The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1841-12-28
M 4 $ ella m c o IN g
From the London Keepsake for 1912
THE MAINTOPMAN'S DEATH BED.
6y Ed'o9rd Hoaoa'd, .duthor Of Ra.tim the Reefar,
Etc. Etc.

except the departing seaman, John lockwood -
The evening breezes dallied gently with the white
and extended sails, and made melancholy music
peculiarly their own, among the tightened and
well sketched standing and running rigging The
sounds from these rough and noble harpstrings
might, fancy aided, have been thought to breathe
requiem ri The most soothing melody to the diving
main opman.
There was that awful hush throughout the DO D.
ulous ship which, though not absolute silence
might be saio to be something more still. The
low meanings of the gentle winds, the faint plash>
lngs Of the waves, and the careful tread Of the few
officers who were moving about, indicated that life
and action still existed but existed with a subdued
solemnlty, well BETTING the quiet death bed of the
humble and the good.
The hardy and stawart seamen were a. quarters,
and they whispered TO each other in sorrow full &C.
cents that their shpmate going alofi,' was
under weigh for the right place. 'had tripped his
anchor for glory and in many other sea taught
and quaint expressions, minated their con viction
that he twas down in the good behavior. list and
had secured "a good BERTH where the wicked
cease from troubling and the weary find rest
The men had been mustered whilst the slanting
sunbeaaas streamed through the port holes upon
their glistening cutlasses; all the dreadful appur-
tenances belonging TO glorious war had been re-
ported ready for action, and secured tor the right
and Captain Dabrcourt was on the point of order
ing the first lieutenant to 'beat the retreat when
the assistant surgeon walked slowly and Lightly
across the quarter deck and whispered TO the sur
| geon, who approached the captain, and communi.
Gated with him in a low tone.
| The commander of the Majestic bowed hi head
sorrowtuliy at this information, and approaching
the break of the quarter deck, commanded, in a
subdued tone Of the voice, that the boatswain' 9
mates should pass the word fore and aft for the
men TO dispense themselves quietly. One man on
! board was TO hear more the cheering rattle of
| the doubling drum
Attended by the surgeon and his assistant, Cap
tain Dabrcourt proceeded to the sick shay and was
soon standing near the hammock, where swung,
on his death bed the honest, and once bth. main
topman, John lockwood.
There chaplain on board At the time
OF which we were speaking, there were, at most,
but three or four clergymen dispersed among many
ships, and it was seldom that single cruiser was
so fortunate as TO possess one AS Captain Dabri-
court stood over the dying man, gazing wistfuly
in the wan countenanco beneath him, he held open
the prayer book at the office of visitation of the
sick.
no nc 'Sisohai ehouSh W OeHeut Dy ulVtne con
solatlon?' said the captain, addressing the surgeon
Il hardly know, Captain Dabricourt. The poor
fellow fancies that he is overlooking field Of ag
| ricultural laborers who moving down the grass
| in the green fields of his native village. lie is
! very restless Listen
The scythes want sharpening, iubbers all -
murm'i.e ed lockwood. See, the waving grass ri~
| SEES again fast-fast as they sweep it down. A rope
yarn for such mowers They do no more than The
summer wind as it sweeps over the fields;-tLere
I-there--there!' and he pointed 10 the dancing
waves, all green and joyous, which rose and fell
not uni like the bending and rising grass in a mead
ow ready for the scythe
lockwood was then silent for a space. gazing
intently through the port>hole upon the sea and
teebly nodding his head and waving his attenua
ted hand to the motion Of the waters. 'Yes he
continued, Il know that very Ill, and il is ter
rlbte TO die here, away from my gallant ship, and
my jolly Jolly meSsmares. always hoped 10 be
buried n the cool blue seas, a thousand thousand
athoms down below all the sharks What quiet
roomy, pleasant grave No mould, no dirt, no FL
thy worms. But now, poor Jack will be huddled
into the church yard, among the bones of parcel
OF shore gong sinners, to rot in SIX feet deep
grave. How hate that rolting Now away,
NOW away, ye lubbers! You see the grass is up
again before we have time to bring your scythes
round.
An expressive look passed between the captain
and the surgeon, which plainly Indicated that they
thought the poor fellow in extremity ,and that they
ought not 10 pray with him, but for him. The
captain then commenced, with solemn voice
reading the prayers for the sick at the point of de.
palture. When he came to the words We hum
bly, commend the soul of this thy servant, dear
brother, the sailor rallied at the word brother,
amazingly, for very strongly had the captain EN-.
phasized 1t.
Brother! my brother! Where is he? and where
am |? No, no, no-your honor; your are not my
brother and he made an abortve effort at the ac.
customed pluck at the forelock-the mark of def
erence to his commander; q know better that;
you are my capiain-God bless you, SIR
'Your brother-your friend and brother, believe
III said the captain, placing much stress upon the
words friend and brother
q cannot very well make my bearings and