Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by R.J. Taylor, Jr. Foundation.
About Conyers weekly. (Conyers, GA.) 1895-1901 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 14, 1895)
1 wonder whv, t wonder wiiv hearts change so carelessly, Forgetful of the fires they have set A „lo’w in other hearts, trembling lips wet Forgetful of the once With dews of kisses. 1 ff onder why it comes—forgetfulness Tos teal away the loyalty and truth ^ a t once were glorified, formless shadow—ruth Leaving, alone, a for those forgotten 1 wonder why we cannot earnestly Command our loves as we command our lives, And prove it sweetly true That love remains to him who truly strives To grow in constancy. I wonder why we never know ourselves— Can never look into ourselves and see The hidden springs that wait A®agic touch to burst forth mightily, Ami ’whelm our startled souls. I wonder why once earnest vows enshrined fithin the inner temples.of our love, jrow faint withlapsi ig time, tike echoes from some whisp’ring voice above The far-off floating clouds— I wonder why! —Mew OrleansTimes-Democrat. OUT OF THE DEEP. T was a clear star¬ li¬ light night. We <» ;| ^ were degrees in about south lat- ten itude and the fV'I P J ship was steering s-jL W 'ftpfe southwest. W e f' were i ust on the mainroyal set, the °M Nautilus, with ^ the wind just be¬ fore the beam, was making a good eleven knots. Eight bells had struck, and the wheel and lookout had just been relieved. Before going below, the starboard ■watch had gathered with their ship¬ mates about the foremast, where a lively discussion was taking place be¬ tween George, one of the crew, and Silva, the fourth mate, on the respec¬ tive merits of the crews of the star¬ board and waist boats. George pulled the bow oar in the latter, while Silva steered the captain in the former. All daring the voyage there had been a deal of rivalry between these crews, and the rivalry had been intensified by that neither of the boats had been fortunate, most of the whales having been struck by the first mate in the port boat, to whom the third mate in the bow boat had proved a worthy as¬ sistant. It was exceedingly galling to the membefrs of the starboard watch to seethe honors snatched away from them day after day while we were upon the cruising ground, and it was no more than natural the crews should endeavor to shift the responsibility for their misfortunes from one to the ether, Silva, the fourth mate, was a native of De Verde Islands, and called him¬ self a Portuguese. George—or “Frenchv,” as he was known—was a French Canadian, coming from one of the counties of Quebec, near the Gulf of St. Lawrence. He was tall and slender, with jet-black eyes and straight hair, and a skin almost the •color of copper. He was a good sailor, an expert oarsman and one of the most valuable all-round men on board. The dispute between the two was waxing finally warmer each moment, until the lie was passed, then came blows, they clinched, and, after a brief scuffle, they both fell to the deck, Silva on top and George underneath. Another instant and those standing by saw the glimmer of a knife blade and then a cry from Silva : “He’s cut me! I’m stabbed!” AH was eoufusion. A dozen of the ■crew rushed to part the combatants, and in the meantime the first mate came hurrying forward. The men were separated and helped to their feet; the knife,. stained with blood, George handed to Mr. Hoyt, while Silva pulled back the bosom of his shirt to examine his wound. He led into the galley, where, by the light of a lamp, it was seen that the hurt was a superficial one, the knife having merely penetrated the muscles beloiv the left armpit. in the meantime the captain had left the poop and was standing in the waist when George was led aft by the mate. As soon as the affray had been explained to him he ordered George to be triced up by the thumbs to the mizzen rigging. “Let him stay that way for the night,” said he. “It will cool his blood, and to-morrow I will look into his case.” Tricing up by the thumbs is the most severe of the cruel punishments that were, until recent years, quite common in the merchant service. The hands of the victim are raised above his head, then the thumbs are bound securely together with tarred twine and made fast to the rigging at such a height as to hardly permit the toes to touch the deck. Only a strong man length can endure this punishment for any of time. It was nearly two bells of the first watch when George had been fast¬ ened by the mate, assisted by one of the boat steerers. Not a word had escaped him exeept en