Loading...
Exeter Advocate, 1901-4-11, Page 2A SINGLE STITCH. OIXe Butolk dropped us the wonVer drove Ilis idinble shuttle to and to. In and out, beneath, above, TM the pattern seemed to bud and grow As if the fairies had helping bccr.-- One small stitch. whieh Could scarce be seen, But the one stitch dropped pulled the neer (WW1' And a weak place grew in the fabric stelae, And the perfect pattern was marred for aye BY the one kanali stitch, that had 'dropped that day, One small life in God's '"teat plan, Mow Mille it seems as the ages roll, Do what it may or strive how it ean To alter the sweep of the infinite whole! A single stitch in an endless web, A drop in the ocean's flow and ebb, But the pattern is rent where the stitch is lost ()r marred where the tang -led threads have crossed, And each life that fails of its true intent, Mars the perfect plan that it. Master meant. ease-Aiseastesaseasteeee -e4s*AeteeaAeees '41 GENTLEMEN :tfCONVICTS t 43 10. Az EZEIP—BY Pk• QUAD. cossereue, note BY C. B. LEWIS. 1: ' aq*VS-Vs•Vs•V*V•eVisVisV*V•e'Vee'reira It was a queer chapter of acciderats that evertook the bark Nonesuch on the South American coast in the year 1870. We were bound from Philadelphia to Pernambuco, being a well found craft and a willing crew, and We lost a man overboard before we had been out 24 hours. Off the Bahamas the second - mate and two men pulled away in the dingey to inspect some wreckage which seemed to prove the loss of,a steamer, and as they were returning a snaall whale rose under the boat and smashed her to match wood, and then two sail- ors were drowned. This left us three men short, and we put in at the Wind- svarcl islands to replace them. After much trouble we got two men, but as we were leaving port the captain was bitten on the cheek and the first mate on the hand by a flying insect some- what resembling the so called "darning - THE CAPTAIN'S WIPE Ar TflE WEIBEL, needles" to be found in the United States. Within an hour they were suf- fering as much as if they had been stung by an asp. The captain's wife was aboard, and of course she did all in her power, but it was three or four days before the men could move about again, and then only t'be mate could return to sduty. The captain had what seemed to be a carbuncle appear under his right eye, and for ten days be suffered so acutely that at times he was out of his senses. :We should have run into Demerara had he not begun to improve, but it would have been better bad we done so any- how. The two fellows we picked up at the Windward islands proved to be worthless sailors and bad men, and they worked the bark an evil turn. aQeee night as we lay_ becelmed, with the liaptain and mate till suffering, frorn the poisonous bites, they overpowered and bound the second mate, provision- ed and lowered a boat and induced four of the original crew to embark with them. We afterward came to know that they had been talking a great deal about a treasure buried on tbe Dutch Guiana coast, from which we were dis- tant about 75 miles. We were thus -left with only three able hands aboard, and the captain's wife had to take her trick at the wheel while we headed for Cayenne to get relief. We had crawled along to within 30 miles off the French penal port when the Wind headed us, and we could do no better than drift off to the eastward and wait for a change. After about 30 hours of drifting the wind changed in our favor, and one morning at sunrise we were making shift to get-ou our course again when we espied a raft with 12 inen eta it close at band. With the naked eye one could make out that they were clothed in convict garb, and of course the de- duction was that they had escaped from the coast. There were two rude Balls on the raft, and the clumsy struc- ture had had a fair breeze behind her for a day and a half. As the raft was not easily managed, we could have evaded it by putting up our laelin. We were for doing tials at once', all but the ceptain's wife. She knew they were convicts and desperate men and that once aboard of us we should be at' their mercy, but she nevertheless in- sisted that we should pick them up. They were 50 miles all the coast, with the signs of a storm coming on, and she declared that it would be a cruel act. to leave them to perish. I was of a mind to lock her up In her stateroom and dodge the raft, but the other two men Aver° against me, and ten minutes later the float was alongside and the convictS were climbing aboard. I ot- pected nothing less than an Immediate attack from themefor 12 tougher look- ing men 1 never set eyes on; but, to my Surprise, they halted at the rail while their leader advanced, doffed his cap, with a scrape of his foot, end in pas., sable English inquired for the captain. Ho Was told of the captain's illness and of our being short