The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-01-25
A SEA STORY.

The first mate in the ship in which sailed, was
an exceedingly interesting man. As l gradually
became acquainted with him felt confident that
his history must be one of interest.
| was walking the deck late one moonlight
night and no one was up but him and myself.
began TO talk with him about the sea, and when
spake of its dangers, ] noticed that q sad expires
sion came upon his face Suddenly he turned
towards me and said, would you like to hear a
little of my past history for few years pastF
told him l should like much to hear it,
-Four years ago. said he, L left the port OF
Boston, the master of fine ship, bound for China.
was worth ten thousasd dollars and was the
husband Of young and beautiful wife, whom
had married but six months before. When left
her l promised to return to her in less than
twelvemonth. l took all my money with me save
enough to support my wife in my absence, for the
purpose of trading when in China, on my own ac-
count. For long time we were favored with
prosperous winds, but when in the China seas a
terrible storm came upon us so that in short time
| saw that the vessel must be lost, for we were
drifting upon the rocks of an unknown shore
ordered the men TO provide each for himself in
the best possible manner, and forget the ship as it
was an impossiblity to save her. We struck-a
sea carried me upon the rocks senseless, and the
next would have taken me back into a watery
crave, had not one of the sailors dragged me fur
Their up the rocks. There were only four of us
alive when morning came, we found that we were
upon a small uninhabited island with nothing to
eat but the wild fruit common to that portion of
the earth. will not distress You by an account
of our sufierings there; suffice it to say that we
remained sixty days before we could make our
selves know to any ship. We were taken to Can
ton and there had to beg, for my money was at
the bottom OF the sea, and l had not taken the
precaution TO have it insured 1t was nearly a
year before | found a chance to come home and
then /, a captain, was obliged to ship as a common
sailor.
1t was two years from the time left America
that | landed in Boston l was walking in hur-
ried manner up one of its streets, when met my
brother-in-law. He could not speak nor move
but he grasped my hand, and the tears gushed
from his eyes.
is my wife alive 2 I asked.
He said nothing Then wished that had
persisted with my ship, for thought my wife was
dead, but he v"ry soon said, Sic is dLire' Then
it was my turn to cry for joy. He chung to mo
and said, Your funeral sermon has been preached
for VIC have thought You dead for a long time'-
He said that my wife was living in orr little colt
age in the interior of the State. 1t was then o.
clock in the afternoon, and / took train of cars
that would carry me within twenty-five miles of
my wife. Upon leaving the cars, l hired boy
though 1t was night, to drive me home 1t was
two CLOCK III the morning when that sweet little
cottage of mine appeared in sight. 1t was a warm
moonlight night, and l remember how like ahcav-
en- it looked 10 me. / got out of the carriage and
went to the window of the room whcie the servant
girl slept and gently knocked. She opened the
window and asked who was there7'
Sarah, do you not know me- said l.
She screamed with fright, for she thought me a
ghost, but l told her TO unfasten the door and let
me in, for wished to see my wife. She let me
in and gave me light and l went up stairs to my
wife's room. She lay sleeping quietly. Upon
her bosom lay our child, whom had never seen
She was as beautiful as when left her but
could see mournful expression upon her face
Perhaps she was dreaming of me. l gazcd for
long time; did not make any noise for 1 dared
not wake her. At length imprinted kiss upon
the cheek of my little child. While doing It, a
tear dropped from my eye and fell upon her face
Hel eyes opened as clearly as though she had not
been sleeping. 1 saw that she began to he fright
ened. and I said, Mary, it is your husband and
she clasped me about the neck and tainted.
But cannot describe to you that scene. She
is now the happy wife of poor man, am en-
deavoring to accumulate a little property. and
then will leave the sea forever Christian Cit
zen.