occasional mut tered threat and a hiss which could be heard some distance in the quiet which prevailed—a quiet which was only broken by the rushing of the water past the run of the vessel and an occa sional splash as the bows struck a swell bit heavier than usual. I had taken the wheel at eight bells, a nd although not present during the fracas, was a witness to the binding of George, and the mate had given me an outline of the affair as he stood at my “George side looking into the binnacle, took his medicine like a true sailor, and I hope the old man won’t be too hard on him,” said he. At four bells (10 o’clock) I was re lieved at the wheel and started for ward along the lee side of the deck, As I approached George he whispered: “Walter, cut these seizngs, will you ; I can’t stand it any longer.” Almost involuntarily, without giving a thought as to the consequences of the act, I took my knife from its sheath, reached to where the poor fellow’s hands were fast'to the rigging, drew the keen blade across the tarred stuff, gave a glance aft, saw the mate lean¬ ing upon the rail looking to windward, and without a word I hurried forward. As I reached the mainmast i turned and saw George still standing with his hands raised above his head. Could it be that I had failed to sever the fastenings? It seemed impossible. But yet, why did he remain in that position if his hands were free? My curiosity was soon to be en¬ lightened for I had scarcely reached the windlass bitts, where most of the watch were assembled, when a cry was heard from the after part of the ship, “Man overboard!” followed by the voice of the mate, “Clew up the yard; haul up the mainsail; stand by to lower away the port boat!” As the ship shot up into the wind the main and main-top gallant yards were rounded in, and before she had lost her headway the port boat was over the side, with the third mate at the steering oar. “He can’t be far astern, Mr. Bax¬ ter. The moon is just coming up. and you ought to catch sight of him as he rides on the swell. Burn your blue Jight as soon os you thiDli it will be of use. Keep your eyes peeled, boys, all of you. Off you go, now,” and the mate waved his hand as the boat drifted away from the ship. One of the boat steerers was already in the mizzen rigging, keeping track of the boat and endeavoring to get a glimpse of George, for all had by this time learned that he was the man that was overboard. “How in the world did he get loose, anyway, Mr.JfHo.yt?” I heard the captain ask the mate as I was pass¬ ing off from the poop after the boat had been lowered. “I can’t imagine, sir,” was the re ply- “The first I knew of it he was overboard, The man at the wheel saw him as he sprang from the rail.” “Some of those boat-steerers must have done it. If I could find out which one it was I’d disrate him and keep him in irons till we get into port,” This was not very cheeiing news for me, but I made up my mind that I would not see an innocent man pun¬ ished, and if anyone was wrongfully accused I would come forward and make a clean breast of it. In the meantime, however, I determined to keep my own counsel and await devel¬ opments. blue light blazed Just then the up, and the boat and the sea about it were wrapped in a spectral flame. “See anything of him?” yelled the captain, as he sprang onto the taftrail. “Nothing, sir, nothing,” came back in a faint tone from the boat. “He can’t be drowned, such a swim mer as he, do you think, Mr. Hoyt?” asked the captain, turning to the mate. “He was a grand swimmer, yes,” was the reply, “but you forget the sharks, sir. They are plenty in these waters. Why look there!” As he spoke he pointed over the side, almost under the ship’s counter. A number of us who had gathered in the waist heard ibe mate’s exclama¬ tion, aud sure enough there was to be seen the outlines of a shark, aud as he slowly moved through the water bathed in the phosphorescent gleam, every part of the body was visible, every fin distinct. “Heave iron into that chap, ) an said the captain in a low tone. “Aye, aye, sir, I’ll give him one,” replied Mr. Hoyt, and stepping light¬ ly into the starboard boat he picked up a harpoon that was all ready for use, saw that it was fast to the line in the tub, raised it above his head and sen t it downward with all his strength. His aim was true and the sharp iron was buried in the big fish nearly to the pole. hearties, pull! he “Pul!, my dozen coils of the yelled, throwing a the shark line on to the deck. Before really knew he was hit the line was seized by a score of willing hands and the sea tiger hauled along to the