battled, and be bowed end scraped again and said to the woman: "Madam, have no fears. You prob. ably kuew that we are escaped con- victs from Cityealle, but ao man will offer harm to any one aboard. We may be robbers and murderere, but WL' are also gentlemen in a way. There is bad weather corning on. We have arrived at an opportune moment. Most of as are sailors, and all of us are at your orders,". When I looked into their vicious faces, I could not help but suspect that they had a game to play and were only delaying it, but it was policy to take them at their word, As soon ,as the captain and mate heard of the arrival of the gang tbey became ahhost panic stricken and advised this and that, and the wife was the only one who had tire least confidence in the promises made. It was well that she had and that her advice to trust them was followed by all of us. We could not have kept them from coming aboard with our feeble crew, and to have shown our distrust afterward would have angered them. They took hold with us at once after being given food, and before night we had cause to rejoice that they were with us. We got dirty weather, which lasted three days, and but for their aid the Nonesuch would have become a helpless wreck or gone to the bottom. We had to run off to the east during this spell, and it was only when the weather cleared that the leader of the convicts had a conference with the cap- tain and •his wife and asked that his gang be set ashore in Brazilian territo- ry. This was promised him, and I must say that I never worked with a more cheerful and willing crew aboard of any craft. Seven of the 12 bad been convicted of murder, and all were des- perate men, but they were as obedient as children and as good natured as you please. They were careful of their lan- guage, respectful in their demeanor, and hot once did I hear one of them grumble or complain. We ran into the Amazon and up that river for 40 miles to set them ashore.In his gratitude to them the captain gave them sailcloth for two tents, a musket, a lot of clothes from the slop chest and all the provi- sions we could spare. With cooking utensils, fishhooks and a few carpen- ters' tools they were fairly well rigged out for a life on the banks of the stream for half a year to come, and at parting there svere as much handshakings and as many farewells as if a band of old frimeds was breaking up. Their escape from the colony was a desperate one and the authorities made an exhaustive search; but, so far as I have been able to learn, not one of the dozen has ever been retaken. Not Above His Baainess. Young Brodhead, scion of a wealthy family, cherished journalistic ambi- tions and, like a sensible youth, had re- solved to begin at the beginning. He had applied for and obtained a position as a reporter on a daily paper at a moderate salary, where be was treated precisely ,like any other report- er, shirking no assignment that came in 'his way and putting on no airs on account of his wealth or social stand- ing. He had not thought It worth while, however, to acquaint the family serv- ants with the nature of his daily opcu- pations, and when a fellow reporter came to the house one day with a mes- sage from the city editor the flunky in attendance at the front door took hire around the house and brought him up to the young man's room by a back stairway. "Why didn't you show Mr. Craig up by way of the front hall?" deniancled young Brodhead. "I-Ie's only a reporter," whispered the butler. Imagine the dignified tlunky's horror when ,his master responded in an audi- ble voice: "I'm only a reporter myself, you don- key!" e – Webater and the Tratzt. With each increase of Webster's fame as a lawyer and an orator, writes Professor alcalaster in The Century, friends and admirers grew mere and more urgent that be should once more return to public life. Ere did indeed consent to serve as a presidential elect- or and for ten days sat in the Massa- chusetts legislature. Many years alter - ward in the course of a speech Web- ster referred to this service and told his hearers a story quite characteris- tic of the men. "It so happens,".said he, "that all the public services which I have rendered insthis world in my day and generation have been connect- ed with the general government. think I ought to make one exception. I was.ten days:a tbenaber of the alas- sachuSetts legislature, and I turned my thoughts, to -the `search for some good object In which I could be useful' in that position, and after much reflection I introduced a bill which, with the gen- eral consent of botb houses of the Mas- sachusetts legislature, passed hate a law and is now a law of the state which enacts-thet no roan in the state shall catch trout in any other manner than in the old way, with an ordinary hook and line." Pickled