I guess you'll keep her," chuckled
the stout man.
"Yes," and he led the girl to his
private office.
Half an hour later Gordon was called.
He was then a clerk in the counting
1 room, a mpre twiv tt a man's Rtature.
j ..Oor,,oni.. eald Tnurmer, "I want you
; tQ take th,g yQung ,ady out tQ Bexlcy.B
Iiaoe an(1 ae,VM. th)g ,eKer tQ Mrg
,. . . ... b , , you t
i , v oi flH Hfni
place and a woman who will do all she
can to make you contented."
The girl entered no obj' ctlon but look -
ed admiringly upon Gordon and neither
kicked nor protested when he carried
I her tn the cn-rrlnce that had been
... . fi n.leva had a flne gubur.
j bftn p)ace wHh ,mmense grecnnousea,
from which our house took the entire
product, so you can see that Thurmer
nan no unconnueraoie anupainy iu
flowers. Frances waa deliehted with
the p,ace an(J gQ0(J MnJ Bexlfy was
wanted to part with the other, and
thus it was arranged without difficulty
that Bexley's was to be the home of
Thurmer's mysterious ward. He saw
little of her and she was too spirited
to openly resent this apparent neglect.
But she was provided for In the most
generous manner, was sent to the best
seminary In the city and also had the
advantage of private teachers In music
as well as some of the branches in
which previous Instruction had been
neglected. She fulfilled all her girlish
promise of beauty and was a magnifi
cent looking woman at 17.
All these years she and Gordon had
been thrown much Into each other's
company, for there was scarcely an
evening they did not walk together,
and while there had been no offer or
confession of love. Its existence was
mutually understood. I frequently taw
them together, but Thurmer was with
his ward so little that he thought of
her only as a very pretty and promis
ing young miss, whose thoughts were
wrapped up in her studies and her
school companions.
One evening Thurmer was walking
out to Bexley's with a view to arrang
ing for the attendance of Frances upon
a week of grand opera that was near
at hand, he he came up behind Gordon
and her, strolling In a way that was
unquestionably ' lovelike. It was a
shock such as the man had not experi
enced for years. He went home to
spend a sleeplets night, and It was the
next morning that he found the flowers
on Gordon's desk.
"How old are you?" was Thurmer's
first question after they had entered the
private office. . '
"Twenty, sir." ' ,
"You have no guardian but your
mother?"
"None, sir, though my regard for you
has long made me think of you in that
capacity."
Thurmer sat silent for a brief time
after this expression of affection, and
then proceeded: "Those flowers were j
sent by my ward, were they not?"
"Yes. sir."
"You have seen a good deal of her?"
"As much as her time and mine
would allow."
You do not know her story. She does
not know It herself. I have no son, but
I have loved you as one and have ar
ranged to make you my heir. I cannot
consent to your Jeopardizing all your
Interests, probably wrecking your life,
by marrying this girl. It Is time enough
to think of such things ten years from ;
, fl0 not care t0 0 int0 expiana.
- .. hllt t ,k that these visits and !
these walks be discontinued. If you j
Insist upon having this girl my plans
for you must be changed and you
must make your own future."
"She Is your ward," replied Gordon,
"and I must respect your wishes for
the present. For the future I cannot
promise, though It has always seemed
to me I could never refuse you any
thing. To obey would be to take the
life out of me. Ask anything else of
me,
"Think It over, my boy, for there Is
much dependent upon your determina
tion." "I hope you know me better than to
think that fortune or opportunity en
ter Into the subject with me. It la love
for a woman waging war with love for
a man, and gratitude advocating his
cause. I must do what seems right to
mt, and I am bold enough to ask that
y0u also think the matter over, Mr.
Tnurmer. mere can ne no naraer po-
sltlon In which to place a man."
