The times dispatch. [volume], September 10, 1905, MAGAZINE SECTION, Image 29

About The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
THL BANNLF. 3LULS OT
SLLLCTLD: SHOKT ?5 TORIL _
The Roll-Call of the Reef
A STORY OF THE SEA
By "Q."
Author of Dead-Man's Rock, Etc.
HS, sir," said my
host, the llsherman,
ronchi ng down the
relics from their
hook In tho wall
over the chinine
piece, "tbey'vo hung
Tiere all my time,
and most of my
father's, Tlio women
won't touch 'em;
they're afraid of the
story. So hero they'll
dnnglo and gather
dust nnd.'stnWo; till
another tctiutii"co7nes
and tosses 'cm out o' doors for rubbish.
Whew! "ils coarso weather, surely.".
lie wont to the door, opened "ft, and
?tooil studying the gale that beat 'u'fion
his cottage front, straight from the Mali
aclo Roof. The rain drove ftast hl'in into
tho kitchen, like threads of gold silk
slanted In tho shine of the wreck-wood
fire. MCanwhllci by the same firelight,? I
examined the relics on my knee. The ?
metal of each was tarnished out of all
recognition. Hut tho trumpet was evi- ?
denlly au old cavalry trumpet, und tho
threads of Its pnrtl-colorcd sling, though ,
frayed and dusty, still hung together.
Around lho side-drum, beneath its
cracked brown yarnlsb, 1 oottld hardly
trii'jo a royal coat-of-aiins and a legend
running l'or Alare, Por Torram?lho motto
of the Marln?s, Its parchment, though
black and smelling pungently of wood
smoke, was limp nnd mildewed, and I
began to tighten up the straps, under
which tho drumsticks had been loosely
thrust, with the Idle purpose Of trying
if some music might be got out of the
Old drum yet.
Dut as I turned it on my knee I found
tho drum attached to tho trumpet sling
by a curious, barrel-shaped pndlock, nnd
paused to examine this. The body, of the
lock wns composed of half a dozen brass
rings, set accurately edge to edge, and
rubbing the brass with my thumb, I saw
that euch of tho six bad a series of
letters engraved around It.
I knew the trick of It, I thought. Hero
was ono of those word padlocks,'- once so
:ommon, only to be opened by getttnfl the
rings to spell a certain word, which the
dealer eonlldos to you. I was mistaken.
My host shut and barred the door and
came back to the hearth.
'?'Twas just such a wind?east by south
?that brought In what you've got be?
tween your hands. Hack In tho year
'nine, It was; my father has told me
the tale a score o' times. You're twist?
ing 'round the rings, I see. But you'll
never guess tho word. Parson Kendall,
ho made tho word, and locked down a
couple o' ghosts in their graves with It,
and when his timo caino ho wont to his
own grave and took the word with h!m."
"Whose ghosts, Matthew?"
"You want the,' story, I see, sir. Jly
father could tell it better than I can.
Ho was a young man In tho year 'nine,
unmarried at the time, and living in this
very cottago. Just as 1 be. That's how
ho came to get mixed up with tbe tale."
Ho took a chair, lit a short pipe and
Kent on, with his eyes fixed on tbe danc?
ing violet flames.
"Yes, he'd ha' been about thirty year
old In January, eighteen 'nine. The storm
got up in thu night o' tho twenty-first
'-' that month. My father was dressed
aud out long before daylight; he never
was ono to bide in bed, let be that the
gale by this time was pretty near lifting
tho thn toil over his Head, Besides which,
he'd fenced a small 'taty-patch that win?
ter, down by Lowland Point, and ho
wanted to see If It stood the night's work.
Ho took the path across Gunner's
Meadow?where they burled most of tho
bodies afterward. The wind wus right
In his teeth at tho time, nnd once on
tho way (he's told mo this often) a great
strip of oro-woed came flying through the
darkness und fetched him a slap on tho
cheek like a cold haiiS. But lie mudo
shift pretty well till he got to Lowland,
and then had to drop upon bands and
knees and crawl, digging bis fingers every
now and then into the sblnglo to hold
on, for ho declared to me that tho stones,
somo of them ns big as a man's head,
kept rolling and driving past till It seam?
ed tho whole foreshore was moving west?
ward under him. The fenco was gone,
ot course; not a stick loft to show whore
it stood, so that, when first he came to
the place, bo thought he must havo miss?
ed his hearings. My father; sir, was a
very religious man; and If he reckoned
the end of tho world was at hand?there
In the great wind and night, amone tho
moving stones?you may believe lje was
' certain of It when ho heard a guuofirod.
and, with tho some, saw a flame aliSdt
up out of the darkness to- windward,
making a sudden fierce light 'ill ?alt;'the
placo about. All ho could find to" fhlnk
or say was, "The Second Coming?Tho
Second Coming! The Bridegroom cpmetn,
und the wicked lie will toss llko a, ball
Into a for land!" nnd being already upon
his knees, he Just bowed bis head and
bided, saying this ovpr and ?vor.