gangway. As the creature was raised from the water one of the boatsteerers stood by with a cutting-in spade and hacked away at the bead until that member was nearly severed from the body and its struggles had all but ceased. “Cut cut the iron and let the car¬ cass go,” said the mate. “Hell make a dinner for some of his kind.” During this brieE interruption the captain and most of the crew were eagerly watching the boat from the deck, while the second mate and sev eral boat steerers were in the rigging hoping to calch a glimpse of the miss ing man. The moon had by this time climbed well above the horizon and as it was at its full it shed a bright shim meting light over the surface of the sea that made objects almost as dis tinct as in the day. The boat could be seen not more than two cable lengths off. One man was standing in the bow while the officer in the stern sheets was leaning on the steering oar and apparently scanning the surface with his night glass, “See anything, Mr. Baxter?” hailed the captaiu. “Not a thing, not a thing, sir,” was the response. “Come aboard then,” was the or der. “Poor fellow, he’s gone, ’ the captain continued in a lower tone as he turned and resumed his w T alk on the poop. The boat was soon alongside and hoisted up, the members of the star¬ board watch wont below, the main yard was braced forward and the ship again put on her course, During the next day the officers and men went about their duties with an air of unusual quiet, but in a week the tragedy of the night had apparently been forgotten. There was no inquiry made as to how George managed to un¬ loose his bonds and the secret remained in my own breast during the rest of the voyage. When we reached our home port I left the ship, bid good-by to the sea and settled down at the home of my parents in the interior. Two years had come and gone when one day I re¬ ceived a notification from the local agent of the express company to call at his office. I went and there found a fine gray parrot in a cage addressed to my care. It had come from New York and the charges were paid. I took the bird home to the great delight of my mother and sister. We could not get it to utter a word, but a bird fancier told me its silence might be owing to the effects of the journey, audit would probably have something to say in a few days, “especially,” as he re¬ marked, “as it looks like a talking bird.” The prediction proved correct, for on the morning of the third day I was startled by loud calls from the parrot. The cage had been hung on a back porch, were the occupant could get the morning sun. As I appeared upon the scene judge of my astonishment when I was greeted in first-rate Eng¬ lish with “Trice up the scamp! hr! ha! hello, Walter! hello!” I had often told the story of George’s punishment and tragic end in the fam¬ ily circle, and when she heard the parrot my mother said at onqe : “Why, Walter, this bird certainly comes from one of your old shipmates, for no one else would have taught it those words about thrieingup; wasn’t that what you called it when they tied that poor sailor up by the thumbs?” “Yes, and it was Walter who cut him loose and then he jumped over¬ board and was drowned,” added my youngest sister with a kind of mali¬ cious smile. “Eor shame, Kate,” remarked my dear mother, “you know Walter did what he thought was right.” We tried hard to teach the parrot some additions to his vocabulary, but with poor success. He held fast to his early training, and was always ready with his “Trice up the scamp ! ha ! ha! Hallo, Walter, hallo!” greatly to the amusement of visitors, though after a time it became a bit monotonous to the family. Years came and went, and one of the few reminders I had of my early seafaring days was in the never-fail¬ ing prattle of the parrot. I had oc¬ casion, during the winter of 1869-70, to go to New York, and as usual, when I found myself in a seaport, did not fail to visit the wharves and ship¬ ping. One morning I was strolling along the East Biver, and at the foot of Wall street I noticed a fine new ship, the Great Admiral, alongside the pier. A large porter announced that she was loading for San Francis¬ co and would have quick dispatch. Impelled by curiosity to inspect the noble craft, I climbed up the compan¬ ion ladder and soon .stood upon the deck. Several sailors were at work near the gangway, and as I was tak¬ ing a general survey of the vessel and her lofty spars a voice at my elbow said: “Hello, Walter!” I started, turned quickly, and looked upon a tall, dark-complexioned man with gray hair and keen gray eyes. He held a