0ortoB mt onc wrots a note to
t.nin her of h. interact from
dUn and that he was la honor
bound to obey It. He could only love
her and hope for the best Within
tha month aha went to Thurmer aad
astonished him with the announcement
that aha would no longer be dependent
upon him. Ihe waa prepared to teach,
and aha would at oace seek aa engage
meat It would be aaeleaa for him to
m at ha attorn to Marfan
she would simply take the matter la
her own bands and place herself where
he and his authority could not reach
her. As she faced hlJ he caught that
unmistakable resemblance that I had
detected, and wondered. His heart had
been softening from the hour of his
Interview with Gordon, for he was lit
erally Incapable of carrying out any
plan of revenge.
"Oh, that I had a mother to advise
me," the exclaimed with a half-suppressed
sob. "You have been good and
thoughtful with your money. That la
all. Then you tried to rob me of the
only love that I have ever known."
"I will tend Gordon to you," and her
Impetuous kiss left him a troubled face
lighted with a smile..
"I have thought and I have with
drawn all objections," was his saluta
tion to Gordon, whose eyes and hand
gave full answer. "You'll find her in
my office. Don't do anything hurriedly,
and come to me this evening."
When the two men met, pursuant to
this appointment, Thurmer at once
produced the sealed package of papers.
"I have never opened them," he began,
"because I knew the whole sad story.
Frances" mother was my wife. We
married very young and she was a
minor. Her rich grandfather, Christo
pher Hall, swore that the match should
never stand, and so powerful was his
influence that my wife was Induced to
leave me, was divorced and married to
1 a ra(e 0f "BOod" family, of whom the
grandfather approved, all within a few
weeks. The husband made ducks and
drakes of his fortune and went to the
dogs within a year. Now you know
I why I did not want to give my 'son' to
this girl of such parents, but I'm con-
j vinced that It was prejudice and that
she wlllpro ve worthy of you. We'll go
through these papers together."
Thurmer glanced over one before
reading It, turned so pale that Gordon
was frightened, read again and then
threw his arms about the boy's neck.
"Read! Read!" shouted the usually self
contained man. "Follow me In half an
hour. I'm going to my daughter."
Gordon read and was radiant with a
new born happiness. It was too good
to be true, and yet there it was In
black and white. He was more than
punctual in getting to Bexley's. Thert
was his staid employer with his beauti
ful daughter In his lap, her face flushed,
her eyes shining and her half-bared
arm about his neck. Yet Gordon waa
not jealous.
No sensible person can go astrar la
finishing the story.
RECKLINCHOOSEN.
Venn day Martsk vinds day blow und
blow,
Avay goes sometimes all day vlte, vita
snow.
Of day groun'hog sees him on St. Pat
rick's Day
Glffs nice veather It bis first ron May.
Should t dough day snow doan blow
Und stays t behind day vitened snow.
Den looks It bad day falrst von May
Und means It a green St. Patrick's Day.
This spontaneous effort at poetry, la
spite of the prevailing high price of
eggs, drew a shower of decayed hen
fruit upon the head of the innocent
Recklinghoosen, the author of tha
above verses. It was evidently intend
ed for his many customers who patron
ized the liquid-dispensing part of his
establishment on St. Patrick's Day.
"Oh, how could dop did It sutsk?"
nleaded Blmberle. "Venn I tlnk on It
dat It glffs sutck nice poemstree oa
books on day llbertyrary. You maka
sutsk a bliff on Jake's Beer It makea
me shiffer. Vorser yet it drifes me oa
drinking."
"Vhy, vat's day matter mid him?"
auerled Recklinghoosen. "I kin malg
poemstree vhat Jake's Beer neffer eve:
tought on. I bed you look In Jake'a
books und you see nodding like mine
vorda In dem."
Data right," said Blmberle. "You
am oil right; you know't al. Vhy you
doan" know bound poemstree aln'd vort
vhlle knowln. Vhat you know boud It
vouldn't vill a book. You malg pomea
out vltsk Jake's Beer vouldn't dare dat
tin' no truthfulness. Aber here's day
ting vat plzzles me: Vhat got Pat Rick
got to do mid 'em? Is It vhat has he?"
