Keziah Coffin

by Joseph Crosby Lincoln

navigation. At last came a southeast gale and the San Josedrove before it. Fair weather found her abreast the Cape. The survivorsran her in after dark, anchored, and reached shore in the longboat. Thesick man whom they had left in the forecastle was a new hand who hadshipped at Kingston. His name was Murphy, they believed. They had lefthim because he was sure to die, like the others, and, besides, they knewsome one would see the distress signals and investigate. That was all,yes. Santa Maria! was it not enough?

  This tale was a delicious tidbit for Didama and the "daily advertisers,"but, after all, it was a mere side dish compared to Mr. Ellery'sastonishing behavior. That he, the minister of the Regular church,should risk his life, risk dying of the smallpox, to help a strangerand a common sailor, was incomprehensible. Didama, at least, could notunderstand it, and said so. "My soul and body!" she exclaimed, withuplifted hands. "I wouldn't go nigh my own grandfather if he had thesmallpox, let alone settin' up with a strange critter that I didn'tknow from Adam's cat. And a minister doin' it! He ought to consider thecongregation, if he done nothin' else. Ain't we more important than acommon water rat that, even when he's dyin', swears, so I hear tell,like a ship's poll parrot? I never heard of such foolishness. It beatsME!"

  It "beat" a good many who, like the Widow Rogers, could not understandself-sacrifice. But there were more, and they the majority of Trumet'sintelligent people, who understood and appreciated. Dr. Parker, a manwith a reputation for dangerously liberal views concerning religiousmatters and an infrequent attendant at church, was enthusiastic andprodigal of praise.

  "By George!" vowed the doctor. "That's MY kind of Christianity. That'sthe kind of parson I can tie to. I'm for John Ellery after this, first,last, and all the time. And if he don't get the smallpox and die, andif he does live to preach in the Regular church, you'll see me in one ofthe front pews every Sunday. That's what I think of him. Everybody elseran away and I don't blame 'em much. But he stayed. Yes, sir, by George!he stayed. 'Somebody had to do it,' says he. I take off my hat to thatyoung fellow."

  Captain Zeb Mayo went about cheering for his parson. Mrs. Mayo cookeddelicacies to be pushed under the ropes for the minister's consumption.The parish committee, at a special session, voted an increase of salaryand ordered a weekly service of prayer for the safe delivery of theiryoung leader from danger. Even Captain Elkanah did not try to opposethe general opinion; "although I cannot but feel," he said, "that Mr.Ellery's course was rash and that he should have considered us and ourinterest in his welfare before--"

  "Dum it all!" roared Captain Zeb, jumping to his feet and interrupting,"he didn't consider himself, did he? and ain't he as important TOhimself as you, Elkanah Daniels, or anybody else in this meetin' house?Bah! don't let's have no more talk like that or I'll say somethin' thatwon't be fit to put in the minutes."

  Even at Come-Outers' meeting, when Ezekiel Bassett hinted at a "justpunishment fallin' on the head of the leader of the Pharisees," ThophBlack rose and defended Ellery.

  Keziah Coffin was, perhaps, the one person most disturbed by herparson's heroism. She would have gone to the shanty immediately had notDr. Parker prevented. Even as it was, she did go as far as the ropes,but there she was warded off by Ebenezer until Ellery came running outand bade her come no nearer.

  "But you shan't stay here, Mr. Ellery," vowed Keziah. "Or, if you do,I'll stay, too. I ain't afraid of smallpox."

  "I am," confessed the minister, "and I'm not going to let anyone I carefor expose themselves to it unnecessarily. If you try to come in here Ishall"--he smiled--"well, Capen and I will put you off the premises byforce. There!"

  Keziah smiled, too, in spite of herself. "Maybe you'd have your handsfull," she said. "O John, what in the world made you do this thing? It'sdreadful. I shan't sleep a wink, thinkin' of you. I just must come hereand help."

  "No, you mustn't. You can come as far as the--the dead line once ina while, if Captain Mayo will drive you over, but that's all. I'm allright. Don't worry about me. I'm feeling tiptop and I'm not going to besick. Now go home and make me some of that--some of those puddings ofyours. We can use them to advantage, can't we, Capen?"

