Democratic banner., 1849-02-05
STORY OF A L

STORY OF A SAILOR. 'So
-Four years ago / left the port of Bosto1J
the master of a fine ship bound for China.
| was worth ten thousand dollars, and
was the husband of a young and handsome
wife whom | had married six months before.
When left her / promised to return to her
in less than a twelvemonth. Itook all my
money along with me, save enough to sup.
port my wife in my absence, foy the purpose
of trading when in China on my own ac-
count.-For a long time we were favored
with prosperous winds; but when in the
Chinese Sea a terrible storm came upon
us, so that in a short time I saw the vessel
must be lost, for we were drifting on the
rocks of an unknown shore, / ordered the
men to provide each for himselfin the hest
possible manner, and forget the ship, as it
was an impossibility to save her. We
|struck-a sea threw me upon the rock
senseless, and the next would have carried
me back into a watery grave, had not n
ofthe sailors dragged me farther up tbs
rocks. -
There were only four of US alive, and,
when morning came, we found we were on
a small, uminhabited island, with nothing to
eat but the wild fruit common to that por-
ton of the earth. L.will not distress you
by an account of our suferings there; suf-
flee it to say that we remained sixty days
before We could make ourselves known to
any ship. We were taken to Canton, and
there l had to beg; for my money was at
the bottom Of the sea, and | had not taken
the precaution to have it insured.
1t was nearly q year before / found a
chance toeome home, and then I, A CAP!
TAIN, was obliged to ship as a common sai+
Tor. 1t was two years from the time that I
left America that / landed in Boston. /
was walking in a hurried manner up one of
its streehs, when l met my brother-in-Iaw.
He could not speak, nor move, but he
.grasped my hand and the tears gushed
from his eyes.
"Is my wife a%live?:", I asked.
He said nothing,
Then wished I had persisted with my
ship. For l thought my wife was dead, but
very soon said:
"She is alive"
Then it was my turn to cry for joy. Hs
chung TO me, and said:
"Your funeral sermon has bern preached
for we have thought you were dead for a
long time"
He said my wife was living in our cot
.tage, in the interior of the State. 1t was
then 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and l took
. train of cars that would carry me within
% miles of my wife. Leaving the cars, 7
hired a boy, though it was night, to drive
me home. 1t was about 2 o'clock in the
morning when that sweet little cottage of
mine appearen in sight. It was a warm
moonlight night and I remember how like
a Heaven it looked to me. Igot out ofthe
carriage and went to the window of the.
room where the servant girl slept and gen.
tly knocked. She opened the window and
asked, "Who was there's"
"Sarah, do you know me?" said l.. =,
She screamed with fright, for she thought
me a ghost, but I told her to unfasten the
door and let me in, for 1 wished to see my
wife. She let me in and gave me a light,
aid I went up stairs to my wife's ROOM
She lay sleeping quietly. Upon her bosom
lay our child, whomI had never seen.--'
She was as beautiful as when Ilefther, bnt
| could see a mournful expression apon her
Perhaps she was dreaming of me-.
| gazed for a long time-I did notmake any
noise, for Idared not to wake her. At
| imprinted a soft kiss upon the
cheek Of my child. While doing il, a tear
dropping from my eye, fell upon her cheek
Her eyes opened as clearly as though she
had not long been sleeping. I saw that.
she 'began't to be frightened, and said: "-''':
"Mary, it is yonr husband!" sa5,,sasb bci
And she clasped me about my neck and
.., s.f. g. .g. ..ssos s.,.
But cannot describe to you that scene.
She is now the happy wife Of a poor man..
am endeavoring to accumulate a little
property, and then I will leave the see fosz
ever. 'Er ? -zs 81 :, --. >~l5,icat--