Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1855-05-23


every sailors duty allow and aloft, and
laid out on the yards to reef topsails on
stormy nights. All that was remarked
by her messmates concerning her was her
singular taciturnity and reserve, which
theyset down as Scott habits and feelings.
On arriving at Havana she managed
to learn that the Northumberland was
cruising off Port Royal, Jamaica, and
forthwith shipped in a small schooner
about to sail for that port. When she
reached it, the man of-warin question was
anchored in the harbor, and her first
act was to hire boat to take her along
side. When she came within hail, the
sentinel on the gangway called out to
her two boatmen to sheer off, as no boats
were allowed to approach.
There were at tllis moment a group
of the officers under an awning on the
quarter deck, and numerous seamen vis-
ible, but Lillias could not see him she
was in search of among them. Here her
mother wit stood her in good stead
Standing up in her boat, she sang out at
the pitch of her clear and powerful voice,
"COllar herrin'! !Sar a penns', collar her
rim !'
The officers pricked up their ears Mt
this startling cry. Again and again it
was repeated, ringing out louder than be-
fore.
''In the devils own name what does
he mean l'' cried the Captain.
Nobody knew and, indeed, whoever
hears the cry of "caller herrin' - for the
first time, will have no more conception
of its meaning than if he listened to Cher
okee.
Still "caller herrin' 3" echoed across
the still and quiet waters of the bay, and
the boat drifted nearer the ship, in spite
of the threatening musket of the sentry,
and his angry hail to sheer off.
The seamen of the Northumberland
gazed anxiously over the nettings, and
among the number was Larry Stirling.
He knew what the extraordinary cry
meant; but he did not recognize-how
was it likely ?-his betrothed in sailors
disguise.
"Do any of you men know what yon
mad fellow in the boat is calling out ?''
asked the Captain.
Larry touched his cap, and explained
the cry. The Captain was in good hu
NOR, and also dimly fancied that the
young sailor in the boat wanted berth,
and had adopted this novel method of
advertising himself as ready to ship.
"Let the boat come alongside, and
take the fellow on board, that we may
know what he means by his bufoonery,"
said the captain.
In twinkling, Lillias ascended 10 the
deck, and to the amusement of all, and
that of Larry himself, she in
sIantly sprang into his arms with wild
cry of Joy, and then tainted away.
Larry then recognized her-and, alasl
her sex was recognized also.
In a few minutes she was ordered into
the cabin with heI lover, and the whole
story told So affected was the Captain
with this, that he gave Larry an imme-
diate discharge. The news flew like
wild fire throughout the ship, and officers
and men alike joined in a subscription
for the happy pair, to enable them to re-
turn to their happy country, and pur-
chase boat in lieu of the one forfeited.
Every soul on board, down to the young
est boy, gladly gave his mite, and nearly
eighty pounds was the sum total.
They were married the next day in
the presence of large party of Larry's
permitted to attend; and if
they had not old blind Mellum, the fd-
der. and Sandy Maclaren and Wully
Lings as the pipers, the wedding was
not without music and dancing, you may
depend.
They safely returned to New Haven,
and there they flourish to this hour.
Larry, however, never picks up rund-
let's of French brandy at sea.