"But, by'm-by, between two squalls, ho
mode bold to Uff his head and look and
then by the llgbt-a bluish color 'twas-ho
saw all tho coast clour away to Mann?ie
Point, and off thn Manacles, in tho thick,
of the weather, a sloop-of-war with top?
gallants housed driving stern fore?
most toward tho reef. It was
she, of course, that was _ burn?
ing tho flare. My father could see tho
whlto streak and tho ports of hor quite
plain as sho roso toit, a little outside lho
breakers, and hn guessed easy enough
that hor captain had Just managed to
wear ship, and was trying to force her
poso to tho non wllh lho help of her
small bower anchor, and the scrap nr
two of canvas Hint hadn't yet been blown
out of her. But whllo he looked alio fell
off, giving lier broadside to It, foot Hy
foot, and drifting back on the breakers
around Corn du nnd tho Vurses. Tho
rocks lie so thick thereabouts,'that 'twas
a toss-up which sho struck Ilrst; pit any
rate, my father couldn't tell at tho time,
for Just then tho flaro died down tinti
went out,
"Well, sir, ho turned- then In tho dark
and started buck for Covoni pit to cry tho
dlsmnl tidings?though well knowing ship
and crow to bo past any hopp; and as he
turned, the wind lifted him add tossed
him forward 'llko a ball,' ?tg he'd boon
saying, and homeward along the fore?
shore. As you know, 'tis ugly work,
ovon !?>' daylight, picking your way
among tho stones there, und my father
was prettily knocked about at first
In tho dark. But k>y this 'twas nearer
7 than ? o'clock, and tho day spreading.
By the time he reached North Corner, ?
man could see to read print; hows'ovcr
ho looked nolllior out to sen nor toward
Coveruck, but headed straight for tho
first cottage?tho same that stands above
North Corner to-day. A man named
Billy J3do lived thoro then, and when my
rstber burst Into- the kitchen bawling,
'Wreck! wreck!' ho saw Billy Ddc's Wife
standing there In her clogs, with ? shawl
over hor head, and her clothes wringing
wot.
" 'Save tho chap!' says Billy Edo'?
wife! Ann. 'What d'oo mean by crylr?g
stalo fish ut that rate?'
" 'Dwt 'tis a wrsck, I toll 'oc, I've
a-zeod '?!'
" 'Why, so 'tis,' says she, 'and I've
it-zoed '?, too; and ko has every one
with an eye In his hear],'
"And with that she pointed straight
over my father's shduldor. and he turned,
nnd there, closn under Doler Point, nt the
end of Covornck town, he saw nnother
wreck washing, and the point blnck with
people, like ommojs, running to and fro
In the morning light. While ho stood
staring at her, be heard n. trumpet sound?
ed on board, the notes coming In little
Jerks, like a bird rising against thn wind;
but faintly, of course, because of tho dis?
tance nnd tho gnln blowing?though this
had dropped a little.
" 'She's it transport,' said Billy Kde.'s
wife, Ann, 'and full of 'horse, soldiers,
fine long men. When she struck they
must lia' pitched the bosses over first
to lighten thn ship, for a score of dead
hosses had washed In afore I left, nlf
nn-hour back. An' three or four sol- I
filers, too?fine, long corpses In white I
breeches and Jackets of blue and gold
7 held the lantern to one. Such a straight
young man.' \
"My father asked ber about tho trum- I
petlng. ?
' That's the queerest bit ot ail. She
was burnin' a light when me an' my
man Joined the crowd down there. All
her mnats had gone; whether they car
pled away, or wero cut away to ease
her, I don"t rightly know. Anyway, there
she lay 'pon tbe rocks with her docks
bare. Her keelson was (broko under
her and her bottom stove, and she had
Just settled down on her sagged tim?
bers llko a sotting hen, Just the leastest
list to starboard; but a man could stand
there easy. They had rigged up ropes
across hor, from bulwark to bulwark, an'
beside these tho men wero mustered,
holding on like grim death whenever
tho sea made a clean breach over them,
an' standing up like heroes aB soon as
it passed. Tho captain an' the officers
were clinging to the rail of the quarter?
deck, all in their brave uniforms, wait
lag for the end as If 'twas King George
they expected. There "was no way to
hclpi, ?for slw lay rlgl^t beyond cast
of line, though our folk tried It fifty
times?and beside them clung a tem?
p?ter, a whacking big man, an' between
thn heavy seas he would lift his trumpet
with one hand, and blow a call; and
every time he blew, the men gave a,i
chcor. There?hark 'ee now?there he'
goes agen! But you won't hoar no cheer?
ing any more, for few are left to cheer,
and their voices weak. Bitter cold the
wind is. and I reckon It numbs their
grips o' the ropes, for they wero drop?
ping off ? fast with every sea when my
man sent mo homo to get his breakfast.
Another wreck, you say? Well, there's
no hope for the poor dears, If 'tis the
Manacles. You'd better run down and
help yonder; though 'tis little help any
man can give. Not one came ,n alive
while 1 was there. Tho tide's flowing,
and she won't hold together another
hour, they say.' '
"Well, sure enough, the end was com?
ing fast when my father got down to
the point. Six mon had boon cast up
alive, or just breathing?a seaman and
l'ivo troopers. The seaman was the only
otto thai hud broat?? bo speak; )ind
whllo they wero carrying him into tho
town, the word went round that the
ship's name was tbe 'Despatch?' trans
fort, (homeward bound from Corunna,
with a detachment of tho Seventh Hus?
sars, that had been Ilgliting out thore
wllh Sir John Moore. The seas had
rolled her further over by this time,
and given her decks a pretty sharp slope;
but a dozen men still held on seven
by tho ropes near the ship's waist, a
couplo near tho break of tho poop, and
three on tho qufirter-dock.