marlinspike in his left hand, while his right was extended towards me. “Don’t you remember George, Walter?” Had one risen from the grave I could not have been more astonished. Sure enough, it was George, my old shipmate. I welcomed him warmly, and after we had crossed the deck we leaned up against the rail and he told me the story of his escape from the sea, into which he had plunged on that night many years before in the South Atlantic. He said he feared that the captain wonld visit some terrible punishment upon him, and rather than endure it he decided to jump overboard. He might drown, though he trusted that he might be picked up by some vessel as we were right in the track of ships bound to and from the Cape of Good Hope. He felt confident of being able to sustain himself in the water until daylight any way, especially as the sea was comparatively smooth. When the boat was lowered he thought his shipmates might discover him, and several times they seemed on the point of doing so, but he dove beneath the surface, and finally they gave up the search. Just as the ship was hauling up on* her course again he saw floating ou the surface, only a few feet away, a log of wood about four feet in length. It was evidently a piece of fine wood, ! and had probably fallen from the deck of some vessel. He looked upon this find as a special act of Providence, as it would, be a great aid to him in his queer voyage. With renewed conti dence he waited for the night to go by. Finally day came and following fast after the dawn the sun appeared. Not more than an hour later be discov¬ ered a vessel apparently coming di rectly toward him. He had torn a piece from his red flannel shirt, which he used as a waif and swung above his head. He was seen from the deck, a boat was lowered aud he was taken on board. It was a British ship bound from Calcutta to New York. He told the captain that he had belonged to a whaler and had fallen overboard the night before while stowing the flying jib. He reached New York in safety, and from that time till the day I saw him had been sailing on ships to dif l'erent parts of the globe. He bad sent me the parrot to remind me, as he said, of “Your old friend George,” though why the honest fellow did not let me know of his safety was singu lar. When I returned home and told this happy sequel to the sad story of the poor sailor who jumped overboard, my mother said it was another in¬ stance of the insciutable ways of Prov¬ idence, while sister Kate declared, “ Veil, Walter did act for the best af¬ ter all. ” The parrot is still living and as I write these concluding line3 I can hear his voice, now taking on harsher tones with his accumulating years, jabbering to the children : “Trice up the scamp 1 ha! ha! Hallo, Walter!”-— San Francisco Chronicle. WISE WORDS. A little religion is hard to keep. When love works, it always does its best. Sin always feels the safest in the dark. Humility dies the moment it looks in the glass. The man who hates light, will run from a shadow. A city’s righteous men are a better safeguard than its police. Don’t be a saint in church and a heathen on the street car. The wise man can learn something from the mistakes of a fool. lu nine cases out of ten the man who has riches paid too much for them. Give a lie one day the start, and truth will have to chase it'around the world. If there is any dog in a man. it is sure to growl when his food is not to his taste. Many a man whose prayers are too i long, sells goods by a measure that is j too short. If the sun never went down, there are some crimes that would not be committed. Many a man will fight for his creed, who never has a word of encourage¬ ment for his wife.—Barn’s Horn. Avenged His Dog. Of his do* bv murdering the man who killed it.” The murdered man, a for- j est guard, had often found the animal trespassing, in the and evening finally called shot it. at The the j owner j fuard’s house, and on some pretext ! induced him to walk with him behind i victim’s ' the house. There he cut his throat before he could put up a hand in his defense.”—London News. Never Role on the Road He Built. Instances of old people only now taking their first ride in steam rail¬ road cars are not particularly uncom¬ mon, but a fact that makes interest¬ ing the case of Daniel Gifford, seventy year old, of Bethel, Mich., who last week took his first ride in the cars, is that he helped to lay the track of the first railroad built in that State. For some reason he never rode over the road.—New York Sun. The Earliest Bird.