HatIroad Tic. Pickled railroad ties are now being used to a great extent all over the country. A number of railroads, in eluding the Burlington, the Santa Ise am] the Southern Pacifle, have plants of their own in, which the ties are pickled. How to preserve the ties and add to their life and durability has been a serious problem for railroad operatives ever since the early days of traneportation by rail. The constant wear and tear of ties has necessitated their replaCernent as soot) as tbey were perceptibly WOI'D. A solution of chlo ride of zinc Is applied by a specially arranged process. The ties are put in lerge airtight eylinclerfe the air Is purnried out and the ties are boated by -steam. The cheinieels are theta pump- eid In and the ties kept in the solution under pressure until they are sat Ilrated. GETTING A TOOTH PULLED WAS NOTHING FOR HIM. And After the Operation, Ile See)neil Greatly Sitrarised to Piad !Mfrs. Ilovvser and the Cat In the Hetttist,n Office. Copyright, 100.1, by C. B. Lewis,] Mr. BowSer had toothache. He had suspected it for two or three days, but now, after eatiag dinner and sitting down to his newspaper, be was dead sure of it. He had gone to and fro with - a growling at the roots of a certain old tooth, but had shut is jaws ,and tried to make himself believe it was only a small gumboil, which would disappear in an hour or two. Whan asked by his office boy if he didn't have toothache, he warned the lad that his freshness would cause his discharge, 'and when AS TEE "JUMP" STRUCX RIM IIE UTTERED A GROAN. , the same question was put to him by an old man on the street car Mr. Bow- ser had savagely answered: "You are an old man, sir, and I re- spect your gray hairs, sir, but don't presume too far on my good nature." "But can't I ask if you have tooth- ache?" queried the old man. "No, sir; you can't. You caii mind your own business." Yes, here it was at last—a full jewel- ed, swell front, rubber tired case of toothache, and all the peppermint es- sence, cloves, cinnamon oil and other remedies he had used on the sly and all the white lies he had told Mrs. Bowser for three clays had been in vain. As the "jump" suddenly struck hina he ut- tered a groan and clapped his hand to his jaw, and the family cat walked over and sat cloevu in. front of him and looked her sympathy. „ "What's the matter with you?" que- ried Sirs. Bowser as she looked up from her book. "N -nothing," he replied: hoping that no other jump would follow and that he could make a sneak for the pepper sauce later on. "I didn't know but that you had the toothache," she carelessly observed. "If you had, I was going to ask you why you didn't have it pulled out." - "I think I am old enough and big enough to know what to do When I have the toothache or any other ache. What in thunder is that old cat looking at? I've had enough of her around this house." ` Mrs. Bowser knew that act No. 2 was coming, and she had no more to ^ was Secretly determined to die first Ile saeaked into the parlor and tried "laying on or hands" on his Jaw, but it was ha go. Re went and sat down on the stairs and tried Chaistiall Science, but tile sinful tooth got In au extra jump or him. Ile prayed softly to himself, and he cursed in louder tones and kicked at his ,own feet, but there was no panecem By and by he wan- dered into the sitting room and re- marked that be guessed he'd go to bed and catch up his sleep, Mrs. Bowser noticed lame he suffered as she newel- esced, but she didn't express a word of pity. ).911c had had eight or ten teeth tilled or extracted, and on each and every occasion Mr. Bowser had ridi- culed her lamentations and made sport of her tears. Only a month previously, when she bad had stile toothache for live minutes, he had heartlessly offered to pull it with a pair of fire tongs and hall wanted to kill the nerve with a redhot poker. There was but little sleep for Mr. Bowser that night. He wanted to Isicls• and groau and curse, but he thought of forceps. He wanted Mrs. Bowser to get up and apply hot hops, hot salt, vinegar, mustard or something else, but the dentist seemed to be looking at him with a cold, cruel glare. When morning came, be had a lump on his jaw, the fires of desperation in his eyes and a scared feeling clear down to his toes. He couldn't eat a mouthful of breakfast, and he said nothing of going to the office. Mrs. Bowser sat down with a good, appetite and took ten minutes longer than usual to satis- fy it, and when she rose up she said: "You have got the toothache, and 'we will go to the dentist." "It's g-goile!" he whispered in reply as he pointed to his jaw. "We are going," she curtle continued, and she put his hat en his head and his overcoat on his back. He hung on to the halltree and the door, but she made ready, and he had lo follow. Unseen