"Of these threo my father made out one
to bo tho skipper; close by him clung an (
officer hi full regimentals?his name, they
heard after, was Captain Dunennfleld;
and last camo tho tall trumpotor; anil,
If you'll bellove mo, the follow was
making shift there, at' tho very last,
(o blow 'God Save tho King. What's
mote, he got to 'Send us victorious," be?
fore nn extra big. sea carne bursting
across and washed them off (no doc???
?very man but one of tho pair bonoath
tho 'poop?and ho dropped his hold be
foro tho next wave, being stunned, I
reckon. Tho others went out of sight at
once, but tho trumpeter-being, ns I said,
a powerful mail? a? well as a tough swlm
incr-rose like a duck, fodo out a couplo
of breakers, and came In on the crest of
lho third. The folks looked to see him
broke llko an ogg at their very feet; but
when tho smoke cleared there he wns ly?
ing face downward, on a ledge holow
thorn; nnd ono of tho men that happened
to havo a i"?Po round him?I forget tho
follnw's name, If I ever heard It?.lumped
down and grnbbed htm by thn anklo as.
bo began to slip back. Before thn next
big pea, the pair worn bniiled high enough
to bo out of harm, and. nnother beavo
brought them up G? gross, Quick work,
but master trumpotor wasn't quito dead;
nothing worse thnn a cracked head and
Ihren staved ribs. In twenty minutes or
so they had him In bed, with the doctor
tn tend him.
"Now wns tho time-nothing being loft
alive'upon tho transport?for my father
tn (ell of tho sloop he'd seen driving upon
lho Manacles. And whon ho got. a hear?
ing, though the most worn set upon sal?
vage, nnd believed a wreck in the hand,
so to say, to ho wortli balf-a-dozeo they
couldn't ?,,?? n ?"01' 'tnv volunteered to
B'art off with him and havo ? look. Thoy
crossed Lowland Point; no ship to bo
seen on tho Manacles, nor nnywhero upon
tho sea. One or two was for calling my
father a liar.. ,'Walt till wo come to
Dean Point,' said he,
"Bare enough, on the, far ???'? of Dean
Point, they found (ho sloop's mainmast
washing about with hnlf-a-dozon men
lushed tn It, mon In red Jackets, every
mother's son drowned nnct staring; and
a little further on. Just under; *ju Dean,
throe or four bodies cast up on the shore,
ono of them a small drummer boy, side
drum and nil; und, nearby, part of a
ship's gig, with ?-1. At. S. Primrose' cut
on the Bteriib'oard. From this point on,
the shore wns littered thick with wreck
ago and dead bodies?the most of them
marines in uniform; and in Godrcvy Cove,
In particular, a heap of furniture from
the' captain's cabin, nnd among it u
water-tight box, not much damaged, and
full of papers, by whtcn, when it came
to be exnmlnerl next day, the. wreck wns
easily /node out to be tho 'Prlmroso' of
eighteen guns, outward bound from
Portsmouth, with a fleet of transports
for. tho Spanish war, thirty sail, I've
hoard, but I'vo never heard what became
of them. Being handled by merchant
skippers, nn doubt they rode out the gale
and reached the Tagne safo and sound,
not but what the captain of the 'Prim?
rose' (Mela was his .name) did quito
right to try and club-haul his vessel
when ho found himself tinder the land;
only bo never ought to havo got there.
If he took proper soundings. But It's
easy talking.
"Tho 'Primrose,' sir, was a handsome
vessel?for her size, one of the hand?
somest In tho King's service?and nowly
fitted out at Plymouth Dock. So tho
boys had brave pickings from her In tho
way of brass work, ship's Instruments,
and tho like, let alone some bnrrels of
stores riot much spoiled. Thoy loaded
themselves with as much as they could
cani' and started /or home, meaning to
make a second Journey before tho pre?
ventive men got wind of their doings,
and camo to spoil the fun. But as my
father was passing back undor tho Dean,
he happened to tako a look over his
shoulder at the bodies there. 'Hullo!'
says he, and dropped his goar, ? do be?
lieve there's a leg moving!' and running
fore, ho stooped over tho small drummer
boy thnt I told you about.
"Tlio poor little chap was lying there,
with his face a mass of bruises and his
eyes closed, but he had ?shifted ono leg
an inch or two, and was still breathing,
So my father pulled out a knife.and cut?,
him free from his drum?that was lashed
to him with a double turn of Alani la
rope?and took him up and carrleoT him
along here to this very room that we're
sitting In. He lost a good deal by this,
for when ho went back to fetch tho
bundle he'd dropped, tho preventive men
had got hold o? It, and wero thick as
thieves along the foreshore, so that 'twas
only by paying one or two to look the
other way that he picked up anything
w'orth carrying off, which' you'll allow
to be hard, seeing that ho was the first
man to give news of the wreck.
"Well, tho Inquiry wns held, of course,
nnd my father gave evidence, and.for the
rest they hnd to trust to the sloop's
papers, for not a soul was saved besides
the drummer boy, and he was raving In
a fever, brought on by the cold and the
fright. And the seamen and tho five
troopers gave evidence about tho loss of
the Despatch. The tall trumpeter, too,
whose ribs wore healing, came forward
and kissed the book; but somehow his
head had been hurt In coming ashore, and
he talked foolish-like) and 'twas e^iy.seon
he would never be a proper man ag^n.
