AN EVEN THING.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume X, Issue 581, 18 November 1880, Page 1 (Supplement)

AN EVEN THING.

The other day two .strangers .-were toasting their shins on, opposite a bs stove in a. ferry-wharf .saloon, • noticed, that they often iooked at each .as if alniost'certaiu that-they had met .where before.'- 'Bin ally, one of them got lip and said: ~ 'Stranger,' I've seeii-a- face almosf ;iiss; yours. Did you-ever have a-brotK^'BUi?-• 'Yes.' •'• Was he a sailor ' Ile was.' ' "• ■/ ' Did you hear of him last about-ten years-' ago?; _ • i . "Yes, just ah out ten years ago.' - Stranger,' continued the first, seemingly . ; greatly - sailed .. your ."i. brother BiU. We were.wrecked: together t>ti' the Pacific, and before help came I had to " kill and eat him. I knew 1 you must be re- . lated. I'm awfully sorry it was your brother, . and though I was driven, to it, and the law can't touch me, v lim wUlj,ng to .pay ; you' damages. Be.kinder-fair: mthfor Bill ' was old and - tough. About how-much do you think is fair.?'. ' - ; r. : ' - •' The other wiped a,' tear from, his.eye, spat' .-across the stove; and.repliedv:- . ' ' Stranger, where is 'Been dead these twelve j-ears.'- ' ' - ' Died in Nevada, dicbilthe?' \ ' Yes, out there somewhere.':. .. . 'Well, I killed him, I "knew you were ■ his son the minute I saw you. He and L were in' a' mine, and one day as we were going up in the bucket I saw that the old rope was going to break-.under the sttejju When we were up about two hundred feet, I picked tip your old .dad and dropped Tiirn over. It was. bad on hipa, but- saved me. Now, you ate my brother .Bill, and I murdered your dadj and I-gness we'd better call it even, and shake to see- who pays for the drinks;' " ' * They shook, drank, and the old -captains, who could not tell a lie, had Ho "sit back and realise how sad "It was that they were born, with such tender consciences.