by either, the cat followed at their heels, and after a walk of two blocks they arrived at the dentist's. Mr. Bowser would have run away, but Mrs. Bowser took his hand and led him up the walk and into the house. The dentist was at home, and there was an inexorable look on his face. One glance at it satisfied Mr. Bowser that he could expect no mercy, but he stammered out: "I—I was just fooling! I haven't got any toothache." "Get into the chair!" commanded the dentist, with a murderous look in his eyes. "It must come'outl" said Mrs. BOW - ser as unfeelingly as if referring to a peg in a board. Mr. Bowser uttered a groan a'yard long and feebly climbed into the oper- ating chair. "Open your mouth and bite on this rubber I" "It's gone—allgone!" "No wonder your tooth aches. Here's a hole big enough for a rabbit to hide Mr. Bowser looked at Mrs. Bowser and tried to make her understand that he wanted the cavity filled with soft filling—bread crabs or cotton or something extraesoft—but she simply said ,to the dentlsk: "Pull it out!" "Oh, I'll yank it quick enough!" re- plied the mao of the ferceps, and he MR. 130WSER FELT THE EARTH HEAVE UP. say. Mr. Bowser started to whistle aucl got up and walked into the hall, hut as soot as out of her sight he kick- ed hitnself and bold his jaw. When be returned, he casually remarked that Aguinaldo hadn't been captured yet and that it was mighty singular weath- er for that time of year. He was do- ing his best, even to smiling at the cat, to make himself believe that old tooth hadn't a hollow in it big" enough to tuck away a field bean when the jump bit him again. 13p went his hands, and up went his feet, and be groaned out a sort of death cry. n'he cat chuckled, and Mrs. Bowser exclaimed: "What on earth is the matter with you tonight? You act as if you had the colic." "It's—it's juet a slight attack of toothache," he replied, with a ghastly smile; "got my big toe damp the other rainy day, I guess. It won't amount Id a row of pins, however." e "If it does, you'll go to the dentist's fn the morning of course?" 'Of course. You don't suppose I'm the sort of' man to suffer around with tho toothache for Six or seven years, do you?" • Mr–Dowser's voice had no weight in it, and his face was pale, but he had made up his mind to 1)Iuff the tooth- ache and Airs. Bowser in addition, The idea of ,rolir, to the dentist work- ed an ice cold streak up and down his SPIRO and made his toes cracic, and he mane a pass, grabbed on to something, and Mr. Bowser felt the earth heave up and the heavens to take a drop. There were tears in his eyes as be handed out his dollar and took the tooth as a sou- venir, but he had reached the sidewalk before he was elated and exultant. He was also ready to give airs. Bowser a setback, and when she asked bow he felt he turned on her with all dignity and replied: "What! Are you and the blamed old cat here? Where've you been? I had a tiny toothache, and as 1 didn't want It bothering, around I had it pulled. Easiest thing in the world. 1 rather like it. If it had been you, now— But that's the difference between a man and a woman!" M. QUAD. No Vendable Ideas. "Dear," said the elect's wife, noticing his abstracted look, "you are worried about something." "Yes?" he ejaculated. "Tell me, what have you on your mind?" "Nothing. That's whet worries me." Wily Will They Adt So? First Theater Patron—What a robust and magnificent amazon she makes! Second Theater Patron (who knows her) --Yes, but she's breaking her heart because they ,won't let her play little ,boy paris. A FAREWELL TO YESTERDAY, Where is the road to Yesterday? Oh, toll in prase or 111Y/ne, For 1 WO. "Id traee /nY kaekward ITV To that enchanting Misnel •Wlio knows the road to Yesterday? . is every seeker hlind? Sar, does it oast no .single ray , To pilot those behind? Oh, there's a road that leads our feet • To hours more glad and bright-, A road so short, a joy complete, A journey of a night! Come, bid farewell to:Yesterday, For in Tomorrow's face The happiest days now flown away Shine witha sweeter grac,,, Lite Was so fresii and good and true And friends so kind and fair, Why should a day so bright and new Alt fade away in air? , eo*O***0-34****Ce-X4****X4034+:44f•A * TIIE LITTLE NUGGET GOLD .. , g. - * _ * • A Tale of the Austra,lia,n Gold 0 ; Diggings. 