The others were taken up to Plymouth,
and so went their ways, but the trumpe?
ter stayed on In Coverack, and King
George, finding he was fit for nothing,
sent him down a trifle of a pension after
a while?enough to keep him in board and
lodging, with a bit of tobacco over. .
"Now the first time that this man?
William Tulllfer he called himself?met
?with tlie drummer boy was about a fort?
night after the little chap had bettered
enough to bo allowed a short walk out of
doors, which he took, if you please, In
full regimentals. There never was a sol?
dier so proud of his dress. His own'suit
had shrunk a bravo bit with tho salt wa?
ter, but Into ordinary frock and cordu?
roys he declared 1G0 would not got, not
if he had to go naked tho rest of his life;
so my father, being a good natured man
and handy with the needle, turned to nnd
repaired damages 'With a piece or two of
scarlet cloth cut from tho Jacket of one
of the drowned marines. Well, the poor
llttlo chap chanced to ,bc standing, In
this rig-out, down by the gate of Gun?
ner's Meadow, whore they bad burled
two scoro nnd over of his comrades. Tho
morning was a fine ono, early In March
month, and along came the cracked trum?
peter, likewise taking a stroll.
" 'Hullo!' says he; 'good mornln'! And
wliat might you be doin' hero?'
l " ? wns n-wlshln'.' says the boy, ? hnd
a pair o' drum-sticks. Our lads were bur?
led yonder without so much as a drum
tapped or ? musket fired;, nnd tlwit's not
Christian burial Tor British soldiers.'
"'Phut!' says the trumpeter, and spnt
on the ground; 'a parcel of marines!'
"Tho boy eyed him a second or so, and
answered up. Tf I'd a tah of turf handy,
I'd bung It at .your mouth, you greasy
cavalryman, and learn you to speak re?
spectful of your betters. rim marines
are tlio handiest hp,dy o' men In the ser?
vice'
"The trumpeter looked down on bini
from Hi? height of six-foot two, and ask.
ed: "Did they dio well??
" 'They died very well. There was a
lot of running to and fro nt first, nnl
some of the men began lo cry, and a few
to strip off their clothes. But when the
ship fell off for the last time, Captain
Mein lurried and said something lo Major
Oriniths, the commanding officer on
hoard, and tho mnjor called nut to me tn
beiit to quarters. It might have been for
n wertdlng, ho sang It so cheerful. We'd
hnd w?rd nlready that 'twas to tie parade
dress; and the men foil In as trim nml
decent ns If thoy were going 10 Church.
Ono or two oven tried to sbavo at the
last moment. 'Nip, major wore his ni?;dnl.s.
Ono "of tho sonmen, seeing I had work to
keep tho drum steady?tho sling being a
bit looso for mo, nnd the wind wnat you
remember?lashed It tight with a pieco of
rope; and thnt saved my life afienvard, a
drum being ns good ns a cork until It's
slovo. I kept bentlns nwny until every
mnn wns on deck; and tlion tlio major
formed them up and laid th(>m ta die like
British soldiers, nnd tho chnplnln rond ?
prayer or two?tho boys standing ;ill the
while llko rocks, each man's cournpo
keeping up tbo other's. Tlio chaplain was
In tho mlddlo of a prayer when :<i;e
struck. In tea minutes she waa gone,
That's how thoy died, cavalrymen.'
" 'And that w.is very well done, drum?
mer of the marines. What's your nnmoV
" 'John Christian.' V
" ?Mine's William Taillier, trumpeter of
the Seventh Light pragopns?tho Queen's
Own, I played 'God Save the King,'
while our men wero drowning, Captain
Duneanfleld told rpo to sound a call or
two, to put them In heart? but tliat mat?
ter of 'aod gave the King' was u notion
of my own. I Won't say anything to
hurt the feelings Of a marine, even If he's
Hot much over flvo foot tall; but tho
Queen's, Own Hussars Is a leorln' flno
regiment. As between horse and foot, 'tis
a question o' which gels the chanco. All
the./way from Sttlinguu to Connina 'twas
wo that took and gave tho knocks?at
Mtiyorga and Bucda und Ucimyvenly,'
(Tho reason, sir, I cnn speak the names
so pat Is that my father learnt 'em by
heart afterward from the trumpeter, who
was always talking about Mayorgn and
Meda and Bonnyvonty.) 'Wo made tho
renr guard under Generiti Pagct, > and
drove ihn Kreuch every time, and all
tho Infantry did was to sit about In
wlno shops till wo whipped 'cm out, an'
Blotti an' strugglo an' play tho tom-fool
In general. And when It ri-Mtle to a
Btand-?p fight at Connina, 'twas wo that
had to stay seasick ?board tbe transports,
an' watch the Infantry in the thick o' tho
caper. Very well they behaved, too; 'spe?
cially the Fourth Regiment, nn' tlio For?
ty-second Highlanders, nn' thn Dirty
Half Hundred. Oh, ay; they're decent
regiments, all three. But tho Queen'B
Own? Hussars is a tearln' fine regiment.
So you played on your drum when tho
ship was goln' down? Drummer John
Christian, I'll have to get you q! new
pair o' drum-sticks for that.'