  "Bet yer!" replied Ebenezer with enthusiasm. Keziah, after moreexpostulation, went back to the parsonage, where the puddings were madeand seasoned with tears and fervent prayers. She wrote to Grace and toldher the news of the San Jose, but she said nothing of the minister'spart in it. "Poor thing!" sighed Keziah, "she's bearin' enough already.Her back ain't as strong as mine, maybe, and mine's most crackin'. Well,let it crack for good and all; I don't know but that's the easiest wayout."

  The sick sailor grew no better. Days and nights passed and he ravedand moaned or lay in a stupor. Ebenezer acted as day nurse while Elleryslept, and, at night, the minister, being younger, went on watch. Thedoctor came frequently, but said there was no hope. A question of timeonly, and a short time, he said.

  Capen occupied his mind with speculations concerning the patient.

  "Do you know, parson," he said, "seem's if I'd seen the fellersomewheres afore. 'Course I never have, but when I used to go whalin'v'yages I cruised from one end of creation to t'other, pretty nigh,and I MIGHT have met him. However, his own folks wouldn't know him now,would they? so I cal'late I'm just gettin' foolish in my old age. Saidhis name's Murphy, them ha'f-breeds did, didn't they? I know better'nthat."

  "How do you know?" asked Ellery, idly listening.

  "'Cause when he's floppin' round on the bed, out of his head, he singsout all kinds of stuff. A good deal of it's plain cussin', but there'stimes when he talks respectable and once I heard him say 'darn' andanother time 'I cal'late.' Now no Irishman says THAT. That's Yankee,that is."

  "Well, he ought to know his own name."

  "Prob'ly he does--or used to--but 'most likely he don't want nobody elseto know it. That's why he said 'twas Murphy and, bein' as he DID say it,I know 'tain't it. See my argument, don't you, Mr. Ellery?"

  "Yes, I guess so."

  "Um--hm! Why, land sakes, names don't mean nothin' with seafarin' men.I've seen the time when I had more names--Humph! Looks kind of squallyoff to the east'ard, don't it?"

  That night the sick man was much worse. His ravings were incessant. Theminister, sitting in his chair in the living room, by the cook stove,could hear the steady stream of shouts, oaths, and muttered fragments ofdialogue with imaginary persons. Sympathy for the sufferer he felt,of course, and yet he, as well as Dr. Parker and old Capen, had heardenough to realize that the world would be none the worse for losing thisparticular specimen of humanity. The fellow had undoubtedly lived a hardlife, among the roughest of companions afloat and ashore. Even Ebenezer,who by his own confession, was far from being a saint, exclaimeddisgustedly at the close of a day's watching by the sick bed: "Phew! Ifeel's if I'd been visiting state's prison. Let me set out doors a spelland listen to the surf. It's clean, anyhow, and that critter's talkmakes me want to give my brains a bath."

  The wooden clock, loaned by Mrs. Parker, the doctor's wife, tickedsteadily, although a half hour slow. Ellery, glancing at it to see ifthe time had come for giving medicine, suddenly noticed how loud itsticking sounded. Wondering at this, he was aware there was no othersound in the house. He rose and looked in at the door of the adjoiningroom. The patient had ceased to rave and was lying quiet on the bed.

  The minister tiptoed over to look at him. And, as he did so, the manopened his eyes.

  "Halloo!" he said faintly. "Who are you?"

  Ellery, startled, made no answer.

  "Who are you?" demanded the man again. Then, with an oath, he repeatedthe question, adding: "What place is this? This ain't the fo'castle.Where am I?"

  "You're ashore. You've been sick. Don't try to move."

  "Sick? Humph! Sick? 'Course I been sick. Don't I know it? The d--ncowards run off and left me; blast their eyes! I'll fix 'em for it oneof these days, you hear--"

  "Sshh!"

  "Hush up yourself. Where am I?"

  "You're ashore. On Cape Cod. At Trumet."

  "Trum
et! TRUMET!"

  He was struggling to raise himself on his elbow. Ellery was obliged touse force to hold him down.

  "Hush! hush!" pleaded the minister, "you mustn't