Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1841-12-20
From The London Keepsake for I942.
THE MAlNTOPMAN'S DEATH BED
BY EDWARD HOWARD, AUTHOR OF 'RArLIN THE
REFER, Ere.

BY EDWARD HOWARD, AUTHOR OF RArLIN THE
REFER Ere.
The assistant surgeon, aud tie over grown
and the womanish looking youth who at
ended upon the afflicted, were The only persons
IT, the sick bay, except the departing seanlun John
lockwood. The evening breeZes dallird gently
with the white aud extended snils, and made
melancholy music, peculiarly their own, among
the frightened aud well skelched standing aud run
ming rigging The sounds from these rough and
noble harpsrings might iaucy. aided, have been
thought to breathe requiem Of the most soolh-
ing melody 10 the dying maintopman.
There that awful hush throughout the pop
uIous ship which, though not absolute silence.
might be said to be something more still. The
low moaning OF the gentle winds, the faint plash-
lngs of the waves, aud the careful tread oi the
lew officers who were moving about, indicated that
Tile and actions still existed, but existed with
subdueh solen nifty, well beftins the quiet death
| he'd of the humble and the good.
The hardy and stalwart seanlen were at quar-
ters and they whispered 10 each other in sorrow
iul accents that their shpinale wns going alofi,'
was IS under weigh for the right place." had
ripped his anchor for glo,y," and in many other
| >ea-taught and quaint expressions, minated their
conviction that he e was down in the goud-bella-
vior list" and had secured " good BERTH" where
the wicked cease from troubling and the weary
find rest.
! The men had been mustered, whilst the slant
ing slInbeHms streamed through the port holes up
on their gslening rurlasses all the dreadful ap-
purirnances belonging to glorious war" had been
reported ready for action, and secured for the
night and Captain Dabricourt was the point of
ordering the first Lieutenant TO "beat the retreat"
when the assistant surgeon walked slowly and
lightly across the quarter deck aud whispered The
surgeon, who approached the captain, aud COM
h'nhicated WIN him in ii low tone.
The commander of the Majestic bowed his
head sorrowuy At this information, aud MP
proarhing the break of the quarter deck, com
minded, in a subdued lone of the voice, that the
b0nlswaiu's mates should pass the word fore aud
nt for the men to dispense themselves quietly
One man on hoard was to hear no more the cheer
FIJI rattle of The doubling dunn
Attended by the surgeon and his assistant, Cap
thin Dubrcourt proceeded TO the sick bay, aud
was socn standing near The hammock, where
swung. on his deaih-bed, the honest, and once
bliihe maiutopman, John lockwood.
There was no chaplain on board At the time
of which we were speaking, there were, ut most,
hut three or four cIergymen dispersed among ma
nv ships, aud il was seldom that single cruiser
was so fortunate as 10 possess one. As Captain
Dnbricourt stood over the dying man, gazing visit
fully in the wan cOuntennnce beneath him, he
held open the prnyer-book ut the Office of The Wis
ilniOn Of The sick
"ls he rational enough 10 benefit by divine con
ISOLATION 2" shid the cnpnn, addressing the surg on.
81 hardly know, Captain Dabricourt. The poor
fellow fances that he is overlooking a party of
agricultural aborers who are moving down the
grass in the green fields Of his native village. lie
is very restless. Listen"
1.-THE scylhes want sharpening, fbbers all ~
murmured lockwood. "See, the waving grnss
Uses again fast--fnst as they sweep il down.
rope-yarn for such mowers They do no more
ihan the summer wind aS il sweeps over the fields
there - lhere-lhere |" and he pointed 10 the
dancing waves, all green and Joyous, which rose
ahd fell not unlike the bending and rising grass in
Il meadow ready for the scythe
lockwood was then silent for a space, gazing
inenty through the port.hole upon the sea, and
feehly nodding his head aud waving his attenua-
ted hand Ia The motion Of the waters. Yes he
continued, know that am very III, aud il il
terrible To die here, away from my gallant ship,
md my Jolly, Jolly messnales. always hoped 10
he buried in The cool blue seas thousand thou
sand iahons down. below all the sharks. " hat
n quiet, roomy, pleasant grave! No mould, no
dirt, no filthy worms But now, poor jack will
be huddled INFO the church yard, among the homes
of parcel of shore going sinners, TO rot in six
feet deep grave. How hntc that roting Nov
away NOW away, ye uhbers You see the grnss
is up again beinre ye have time 10 bring your
scyhes 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, but for him. The
captain then commenced, with a SOLEMN voice,
reading the prayers for the sick AT the point Of de-
parnre " hen he came TO the words" We
humy commend The soul of This thy servant, our
dear brother" the sailor rallied at The word broth
err amazingly, for very strongly had the captain
emphasized it.
"Brother my brother! Where is he and
where nm ? No, no, no your honor; you are
not my brothers" and he made an ahor,ive effor,
At The accustomed pluck at the lorelock--,he mark
Of Difference TO his commander; 81 know better
nor that; you are my captaln-God bless you,
sir"
"Your brolhei-your friend aud brother, believe
t." said the captain, placing much stress upon the
words friend and brother! I"