"Well, sir, It appears that the very
next day the trumjfctor marched Into
Hclston and got a carfenter thore to
turn him a pair of boxwood drumsticks
for lho hoy. And this was the beginning
of one of the most curious friendships
you ever Heard tell of. Nothing delighted
tbe pair more than to borrow a boat off
my father and pull out to tho rocks
where the Primrose and the Despatch
liad stuck and sunk; and on still days
'twus pretty to hear them out there off
the Manueles, tho drummer playing his
tattoo?for thoy always took their muslo
with them-nnd the trumpeter practicing
calls and malffVig his trumpet speak like
? ? angel,
"But If the weather turned roughiah,
they'd ho walking together and talking:
leastwise, the younger listened while tho
other discoursed about Sir John's cam?
paign In Spain and Portugal, tolling how
each little skirmish befell; and of Sir
John himself, and General Balrd and
General Paget, and Colonel Vivian, his
o?vn commanding ofllcer. nnd what kind
of men they were; and of tho last bloody
stand-up at Corunna, and so forth, as if
neither could have enough.
"But all this had come to an end In the 1
late summer, for the boy, John Christian,
being now well and strong again, must |
go up to Plymouth to report himself.
'Twos his own wish, for I believe King
George had forgotten all about him?and
his friend wouldn't hold him back. As
for the trumpeter, ray father had mado
an arrangement to take him on as lodger
as soon as tho boy left, and on the morn?
ing fixed for tho start lie was up at tho
door here by 6 o'clock. With his trumpet
slung by his side, and all tho rest of his
belongings in a small valise. A .Monday
morning It was, and after breakfaflt he
had fixed to walk with tho boy somo way
on the road toward Holston, whero tho
coach started. My father left them at
breakfast together and went out to meat
thn pig and do a few odd morning Jobs
of that sort. When ho came back the
boy was still at table, and the trumpeter
standing horo by tho chimney placo with
tho drum and trumpet In hl3 hands,
hitched together Just as they bo at this
moment.
". 'Look at this,' ho says to my father,
showing him tho lock, M picked it up off
a starving brass worker In Lisbon, and
It is not one of your common locks that
one word of six letters will open at any
time. There's Janius in this lock; foe
you1 ve only to make tho rings spell any
six-letter word you please and snap down
the lock upon that, and never a soul can
open it?not tho maker, oven?until some?
body comes along that knows the word
you snapped It on.
"Now. Johnny., here's goln', and he
leaves his drum behind him; for though
he can make pretty muslo on It, the
parchment gags in wet weather by rea?
son of the sea water getting at it, an'
If he carries it to Plymouth, they'll only
condemn It and give him another. And
as for me, I shan't have the heart to
put lip to tbe trumpet any moro wh/?n
Johnny's gone. So we've chosen a word
together, and locked 'cm together upon
that; and, by your leavo, I'll hang 'em
here together on the hook over your fire?
place. Maybe Johnny'll come back, may?
be not; maybe, If he comes, I'll be dead
."?' gone, an' he'll tako *om apart an'
try thoir music for old sake's sake, But
If lie novel' comes, nobody can separalo
'em, for ntwody besides knows the word
And If you marry und havo sons you
can tell 'cm that bore are tltcl together
the souls of Johnny Christian, drummer
of the marines, and William Tallirei
once trumpter of the Queen's Own Hus?
sars. Amen."
"With that he hung tho two Instru?
ment? ???? the book there, and tlic boy
stood up and thanked my father and
shook bands; and Ihe pair went forth of
the doov, toward Ifelston.
"Somewhere on tho road thoy took
leave of one another; bnt nobody saw
tbe parting, nor hoard what was said be?
tween them. About 3 in tho afternoon
thn trumpotor came walking back over
the bill, and by tho timo my father camo
homo from the Hshing-, tho cottago was
I Id lid up and tho tea ready, and iho
whole placo shining llko a new pin. From
that time for live years he lodged hore
wllh my father, looking after the house
and tilling tbe garden. And all tho
while ho was steadily failing; the hurt
in his head spreading, in a manner, to
his limbs. My lather watched tho foeblo
ness growing on him, but said notliinc?
And Dom first to hist neither spake a
Word about the drummer, John Christian
nor did any lettor roach them, nop wop?l
of his doings.
"The rest of the talo you're freo to
believe, sir, or not, as you please It
stands upon my futher'a words, unii he
always declared Ivo was ready to kiss
the Bonk upon It beforo judgo 'and jurv
Hu said, too, (bat he no ver had tho wit
to makn up such a yum; and ho dolled
any one to explain about the lock, in
particular, by any other tale. Hut yi?u
shall Judge for yourself.
"My father said that about 3 o'clock
In the morning, April 14, of the year 'four?
teon, he and William Talllfur woro slt
tulg here. Just as you and I, sir, uro sil?
ting now. My father had put on his
clothes a few minutes beforo, and wan
monding his spliler by tho light of lho
horn lontern, meaning? to sot off before
daylight to haul tho trammel. The
trumpeter hadn't boon to bed nt nil. To?
ward tho lust bo mostly spout bis nights
(und hl? days, too) doisiilg In tho elbow
chair whero you and sit nt this minuto.
