Chapter I: Front Matter

JERRY; OR, THE SAILOR BOY ASHORE.

The
Aimwell
Stories

BY
Walter Aimwell.

TAKE HEED WILL SURELY SPEED.

Jerry,
WITH
MEMOIR.

Gould & Lincoln]

_THE UNFINISHED VOLUME._

JERRY;
OR,
THE SAILOR BOY ASHORE.

BEING
THE SEVENTH—A FRAGMENT—IN THE SERIES
OF THE “AIMWELL STORIES.”

BY
WALTER AIMWELL.

TO WHICH IS ADDED
A Memoir of the Author, with a Likeness.

BOSTON:
GOULD AND LINCOLN,
59 WASHINGTON STREET.
NEW YORK: SHELDON AND COMPANY.
CINCINNATI: GEORGE S. BLANCHARD.
1864.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by
GOULD AND LINCOLN,
In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of
Massachusetts.

GEO. C. RAND & AVERY,
STEREOTYPERS AND PRINTERS.

PREFACE.

The story of Jerry, while possessing not the entire completeness of other volumes of the series, owing to the lamented death of the author before he had finished the work, will be found wanting in none of those attractions which have secured for the “Aimwell Stories” their great popularity. Its design is to show the folly of restiveness under parental restraint, and the blighting influence upon character of vicious or low associates; and thus to incite the young reader to the prompt performance of filial duty, and to cherish those high aims which are the basis of manly character. Jerry’s own story of his adventures will be found to contain much useful information pertaining to sailor life, and to the portions of the world which he visited; while the whole work, like its predecessors, has been written with our motto in mind, “Precepts may lead, but examples draw.”

CONTENTS OF JERRY.

PAGE

CHAPTER I.

THE RUNAWAY’S RETURN.

Emily’s soliloquy—Arrival of the doctor and his
companion—Jerry—Greetings—The doctor’s plan—The new-comer and
the lost one—Confession—Misgivings—Mr. Preston’s business—Oscar
Preston—His influence over Jerry—The escape—Another sin—Himself
robbed—Mr. Preston’s feelings toward his erring son—The evening
meal—Waiting for the story, 17

CHAPTER II.

JERRY BEGINS HIS STORY.

Goes first to Boston—Ships on board the brig
Susan—Sea-sickness—Duties on shipboard—Hard usage, and mean
fare—The brighter side—Good sailing—Catching a shark—The
albatross—Crossing the line—A hard blow—The brig disabled—Rio
Janeiro—Excursion inland—Cape Horn and Terra del Fuego—Passing
the cape—Cape pigeons—Valparaiso—Vicious habits of sailors—The
brig to sail for Boston, 27

CHAPTER III.

JERRY CONTINUES HIS STORY.

Sails from Valparaiso—An iceberg—Off the cape again—Progress
northward—Caught in a “pampero”—Terrors of the tempest—The
vessel but a wreck—The brig abandoned—Escape by
boats—Davy Jones’s locker—Sufferings at sea—Discover a
sail—Disappointment—Land in sight, 39

CHAPTER IV.

JERRY ENDS HIS STORY.

The party land upon an island—Explorations—Discouraging
prospects—Food—Shelter—Signal of distress—Monotonous life—A
sail at last—The rescue—Adverse fortune—Transfer to the
“Bride”—Run round the Horn—The “doldrums”—Passage to New York,
and thence to Boston—Jerry’s new purposes—His familiar bedroom, 52

CHAPTER V.

CLINTON.

Jerry a “lion”—His visitors—Old Mr. Jenkins—His practical
hints—Jerry don’t “take”—Explanation—Seeks Clinton—The
meeting—Clinton’s thrifty habits—Saving money for a good
object—Secret of success—Clinton’s taste and mechanical
skill—Study—Persevering application—Looking ahead—An offer from
Clinton—Jerry still unmoved—Explanation, 63

CONTENTS OF THE MEMOIR.

PAGE

CHAPTER I.

BIRTHPLACE.

The little peninsula—The name the Aborigines gave it—Who called
it Charlestown, and why—Scenery in and about Charlestown—Date
of Walter Aimwell’s birth—Probable effect of local
influences—Nothing external can make youths noble—A thistle in
the garden—Walter Aimwell no thistle, 79

CHAPTER II.

SALEM.

Death of Mr. Simonds—His widow’s removal to Salem—Early hints
of Walter Aimwell’s future character—Master Brooks—Walter
Aimwell at thirteen—New England boys—Mrs. Simonds’s second
marriage—Young Walter at the jeweller’s shop—His letter
to his mother—The music-box—Punning verses—The dignity of
usefulness—Removal from Lynn, 83

CHAPTER III.

THE PRINTER’S APPRENTICE.

Walter Aimwell in Wm. S. Damrell’s office—His note-book—His
first essay—A. H. Everett’s lecture—Reads life of Alexander
the Great—Criticism—Christianity a new religion to some
folks—Meddlers—Secret writing—Part of index to note-book, 89

CHAPTER IV.

MORE NOTE-BOOKS.

A preface—Systematic arrangement of facts in the acquisition
of knowledge—Book of Sunday reading—Common sense—Practical
spirit—Faith in God’s moral laws—Account of religious
experience—Secret resolutions—Not exceedingly miserable—Not
uncontrollably joyful—Enters Sabbath school—Determines to rule
his temper—Succeeds in an unusual degree—Joins the church, 97

CHAPTER V.

EXTRACTS FROM “SUNDAY READING.”

Fountains of strength—Growth in grace—Resolutions—How to grow
wise—The secret of pleasant faces and happy hearts—The giant
and the sugar-plum—Doing right every moment—Speaking the
truth—Few folks fit themselves to do it—Making fun at the wrong
time—Death not gloomy—Eagles trying to play butterfly—Striving
against nature—Prize-fighters, 109

CHAPTER VI.

METRICAL COMPOSITIONS.

Mostly written during his apprenticeship—Poetry and
swamp-work—Walter Aimwell’s first poem—Exercises his powers
in rhythmic composition for their own benefit—The pious
dead—My friend—The stranger—Charity—Shipwreck of life—A
pretty hymn—Fourth of July—Presidential contest of 1840—A
riddle—Walter Aimwell’s own opinion of his poetic powers—Other
kinds of usefulness, 120

CHAPTER VII.

CONSCIENCE A DIVINER.

An inquiry—An answer—The aspiring undertaking—A theme in
the Revised Statutes—Secret correspondence—Acceptance of
manuscript—The young author “setting up” his own book—Reveals
his secret to favorite brother—Talk in office about “The
Pleasant Way”—Rev. Mr. Hoadley’s notice of it—Other
criticisms—Why good men reproach themselves, 136