"Oh! Sutsk Igmorancles! It you vhat
are dat!" replied Recklinghoosen,
"Skould you know nex Frye day la
Sain Pat Rick's his day not. Skould be
nnsslblv dat din you hear von day
en ,ve monsterBes vhat drove Sain
pt wirk nv Irelan oud? Aln'd your
educmentcatlon negligee full dat yoa
ain',i bequalnted mid dat day?"
No, did I hear of him. Aln'd It dat I
reckleckt It? Vas he dere before seven
teen Martsk oder It Is day falrst tlma
vhat It Is? Tole me of him?" said Blm
berle. "denn I will know mutsk lesa
aboud It, skould you tell me vhat Is ItT"
"Listen, denn, I vlll tole you vhat elm
people are bequalnted mid facks. Beta
Pad Kicks vaa a man vhat come von
Jewrope to Irelan to drlfe shnalkea
avay von day blace. It was day Irelan
full von kreen krass, und It's day rea
son afterbody veers kreen badskes on
delr necke below, next Frye day. Dla
Is day sign dat shnalks aln'd vhera
til kreenness round."
"Oh, I see It now. It's because dla dat
day all trlnk on dls day cream de ce
ment, vltek malga all so tight" eald
Blmberle.
At this Juncture, "dat leetle German
band" broke loose with "St. Patrick'
Day In the Morning," causing a free-for-all
run to the bar.
The German emperor la a careful 61
arykeeper, and he scrupulously calcu
lates and enters up the total of hla
Journeys every week, whether wlthm
or without the confines of his empire.
Tha kaiser haa calculated that during
ll ha traveled M.TM miles, and visited,
ninety-four cities; but these totals are,
of eoarse, larger than aoaal by ssamm
at tha Palestine toat.
SEA ADVENTURES.
Through all the vicissitudes of this
strange voyage I bad hitherto felt pret
ty safe, and ts the last thing a man
anticipates (If his digestion Is all right)
is the possibility of coming to grief him
self, while fullv prepared to see every
body else go under, so I had got to
think that whoever got killed I was not
to be a very pleasing sentiment, and
one that carries a man far, enabling
bim to face dangers with a light heart,
which otherwise would make a nerve
less animal of him.
In this optimistic mood, then, I gayly
flung myself Into my place In the
mate's boat one morning, as we were
departing In chase of a magnificent
sperm whale that had Just been raised
after breakfast. There were no other
vessels in sight much to our satisfac
tionthe wind was light, with a cloud
less sky, and the whale was dead to
leeward of us. We sped along at a
good rate toward our prospective vic
tim, who was. in his leisurely enjoy
ment of life, calmly lolling on the sur
face, occasionally lifting his enormous
tail out of the water and letting It
fall flat upon the .surface with a boom
audible for miles.
We were, as usual, first boat ;much to
the mate's annoyance, when we were
a short half-mile from the whale, our
malnsheet parted. It became Immedi
ately necessary to roll the sail up. lest
Its flapping should alarm the watch
ful monster, and this delayed us suffi
ciently to allow the other boats to shoot
ahead of us.
Thus the second mate got fast some
seconds before we arrived on the scene,
seeing which we furled the sail, un
shipped the mast and went In on him
with the oars only. At first the pro
ceedings were quite of the usual char
acter, our chief wielding his lance in
most hrilliant fashion, while not being
fast to the animal allowed us much
greater freedom In our evolutions, but
that fatal habit of the mate's of allow
ing his boat to take care of herself so
long as he was getting in some good
home thrusts once more asserted It
self. Although the whale was exceedingly
vigorous, churning the sea into yeasty
foam over an enormous area, there we
wallowed close to him. right In the
middle of the turmoil, actually courting
disaster.
He had Just settled down for a mo
ment, when, glancing over the gunwale,
I saw his tail, like a vast shadow,
sweeping away from us toward the
second mate, who was laying off the
other side of him. Before I had time
to think, the mighty mass of gristle
leaped into the sunshine, curved back
from us like a huge bow.