4 John Archer decided that the nug- get would be safer in his little daugh- ter's keeping than in his own. "You must take great care of it, dar- ling," said John Archer. "It is for your mother." And Effie stowed the little nugget away in a corner of the old -workbox which had been her moth- er's under the cotton and socks she was darning for her -father. She felt duly weighted with the responsibility. She knew that this yellow earth was of great value, for her father, leaving her mother, who was very delicate, with some friends in Brisbane, had come a long, weary way to find it. Having hidden the little nugget away, Effie came out of the but to look around and see if any one was near who might have seen her. No. No one was near who might have seen her, only Billy, the black—King Billy, the aboriginal monarch, who loved rum and tobacco and who was chopping some firewood for her. a This little girl's reason for trusting King Billy, the black, was somewhat strange and is worthy of being re- corded. She trusted him because she had been kind to him. But Effie was only 12. As the child stood in the broad light, her tumbled hay hued hair kissed and illumined by the bold rays of the sun and her round, trustful blue eyes shad- ed from the glare by -1170 little brown hands, watching King Billy at his work, a flock. of laughing jackasses alighted in a 'neighboring gum tree and set up a demoniac cachinnation. What made the ill ometeci birds so madly merry? What was the joke? EfEe's trust? Billy's gratitude? They failed to explain, but their amusement was huge and sardonic. "Drive them away, Billy," cried Ef- fie, and the obedient king dropped his ax and threw a faggot of wood at the tree, which stopped the laughter and dispersed the merrymakers., "Billy tired now," said the black grinning. "Too much work --plenty wood," and he pointed to the result of his labor. - "les, that svill be enough, thank you. You're a good boy. I'll give you some tobacco." "Billy's thirsty." "Then' you shall have some tea," "No tea. Rum." "No, Billy. Rum isn't good for you." "GOod for miners; good for Billy." " "No, it's not good for miners," said Effie emphatically. "It makes them fight and say wicked things." "Makes black fellow feel good," de- clared Billy rolling his dusky eyes. This last argument was effective. Effie went into her hut—her father had returned to his. work—and poured a little spirits from John Archer's flask into a panaikin. Billy drank the spirits with rolling eyes, smacked hia lips and then !ay 'down in the shadow of the hut to sleep. The long afternoon passed very slow- ly for Effie. Her few trifling duties as housekeeper were Soon done. The little hut was tidied and the simple evening meal prepared and some hours must pass before her father returned. How could she pass the time? She had only two books—a Bible and a volume of stories for little girls. which she had won as .a. prize at school in Brisbane. But she was too young to appreciate the first, especially as the type was very small and it was difficult reading, and she bad grown beyond appreciating the stories for little girls, having known them by heart three' years before. She vecauld like to have slept. Ev.erything around ber suggest- ed and invited the siesta—the steady heat, the brightness of the light with- out the but, the distant murmur of miners' voices which came from be- yond yonder belt of wattle gums, the Imonotonous hum of the locusts In the , forest, the occasional fretful cry of a !strange bird and the regular snores of the fallen king, who slumbered in the shade of the hut. Even the buzz of the anneying flies assisted the general ef- fect and brought drowsiness. To remain still for a few minutest wenid have meant Inevitably falling asleep. Effie felt this and remembered the little gold nugget. If she slept, 8011Ie thief might come and take it. And so she put on her hat end, forsaking the seductive cool and shade of the hut, wept out. into the bright Dees rand heat. Archer's hut stood on the edge of the valley, over against the foot of the blue, heavily timbered bills. Aboiit 50 yards distant from It, bidden among the trees, was a high moss grown rock, itt the base of wide]) Effie had discover- ed the smallest and sweetest of natural springs. Thither' the child ran—looking hack often to see that no one approach, ed the hut in her absence—to bathe her face. In a few minutes She returned, drying her face in her apron awl shale, Eng her wet hair in the sun. No one bate come, but King Billy was now awake and was slouching lazily off to, ward the bush. Effie laughed as she saw him, his great head bent forward and his thin, narrow shoulders bowetU She laughed to think of his lazinessi and that be should look so ,tIred after) such a very little wood chopping. She was still laughing at King Billy as she opened the old workbox t� take another peep at the yellow treasure and to make quite sure tbat the beat hadn't melted it away. And it wae quite slowly thatlthe laugh died from hey pretty eyes and mouth—quite slow, ly because of the moments it took to realize and accept a misfortune $o ter,1 rible—when she lifted the coarse socks and looked and ealy no little gold nug- get, saw nothing. Then horror arid great fear grew in the blue eyes, and pale agony crept over the