Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-04-14

Wen give thee a warm welcome hand;
For thou doth ins plendor appear,
10 cheer up the hearts of our land.
One day, queer little craft, with the ssCha-
rity' painted in flaming letters on her STERN was
tumbling and pitching in the sea- not far from the
coast of Florida. The Charity was not much lar
ger than good sized fishing smack, but was built
on that approved Dutch model which, although
admirably calculated to buffet the waves with safe
ty, was not peculiarly fitted to ride upon them
with any degree of speed. The Charity, however,
was slow and sure, although it seemed hazardous
venture to attempt in her the dangers of the sea-
But Captain Israel Todd, her master, was VEN
turesome man, especially when little speculation
was on hand, and gathering together some few
Yankee notions, Israel had left the port of Boston
and trusted himself in the Charity to reach the
port OF Havana, where be intended to drive, if
possible, a little trade. Captain Israel Todd
when he left the city of the Puritans, did not
crowd his craft with any unnecessary hands or
mouths. Two men men beside himself and
boy of about fifteen years of age, were all the
souls on board of the Charity. OF the men only
one requires particular mention. He was man
really about forty years of age, but to judge by
his appearance he might have been taken for six
ty His face was series of wiry wrinkles
hamingly red in their color, and adorned in their
midst with lump of flesh made to answer for o
nose, but which seemed more like dminutive
caulfower of a purple hue and in full bloom
His hair was matted and grizzly, his eyes small
grey and watery. His dress consisted of a very
dirty pair of duck trousers, confined to the
waist, where they met greasy red shirt, by
broad leathern belt. The name of the individual
was Ben Merritt, and Ben Merritt was the mate
of the Charity. Ben Merritt was in fact an
cid worn-out sailor, and had long contented him.
self with coasting up and down Long Island
Sound with Captain Todd, to which latitude
the voyages of the Charity had been con-
fined previous to her great trip to the West In
dies.
The voyage of the Charity to Havana had been
made without accident, her cargo Of notions had
been disposed Of to great advantage by Captain
Israel Todd, and she was now, when we meet
with her, making her way homeward to Boston.
The sky was clear, a stiff breeze was blowing,
and, as we said before, the Charity was pitching
forward on her path like tub in the sea. Ben
was at the helm, and Captain Israel was seat
ed on a barrel, RECALLING himself with a stiff
northeaster of Jamaica rum. The temperance
society had not yet reached the deck of the Cha
rity.
''Luff, darn ye, huff, don't you see, Ben Mer-
rift, where you are going" exclaimed Captain
Israel Todd, as with his glass raised to his mouth
he happened to glance over at Ben at the helm.
The latter individuals eyes were certainly
more watery than usual, the purple on his cauli-
flower was deeper, and it was evident that Jamai-
ca was in him, although he had never been it that
delightful island. Ben reused himself up at the
voice of his captain, and with contemptuous
scowl answered:
Captain Israel, you see as how you are Cap
tain Of this ship" and Ben laid particular stress
on the word ship, at the same time taking Scorn-
full survey of the easily to be surveyed deck, masts,
spars and rigging, "and have right to command;
but you'll allow me to say, scientifically speak
hc-ing, you're not much better than land-lub-
Der after all. Luf indeed? When | was on
board the brig Warren in the East India trade, in
the year"
''There Ben, shut up your jaw, for as soor
as you begin that eternal story about the War
rem in the East India trade and your sailor know.
ledge on board, there is no end to it. All you
have got to do, Ben, when say huff, is;to huff and
be darned to you; therefore huff now and Cap.
tain Israel Todd tossed the remainder of his glass
down his throat, while Ben luffed according to
order. t5
There was silence of some minutes between
the Captain and his mate, which was at length
broken by the former exclaiming:
''Ben, swan to man, l love the Charity, eve
ry nail and plank in her. I have always been
successful in her from the time took cargo of
Wethersfeld onions to the port of New York up
to this present moment, when we are returning
with pretty considerable handsome pocketful Of
the real yellow sinners that we got from the yell
low faced, whiskered Spaniards, who by this
time, take it. Ben, have apretty considerable
notion of the Yankee notions we left behind
Now, Ben Merritt, I'm leetle superstitious, and
its my belief that the success of the Charity is
owing to her name. called her Charity after
my old woman Charity Todd, and you know,
Ben, she's a regular sumner. When she squares
her yards to the breeze, I'll be darned if she don
60 ahead and no mistake. Just like her, this
ere craft has always gone ahead, and Captain Is
rael Todd has made money by her,"
''You see as how" answered Ben, now entire
ly softened in his humor by the confidential dis
course of his captain, '.you see as how the
Charity is a very good craft of its kind,
but when I was on board of the Warren in the
East India trade, in the year-but halloo Cap
tain Israel Todd, there's id queer looking sail
on our larboard bow;just get that glass of yours
and give her twig.
Captain Israel, at this abrupt termination oil
Ben's interminable story of the Warren in the
East India trade, jumped from his seat on the bar
rel and fastened into the cabin, from which he
soon emerged, bearing in his hand spy-glass OF
enormous dimensions, whose brass mountings
were entirely obscured in their brightness by a
blueish mildew which betokened that Captain Is
rael had very rarely made use of that instrument
to carry on his survey of the waters. Resting
the glass on the top of the green little box that
formed the covering to the Charity's companion
way, Captain Israel steadied himself to take a
grand survey of the approaching sail.
"Consarn the pesky thing, Ben," he exclaim-
ed, as he screwed his eyes in all manner Of
shapes to take what he called good look,
"consam the pesky thing, Ben, l can't see no.
thing"
elm course you can't" answered Ben with
great composure as he gave the tiller turn, 'for
the glass In that ere same instrument has been
out of Portland harbor."
Right, by gum returned Captain Israel
land | guess III have to trust to my nat'ral
blinkers."
The Captain, Ben, and the two remaining indi-
vduals of the Charity's crew, now strained their