Ho was dozing then (my father said)
with his chin dropped, lorword on his
chest, wlion a knock ^oundod upon tho
door, ami the door oponed, und In walked
an upright young mini In scarlet regi?
mentals,
"Ho had grown a brave bit, and ills faca
was the color of wood ashes; but It was
iho drummer. John Christian. Only his
uniform was different from tho ono he
used to wear, and tho figures 'US' shono
In brass upon his collar,
"Tho ?rummer walked past my father
us If ho uovor saw him, and stood by
the elbow chair and said:
'! 'Trumpeter, trumpeter, aro you ono
"And the trumpeter just lifted tho Hns
o? his oye? nnd iinswered, 'How should
1 not bo ono with you, .Drummer John?
ny-Johnny boy? Whoro you go, I goj
until the dlschurgo comes.'
" 'The discharge ha? colpo to-night,' I
?old Hie dniimnvi?; "?iu4 the word la. Co-J|
"CALL TH ti ROLL."
runa no longer. And. steppnlg to the
chimney place, he unhooked tlio drum
and trumpet and began to twist the brass
rings of tho lock, spelling tho word
aloud, so-C-O-R-U-N-A. When he had
fixed the last letter, tlio padlock opened
In his hand;
" 'Did you know, trumpeter, that, when
I camo to Plymouth, they put me Into a
lino regiment?'
" 'The Thirty-eighth Is a .good regi?
ment,' answered the old Hussar, still In
his dull voice; ? went back with them
from Sahagun to Coninoti. At Corunna
they stood in General Farser's division,
on tho right. They behaved well.' ,???"
" 'But I'd fain seo tho marines again,'
Bays the drummer, handing liim the trum?
pet; 'and you, you shall call once more
for the Queen's Own. Matthew,' ho says,
suddenly, turning on my. father?and
when ho turned my father saw for the
first time that his scarlet Jacket had a
round holo by the breastbone, and that
the blood was welling there?'Alatthow,
we shall want your boat;'
"Then my father'roho on his legs llko
a mna In a dream, whllo they two slung
on, the one his drum, and. t'othor his
trumpet. He took tlie lantern and went
quaking before them down to the shore,
and thoy breathed heavily behind him,
and they stepped Into his boat, and my
father pushed oft.
" 'Row you first for Dolor Point,' says
the drummer. So my father rowed them
out past the white houses of Covcr'ack
to Tiolor Point, and thercj. at a word, lay
on a.e oars. And the trumpeter, William
Taillier, put his trumpet to his mouth
and sounded tho Revelly. Tho music
of It was like rivers running.
" 'Thoy will follow," said the drummer.
'Matthew, pull you now for the Mana?
cles.'
"So my father pulled for tho Manueles,
and? came to an easy close outsldo Cam
du. And the drummer took -his sticks
and boat, a tattoo, thero by tho edge of
the reef, and tho music of it was llko a
rolling chariot.
" 'That will do,' says he, breaking off;
'they will follow. P.ull now tor tho
shore under Gunner's Meadow.'
"Then my father pulled t/jc tho shore
and ran his hont In under Gunner's
Meadow. And thoy stepped out, all three,
and walked up to tho meadow. By tlio
gato the drummer halted anil began his
tattoo again, looking out toward the
darkness over the saa.
"And while the drum boat, and my
father hold his breath, there came up
.out of tho son and tho darkness a troop
of many men, horso and foot, and formed
up among the graves; end others roso
out of the graves and formed up?drown?
ed marines with bleached faces, and palo
hussars, riding tholr horsos, all loan nnd
shadowy. Thero was no sound of hoofs
or accoutrements, my father snld, but
a soft sound all the while like the beating
of a bird's wing, and a black shadow
about tho feet of all. Tho drummer stood
upon a little knoll Just inside tho gate,
and besld.o him tlie Jail trumpeter, with
hand on hip, watciTing thorn gather, nnd
behind tliom both my father, clinging to
tho gato. When no moro came, tlie.
drummer stopped playing, and said, 'Call
the roll.'
"Then the trumpeter stepped toward
the end man of the rank and culled,
'Troop Sergeant Alajor Thomas Irons,'
and tho man, In a thin voice, answered,
'Here I'
"'Troop Sergeant Major .Thomas Irons,
how Is It with you?'
"The man answered, 'How should It bo
with me? When G wns young I betrayed
? girl; and when I was grown I be?
trayed a friend, and for these things I
suffer. But I died as a man ought. God
save the King!'
"The trumpeter culled to the next man,
'Trooper Henry Buckingham!' And tho
next man iinswored, 'HereG
" 'Trooper Honry 'Buckingham, how Is
It with you?"
" 'flow should it bo with mo? I wns
a drunkard, and 1 stole, and In Lago, In
a wine shop, I knifed a man. But I
died as a man should. God save tho
"rio the trumpeter went down tho line;
nnd when ho had finished, tho drummer
took It tip, hailing the domi marines m
their order. Each man answered to his
nnine, nnd each man ended with ?God save
the King!' When all wero balled, tho
drummer stopped back to his mound, nnd
called:
" 'It Is well. You aro content, nnd wo
aro content to Join you, Go buck nnd
Walt a llttlo while.'
