The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-04-16
A Glimpse at the Inner Life Of u
si-4 - sailor. . -. = .

A Glimpse at the Inner Life Of q
| .lzrf4 ~ sailor. 7e s-s-, askq =,
MEssRs. EpIroRs A few days s'nce you
published an interesting accoun, Of the tolls
and triunphs Of Capt. Bowers, during sea-
faring life OF forty years, which brought to
my memory another story Of forty years. ex-
perience by an old salt. Your account was
real---a record Of duties manfully performed
my account will appear like dream, remark
able only for ITS simplicity; but not without
interest
One beautiful Sunday forenoon, i was walk
ing the quarter deck of fine ship running
down the northeast trades. William Thorn
ton, an old weather beaten sailor, was at the
wheel, and could occasionally hear him
humming The air Of "Black-eyed Susan" when
my back was towards him. He was an ex-
cellent helmsman, and kent the ship to her
course true as the needle to the pole. Al
though it is still. as il was then, contrary to
rule, to enter into conversation with the man
at the wheel, yet observing William smile,
and raise his hat upon ssnne hairs,o asked
him sympathetically--"What are you thinking
about, William" sAbout my sweetheart,
SIR" .Are you going to get married again
when you return ?'' s'I was never married,
sir, nor never will be If / should live thous-
and years, yet have sweetheart. It's just
forty years this day since l saw her, and
rever saw her but once. But what interest
can you have i'm an old salts silly love
dreams ?n "Go ahead, William. tell me about
this sweetheart. Pm in love myself, and can
sympathise with you" s' - t'f@ sta'
"Well, sir, it is just forty years this day
since strolled into one Of the big churches
in Broadway, and was invited to seat in
grand pew by an elderly gentleman. There
w-re two young ladies with him One Of
them, the moment our eyes met, said, as plain
ly as eyes could speak, Pm glad to see you
again. Twas sure l had seen her before,
felt that we were old playmates, but for the
soul Of me could not tell where. I could
hardly take my eyes of her, she looked so
good. When the services commenced she put
prayer-book in my hand and pointed to the
''lesson for the day. but looked more at
her than did at the lesson. / was young
then, sir, and good looking, too, and had as
much self-conceit as most young men; hut
the more looked at that sweet girl the less l.
thought of myself. When the services were
over followed her to the door Of the car
riage, and could not help saying, as the gen.
tleman handel her in,a Sod bless you, my
sweet angel" and to my surprise, instead of
being offended, she replied, Thank you, sir,
and may He bless you too.' The gentleman
raised his hat TO me and smiled. Good -bre,
jack he said, good luck to yon.' II was the
voice of sailor; he was, no doubt, a retired
sea-captain. Both the ladies, though 1 had
neglected one entirely, bowed to me out of
the carriage window. In moment they were
gone, and I never saw them from that day TO
this, vet from that day to this, have truIy
loved that sweet girl" .s9gfg b.
s;'Did you never try to find out who she
was ?' inquired. Il sfra ssssastr g.a, i.s
"No, sir, what was the use felt myself
to be poor, ignorant sailor. hardly able to
write my own name, and was not silly
enough to think that such lovely girl would
care anything about me. Thinking abou. her
took all the self-conceit out of me.n l
'But you said you thought you had seen her
before !; how was that ?'' . .sri Z,
at was only in a dream, sir. never saw
her before. Now,s as am growing, old,
have been thinking seriously about trying to
be good, that may meet her in Heaven. Ev-
cry Sunday for forty years, has the scene in
that church been before me, and every time
think upon my sweet girl, she looks more
lovely than before. I could never think OF
marrying, with ker image ever present in my
mind. Do you think, sir, 1t is possible for an
old sinner like me to be good enough to go 10
Heaven?,
"Why not, William ?oo -T
"Tll tell you why. About eight years ago
left the sea, for then dreamed that saw
my dear angel go to Heaven, and tried TO be
good. ! worked along shore with riggers and
stevedores, and had over two thousand dollars
that saved, g, got along very comfortably.
joined a church, and thought had got reli-
gion, when . rascaliy deacon cheated me ou:
Of fifty dollars. was so laundering mad.
that gave the fellow an awful Jogging, and
before he could set the law dogs on me, Twas
at sea again. | think now that did very
wrong but IN. so hard-hearted, that can't,
in my soul forgive the fellow, even to this
day. a59s ssa sTH ease ev ef8fs
"My sweet angel tells me in my dreams
that l must forgive him, and that il wish to
join her must be good"
He said much more, but the above affords
a glance at his inner life, and shows the purity
of his soul. 1t must not be thought that he
was whining old fool; on the contrary, he
was man Of dauntless courage, bold even to
rscklessness, and quick to resent an INSULT
No men are thrown more upon their own re-
sources for mental food than seamen For
weeks, and even months, sky and water are
their only companions; and on long voysges,
when they have watch. watch, their labor
is very light. II is then their minds dwell up-
on the pleasant scenes Of the past, and make
the dross Of earth appear divine. Bill Thorn
TOMS case is not singular. Almost every sail
or has some beAuteous iove-dream, and hence
the reason why 50 few Of them marry. The
ideal has more charms for them than the real.
With all their faults sailors ara mt had