Then with a roar it came at us, re
leased from its tension of heaven knows
how many tons. Full on the broadslae
It struck us, sending every soul but me
flying out of the wreckage as If fired
from catapults.
I did not go because my foot was
Jammed somehow In the well of the
boat, but the wrench nearly pulled my
thigh-bone out of Its socket. I had
hardly released my foot when, tower
ing above me came the colossal head
of the great creature, as he ploughed
through the bundle of debris that had
Just been a boat. There was an appall
ing roar of water In my ears, and dark
ness that might be felt all around.
Yet In the mldet of It all, one thought
predominated as clearly as if I had
been turning It over in my mind in the
quiet of my bunk aboard "What If he
should swallow me?" Nor to this day
can I understand how I escaped the
portals of his gullet, which of course
gaped wide as a church door.
But the agony of holding my breath
soon overpowered every other feeling
and thought, till just as something was
going to snap Inside my head I rose to
the surface. I was surrounded by a
welter of bloody froth, which made It
Impossible for me to see, but, oh, the
air was sweet!
I struck out blindly, instinctively, al
though I could feel so strong an eddy
that voluntary progress was out of the
question. My hand touched and clung
to a rope, which Immediately towed me
In some direction I neither knew nor
cared whither. Soon the motion ceased,
and with a seaman's instinct, I iegan
to haul myself along the rope I grasped,
although no definite Idea was In my
mind as to where It was attached. .
Presently I came butt up against
something solid, the feel of which gath
ered all my scattered wits Into a com
pact knub of dread. It was the whale!
"Any port In a storm" I muttered, be
ginning to haul away again on my
friendly line. By dint of hard work I
pulled myself right up the sloping, slip
pery bank of blubber, until I reached
the Iron, which, as luck would have It,
was planted In that side of the carcass
now uppermost
Carcass I said well, certainly I had
no Idea of there being any life remain
ing In the vast mass beneath me; yet 1
had hardly time to take a couple of
turns around myself with the rope (or
whale line, as I had proved It to be),
when I felt the great animal quiver all
over and begin to forge ahead.
I was now composed enough to re
member that help could not be far
away, and that my rescue, providing
that I could keep above water, was but
a question of a few minutes. But I
was hardly prepared for the whale's
next move. Being very near his end,
the boat, or boats, had drawn off a bit.
I supposed, for I could see nothing of
them.
Then I remembered the flurry. Al
most at the same moment It began, and
there was I, who had with fearful ad
miration so often watched the titanic
convulsions of a dying cachalot, actu
ally Involved In them. The turns were
off my body, but I waa able to twist
a couiile or turns around my arms,
which, In case of his sounding, I oould
readily let go.
The an waa lost m roar aad rasa, aa
of the heart of some mighty cataract,
during which I was sometimes above,
sometimes beneath, the water, but al
ways clinging, with every ounce of en
ergy left, to the line. Now, one thought
was uppermost "What if he should
breach?" I had seen them do so wbev
In a flurry, leaping full twenty feet la
air. Then I prayed.
Quickly as all the preceding changes
had passed came perfect peace. There
I lay, still n'ive, but so weak that, al
though I could feel the turns slipping
off my arms, and knew that I should
slide off the slope of the whale's side
into the sea if they did, I could make no
effort to secure myself. Everything
then passed away from me, just as ll
I had gone to sleep.
I do not at all understand how I kept
my position, nor how long, but I awoke
to the blessed sound of voices and saw
the second mate's boat alongside. Very
gently and tenderly they lifted me Into
the boat, although I could hardly help
scrtamine with agony when they touch
ed me, so bruised and broken up did I
feel.
My arms must have been nearly torr
from their sockets, for the strands ol
the whale line had cut deep into theii
flesh with the strains upon it, while mj
thigh was swollen enormously from th
blow I had received at the outset. Mr
Cruce was the most surprised man 1
think I ever saw. For full ten minute
he stared at me with wide-open eyes
When at last he spoke it was with difH.
culty, as If wanting words to exprest
his astonishment.