"With this he ?turned nnd ordered my
father to pick up tho Inntern, and lend
the way back. As my father picked It up,
ho hoard the ranks of dead men oil cor and
call, 'God snvo tho Klngl' all Ingot her, and
saw llicin waver and fado back into Hie
dark, llko ? breath fading off a pane,
"But when Ihey came buck hero to tho
littnhen, ami nip father set the lantern
down, it Bccmod they'd both forgot about
him. For the drummer turned in ilio Iun?
ior? light?nnd my father could see tlio
blood still welling out of tlio bolo In his
breast-and took the Irumpei-sling from
around tin* other'? neck and locked drum
and trumpet, together again, choosing the
lettirs nn tho lock very carefully. Whllu
ho did Ihls. bo S'lld:
" 'Tho word Is mi more Corunna. but
Bayonne. As you left out an "n" In
Corunna, so mu*t ? leave out tin "n"
In Bayonne.' And before snapping ilio
padlock, lin spelt out the word slowly?
'B-A-V-O-N-1?:.' Aftor that ho used no
more speech, but turned nnd hung the
two Instruments back un thu hook, and
then look tho trumpeter by tlie arm; and
tho pair walked out into the darkness,?
glancing neither tu righi nor left. j
"My fatijer waa ou tin* point of follow
Ing, when ho heard a sort of sigh behind
him; and thoro, sitting In the elbow chair,
was thn very trumpeter ho had Just seen
walk out by the door! . If my father's
heart jumped before, you may believe It
Jumped quicker now, But, attor a bit, he
went up to the man asloep In the cliatr
and put a hnnd upon him. It was the
Irumpetcr in flosh and blood that he
touched; but, though the flesh was warm,
Ihe trumpeter was dead.
"Well, sir, they buried him three days
after; and at first nay father was minded
to say nothing about ills dream (as ho
thought It). But the day after the funeral
he met Parson Kendall coming from Hel
ston market, and tho parson called out:
'Havc'ec heard the news the coacli
brought down this mornln'?' 'What news?'
says my father. 'Why, that peace Is
agreed upon.' 'None too soon,' snys my
fa ther.
"'Not soon enough for our ripor boys
at Bayonne,' tho parson answered. 'Bay?
onne!' cries my father, with a jump.
'Why, yas,' and .the parson told him all
about a' great sally the French had
made on the night of April 13th. 'Do
you happen to know If the Thirty-eighth
Regiment was engaged?' my father asked.
'Come, now,' said Parson Kendall, ?
didn't know you was so well up In the
campaign. But, as It happens, I do know
that th.e Thirty-eighth was engaged, for
'twas they that held a cottage and stop?
ped the French advance.'
"Still my father held his tongue; and
when, a week later, ho walked Into H?l?
sten and bought a Mercury ol? tho Sh-er
borno rider, and got the landlord of the
Angel to spoil out the list of killed and
wounded, sure onough, thero among the
killed was Drummer John Christian, of
the Thirty-Eighth Foot. <
"After this, thoro was nothing for a
religious man but to mako a clean .
broast. So my father went up to Parson
Kendall and told tho wholo story. The
parson listened, and put a question or
two, and then asked:
" 'Have you tried to open ti ? lock since
that nlgb't??
" ? han't dared to touch It,' says my
father.
" 'Then come along and try.' When
the parson cume to tho cottage hero, he
took, the things oft tho hook and tried tho
lock. 'Did you soy "Bayonno?" The
word has sev.cn letters.'. ?; >
"'Not If you spell it with one "n" as
ho did,: says my father.
"Tho parson spelt it out?B-A-X-O-N-E.,
'Whew! says he, for tho lock had fallen
open In his hand.
"He stood considering It a moment,
and thon he says: ? toll you what. I,;
shouldn't blab this all round tho parish
It' I was you.? You won't gut no credit
for truth-telling, and a miracle's wasted
on a.set of fools. But, If you like, I'll
shut down the lock again upon a holy
word that no ono but me shall know?, and
neither drummer nor trumpeter, d.ad or
alive, ehall frighten the secret out of
nvj.'
" ? wish to Heaven you would, parson,'
said my father.
"The parson choso tho holy word there
and then, and shut the lock bnck upon
It, and hung the drum and trumpet back
In their place. He Is gone long since,
taking tbe word with him. And tilltbo?
lock Is broken by force, nobody will ever
separate those two."
THE GAME OF RIG-A-MAROLE
A Unique Way for Little Folks
to Pass a Rainy Afternoon.
On rainy days the ehlldron seem lost
for something to do. Books, even thoso
containing the best stories, bocomo dull,
and tho oftpluyed old house games drag
heavily and fail to amuse.
But hero is a way ot pusslng nn hour
or so, a way which Is ever full of change
and novelty, for onch time the game Is
participated In It may ..assumo new fea?
tures?In fact, It must assumo new fea?
tures, for tho stories woven are made
eacli time from "now cloth." This gamo
goes by the narno of "Klg-a-marolo," and
Is played In this manner;
One boy or girl seats himself or herself
In Iho room und all the uihor children
go into the hall or adjoining apart
muni. Then the game begins by tho chil?
dren till roturnlng to the room and hum
mcrlng loudly on tho door, asking admit?
tance. The boy or girl who is soatuil in
thu room calls out, "Who knocks at my
cave door?" Tlio answer conica, "Wo are
a lost trlbo from tho moon tor any? planet
they may wish to name), and we beg
shelter for tho night."
The boy or girl (who assumes to be a
wizard or witch) thon calls cuit, "Emm'."'
Tue crowd comes trooping 11 and Beat
themselves lu a semicircle about iho
owner, of tho oave, whom, to simplify
matters, wo shall call a wltoh. Tho witch
then addresses tho flrst person un hor
rght and says, "Tell mo of this mutiny
from which you havo come.''