«. An ornithologist has been investi¬ gating the question of what hour in summer the commonest small birds wake up and sing. He states that the green finch is the earliest riser, as it pipes as early as half-past 1 in the morning, the blackcap beginning at about half-past 2. It is nearly 4 o’clock and the sun is well above the horizon before the first real songster appears in the person of the black¬ bird.—Detroit Free Press. si >2 GOSSIP. Tucson, Arizona, has a worna* butcher. Ada Behan’s salary is said to be $900 a week. Mrs. W, K. Vanderbilt owns 126 diamond rings, Two women photographers are do¬ ing a big business in Harbine, Neb. Caroline Hook Haas is a new South¬ ern novelist, who has made quite a hit in Atlanta. A new and pleasing writer on Hel¬ lenic art and antiquities is Mary Burnside, of Dorchester. Miss Vanderbilt bought forty-fiva pairs of shoes as a part of her wedding outfit as a Duchess. The i a t es t atyle of entertainment in Boston is a girl child-reader. She is sa hl to be quite successful, A somewhat remarkable feature con¬ nected with the recent railway race to Scotland was the number of ladies in the trains. The Queen of Hawaii, the Queen of Madagascar and the Queen of Korea have come to grief this year. It is a bad year for queens, Mrs. Lillie Pardee was a candidate for State Senator in Utah. She is thirty years old, a teacher of Latin and Greek, and the wife of a Salt Lake lawyer. A woman drummer for a cigar fao tory appeared in Valdosta, Ga., a few days ago, and surprised the merchants. She further surprised theta later by proving that she was an expert in handling cigars and understood her business thoroughly. Mrs. J. B. Green, widow of the his¬ torian and herself a writer of high standing, has a thorough (knowledge of Greek, Latin, higher mathematics and the Roman languages, which she obtained entirely by self-culture, hav¬ ing never even had a governess as a girl. Glover mending sets are sold now, and no more useful present for a well groomed girl could be thought of. The apparatus comes in a neat wooden box, and consists of different sizes and kinds of buttons, all shades of silk and sizes and qualities of needles, a thim¬ ble and a little stretcher and “mend¬ ing stick.” Mrs. Mary Jackson, of Louisville, Ky., has just passed her 103d birth¬ day. She lived in Louisville when all the houses were stockaded to guard against Indian surprises and the red men made considerable trouble for the farmers thereabout. She was a grown woman when Lafayette visited Louisville in 1820 and well remembers him. Miss Nellie Adams, a pupil of the institution at the Boyal Normal Col¬ lege for the Blind of England, passed the second-class figure skating test of the National Skating Association with great success. She is only sixteen years old, and has the distinction of being the first woman (blind or other¬ wise) who has passed this test on roll¬ er skates. The roll of Southern poets has been increased by Miss Mary Louise Hunt ley, of Atlanta. She is atall, slender, <1 ark girl, reserved, dignified and stu ( ]jous. Her last poem, “The Sobbing Bain,” was an exquisite idyl, and was quoted and requoted by the press of the country. She is the third talented singer in her city, the other two being Lollie Belle Wylie and Arelia Bell Key. FASHION NOTES. The popular delft effects are shown now in brooches and even stick-pins. 8of > f 11 «edes are once more popular }, ls re " ar> ed f a P°° r substitute for the , heavy dogskin gloves dear to the tailor-made.girl Hatpins of solid gold, in the shape of round bads, looks very pretty when used to pin on a black velvet hat. Tur qucise, surrounded by diamonds, or more often rhinestones, is the pin par excellience for the bonnp^ pf the up to-date gir,’. Black velvet capes, elaborately em¬ broidered with jet, are vwtvy fashion¬ able. In shape they are much like those in vogue last year, biifeiare rather longer. Flower-strewn satin is used for the same purpose, adorned with jetted trimming. Corduroy is coming to the front as a fashionable material for street suits. Double-breasted stylish coat bodices opening over vests of leather is one handsome design for them. The ma¬ terial is practically everlasting in wear, and if made with elegance, is ex¬ ceedingly effective. The new winter boa will be a con¬ glomeration of fur tails; lace and flowers. It is short, merely: encircling the neck and falling a short distance over the corsage. The most improved boa is of sable, fastened in; front with a little anirhaTs head, from which three sable tails are suspended, while a frill of lace is caught under the head and a bunch of violets is stuck in at the side.