At last he blurted ut: "Whar you bin
all de time, ennyhow? 'Cawse ef you
bin hangin' on to dat ar wale ev' senc
you boat smash, w'y de debbll you
hain't all to bits, hey?" I smiled fee
bly, but was too weak to talk, and
presently went off again Into a dead
faint
When I recovered I was snug In my
bunk aboard, but aching in every Joint
and as sore as if I had been pounded
with a club until I was bruised all over.
During the day Mr. Count was good
enough to pay me a visit. With his
usual luck he had escaped without the
slightest injury; neither was any other
member of the boat's crew the worse
for the ducking but myself. He told
me that the whale was one of the larg
est he had ever seen and as fat as but
ter. The boat was an entire loss, so com
pletely smashed to pieces that nothing
of her or her gear had been recovered.
After spending about a quarter of an
hour with me, he left me considerably
cheered up, promising to look after me
in the way of food, and also to send
me some books. He told me that I need
not worry myself about my inability
to be at work, because the old man
was not unfavorably disposed toward
me, which piece of news, gave me a
great deal of comfort.
ANOTHER ADVENTURE,
As we ran quite closely past the ship,
calling on the crew to haul up for all
they were worth, we managed actually
to squeeze past the cow whale and I
got in a deadly blow. The point of the
lance entered Just between the fin and
the ye, but higher up. missing the
broaG plate of the shoulder blade, and
sinking Its whole four feet over the
hitches right down Into the animal's
vitals. Then, for the first time, he
threw up his flukes, thrashing them
from side to side almost round to his
head, and raising such a turmoil that
we were half full of water In a mo
ment. After a few moments this tremen
dous exertion, our victim settled down,
leaving the water deeply stained with
his gushing blood. With him disap
peared his constant companion, the
faithful cow, who had never left his
side for a minute since we first got
faBt. Down, down they went, until
my line began to look very low, and
I was compelled to make signals to
the ship for more. We had hardly ele
vated the oars, when down dropped
the last boat with four men In her, ar
riving by my side In a few minutes
with two fresh tubs of tow-line. We
took them on board, and the boat re
turned again.
Our amazement may be Imagined
when suddenly we were compelled to
slack away again, the sudden weight
on the line suggesting that the flsh was"
again sounding. If ever a young hand
was perplexed, it was I. Never before
had I heard of such unseemly behavior,
nor was my anxiety lessened when 1
saw, a short distance away, the huge
body of my prize at the surface spout
ing blood. At the same time I wai
paying out line at a good rate, as 11
I had a fast fish on which was sound
ing briskly.
The skipper had been watching m
very closely from his seat on the taff
rail, and had kept the ship within easy
distance. Now, suspecting something
out of the common, he sent the boat
again to my assistance, in charge of
the cooper. When that worthy ar
rived, he said: "Th" ol' man reckens
yew've got snarled erp 'Ith thet ar
loose keow, "n y'r Irons hev draw'd
from th' other. I'm gwlne ter wall
on him, 'n get him 'longslde 'soon'f
he's outer his flurry. Ole man sei
yew'd best wait on what's fast t' yei
an' never mind th' other."
Away he went, reaching my prlM
just as the last feeble spout exhaled.
jum UB 1 1 1 C lank ACCWlC arJa. c.iaibu,
leaving the dregs of that great flood ol
life trickling lazily down from th
widely expanded spiracle. To drive s
harpoon Into the carcass, and run th
line on board was the simplest of Joba
for. as the captain had foreseen, tnj
Irons were drawn clean. I had no leis
ure to take any notice of them now,
though, for whatever was on my line
was coming up hand-over-flst
With a bound It reached the surface
the Identical cow so long attendant
upon the dead whale. Having been so
long below for such a small whale, she
was quit exhausted, and before sh
had recovered we had rot alongside ol
her and lanced her, so thoroughly that
she died without a struggle. The shl
was so close that we had her along
side In a wonderfully short time, a
with scarcely any trouble.
When I reached the deck, tha skip
per called me, and said several thiagi
that made ma teal about six laobet
tailor.
.1
-
v..