childish face 'and made it old, and the poor little' heart seemed to stop beating. Effie said nothing and made no cry., telt she closed her eyes tightly for a moment and looked in the box again. No, it slits no illusion. The little nug- get was not there. The first gold her father had found, which had been in- trusted to her care, which was to have been taken to her mother—it was gone, She put dolvra the box quite quietly and walked out into the day. But the sun was shining very strangely, rind mistily now, and tbe blue sky liat3 grown black, and the trees seemed t more weirdly. and the locusts bad ceased humming from ' fear, but the strange bird was soniewhere near, shrieking brokenly: "What- will father, say? What'w ill "father say?" But as the child stood there despair- ing- her sight grew clearer, and she!, saw a black figure among the trees,) and she was conscious of a pair ef dusky eyes watching her through the leaves. Then only sbe. remembered, and she kuew who had done this cruel thing. King Billy! And she bad been kind to him. Effie suddenly burst itito, passionate sobbing,. The black figure, still hovered among the trees, often changing its position, and the dusky, eyes still peered through the leaves.' And the laughing jackasses flew down - to the old tree again and laughed more madly than before—laughed at Effie'a trust, at Billy's gratitude! * * * * It was 10 o'clock, and darkness anti, quiet reigned in John Archer's huti Over among the tents behind the watt tIe gffins a few gamblers and heavy, drinkers were 'still awake, and theii! voices, raised in anger or ribald mer, riment, might occasionally have been faintly beard from the hut. But Arch-; er, who had sown his wild oats, was, a true worker, and he had hie little daughter, for whose sake -tie -shad builtt the hut away from the noisy camp. Archer had come home late anc3, weary, as usual, had eaten his supperand gone to rest without, to Effie's in. tense relief, speaking of the little gold, nugget. The child was afraid to speal4 a the foss, and she was not without vague hopes that a beneficent Proval dence would restore the nugget during the darkness and save hee from this' great trouble. * For this she prayed very earnestly, before she lay down to sleep. Or did she sleep at all that night? She uever quite Iciaew. -But she thinks that it, was then that she first experienced, that terrible purgatorial condition, which is neither wakefulness nor!, sleep when the body arid mind are, Nveary enough to bring the profound! sleep which they require, but which the brain is too overladen and too, cruelly active to allow, when dreams' seem realities and realities dreams.' It must have been a dream when she saw sometbing'sraall and yellow float through the tiny, window on, the glfost- ly silver moonbeams. Andyet when, having closed her eyes, she opened them a:geld it was Still there, hovering about in the darkness, less bright now! and with a pale yellow halo. -But it faded quite away. 'It was a cruets, mocking dream. Then was it a dream when the old curtain which divided her corner of the hut from her father's moved near, the ground, bulged slightly toward her? It would be curious to see, and she lay still. From under the curtein! seemed' to come a thin arin and slow -ii ly, cautiously, after the arm a beadi with a great shock of hair. And the, ill moonbeams just touched a face. 11 thiuls they kissed It, though it was!, black, for they found in a black hand!, the little yellow object which had) floated in the first dream. It was all so real, so beautiful, that the child lay still, scarce daring to breathe lest the Vision should melt risee.`• elve, and when in ber dream came the voice of her father with the words, "Speak, Or I'll fire!" her lips refused fa • open. But It was no dream when the shot came and the black king rolled over oil the earth dead, with the little gold, nugget be had come to restore pressed In the death agony against his hearts where, too, was a little gold. And the laughing birds in the old tree, startled from their sleep by the shot, lau,gbed once more, wildly and madly, at Billy's honesty. HtutleY's Ideal Church. The following" is Professor Huxley's' definition of a church given in hia "Life and Letters:" "A place in which, week by week, services shotald be de. -voted, riot to the Iteration of abstract propositions in theology, but to the set- ting before men's minds of an ideal of true, just and pure living; a place in which those who are weary of the bur-!, den of daily cares should find a ma - talent's rest in the contemplation of the higher life which Is possible for ali,! though attained by so few; a place ill, which tile Mall of strife and business, should have time to think bow $111811P after all, are the rewards he covets compared with peace and charitYs"