Tho boy or girl addr?ssocl proceeds to
weave an original yearn of thu ?trangs
place mid stranger people und their cus?
toms, speaking for about throe m leur
minutos, when ho or she suddenly ?top?
and tho child sitting next on thu light
takes up tlio narrativo whore It has been
Interrupted, in this way much imi and
surprise Is furnished thoso taking purl
In tho Rlgu-umarole, tot no ono know?
just whore lio .nil huwo in y?: on villi a
story new to hU ears. This ?nils lortU
much originality m ilio loi m of Im?
promptu story cuiup iBitiu.i. An i-xaiur.io
Of tlio game follows:
First Narrator?"vVo coma ir?in 'tho
other sido of tho moan, wiioro It is al?
ways dark except, from Hie light fuii.l.-h
ed by a small, manufactured sun. Wo
live on tho top of mountains mid when it
storms wo go down Into thu sea to keep
out of tlio rain. You 'may think itila
str?ng??, but I will explain that our sea
water is nothing but warm sand. It we
take this sand and put It over a slow lire
It molts and become? clear, beautiful wa?
ter, aa sweet to drink as honey." (Hero
tho witch may Interrupt and. order the
speaker to toll of tlie puoplo of thu
tunen.) "Our people," goes on the story?
teller, "are very peculiar to look upon,
They have too eyes lu tho back of thu
baud-"
Suddenly the narrator stops and turns
to,the child on his right and nods for
him to continue, The witch says, "Pro?
ceed with your friend's .story from tlie
vory word whore ho loft off."
Second Narrator?"Which makes It pos?
sible for them io sou ns well backwards
as forwards. Having four eyes, thoy
can watch four different things m a timo,
for no two eyes uro obliged to stay on
Ibu same object, like tho eyes >>t' the peu?
ple of the earth. With one oye a woman
may suw; with another oyu sho may read;
with a third eye sho may watch the ehll?
dron to keep them nut of mischief, and '
With Ihn fourth eyo sho muy watch her
neighbor's business. And all Uje people ?
of our side of the moon havo detuchtible I
stomachs, which are very convenient tj
the fat people. Thoy may eat hearty
dinners and-"
Horo tho story-tellor may stop and the
third narrator takes up tho tale, weaving
anything In that may lead to surprise
and laughter, so long as ho or sho keep
the original theme. Sometimes children
compose In tills off-hand manner the most
marvelous fairy tales; again, thoy ?will
dig up historical figures and toll fancied
anecdotes about them. All In all, the
Rlg-a-marolo Is a most uidquo and en?
joyable gamo for little folks of Imagina?
tion.
Meaning of Nature Study.
The first nocosslty In nature.etudy Is to
liocorno acquainted with some locality
say, with a farm. It does not matter how
small, how oommonplaee, how near tho
city?the nearer tho bettor, provided thoro
are trees, water, fences and some seclusion,
if your own cabin can bo In the middle of
such a spot?that Is Ideal. For there Is no
make-hellevo when you buy a Held or ?
ptfeco of woods and settle down there to
stuy. Nature rospects you. You havo
taken her into your commence. Sho will
take you Into hers, and in tho conreo of
a few seasons (It you will limit the size
of your garden) you will begin to discover
what a multitude of Interesting things
como with thu placo that were not men?
tioned in tho deed.
Owning a farm, of course, Is not nooes
sary. Sometimes 1 am quite convinced
that for puro und lasting Joy in nature
one should not possess an acro. Once you
havo looked upon land of your own, onco
you have trodden upon earth that belongs
to you, and all your Sundays will bo
spent looking and wulklug tuero. The
man In tlio Scriptures who bought a Held
and lust his interest in other pleasant
things had a real case.?National Mug??
is Inc.
Plating With Cadmium.
Plating iron objecta with cadmium Is
tho Interesting new metallurgical achieve?
ment of a Gorman chemist, The bath Is
prepared by dissolvili?? cadmium chloride
in wntor, precipitating with sodium car?
lo,inno solution, and dissolving n.o w.isncil
precipitate, while still moist, In a solution
of potassium cy tuido in water, Cadmium
anodes aro used, with a curren nf t to
r, VOUS. Tho deposit, after bulling, ha?
the samo color us tin, but Is harder,
Rabbitt Plays 'Possum.
"l was walking across a Hold with my
dog at my side when a young rahmt
emerged from a weed close by," says a
writer. "Suddenly It fell to the ground
und was to all Intents dead. Tho dog
sniffed It and 1 watched It for about 111
minutes, thinking It absolutely do.id. G
walked away about to yards, whon f
looked back and saw the rabbit rise and
run rap.illy iuta tlio wood whence It,
came. It Is evident that It saw tho dog
and dropped demi ?un of fright.
New Roentgen Terminology,
At the recent itiontgeu congres?! ?a
Berlin a special commit le* adopted the
following terminology f/r tho new sci?
ence: HoentgciiOlogy Is tho study of
Roentgen rays. Roentograpny Is photo?
ruphy by the rays. Hiienig>in?HO'.>py f| '
observai ?on by HoeiiUV'n rays. Ortho
rontgenogiaphy In placo of ortbodiag
ruphy, Kocntgoiiothcruphy and tho verb
to roouti,onl<:o lu t??oir obvious me-uiuuM,