Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1859-06-10
THE TERRIBLE RECOGNITION.
A Tale OF the ocean wilderness.
BY HARRY HAzLEToN.

there was glorious breeze blowing in just the
| right direction-upon our quarter
! Seated with FIVE Of my messmates upon the
/ windlass, our conversation naturally turned to
! home aud its associations. 1t suitable
! subject, for, as we glanced at the swelling Fyr-
4 anlids of canvass extending upward to the lof-
| ty trucks, we felt that these ''white pinlons
were showing the old vessel along, each mo-
nent, nearer her destination.
Jack said /, turning to one of my ness
mates, robust young fellow of twenty, chow
! happens il that you have nothing TO say upon
/ this subject Have you no mother, sister, nor
| othe- friend to talk about" | uttered these
words in light jestiug tone, as my shipmate
| had remaued sileut during our conversa-
! tion
/ A shadow fell upon his brow and he seem
/ ed under the influence of some powerful emo
1 ton.
] Tom said he. in mournful voice, ssnev-
1 er mention the name of mother again. 1t -
painful subject to me, and one upon which /
never like to think But | Will tell you Why.
/ Many years aso--not such great many, eith-
er-for it was ouly fgc--l lived with kind,
gentle widow woman, who was wont to take me
| by the hand aud cali me That woman
vas my own mother. She would take all the
| pans in The world 10 make me comfortable aud
| happy ! was then lad of fifteen, and used
to work very hard. Ny pay was not very
! good, but with that and the money which my
mother earned by taking in sewing, we man
| aged to live. / shan't Try to describe any of
| the little acts OF tenderness on her part to-
ward me. You all know, boys, at least all of
you who have been blessed with mother long
enough to appreciate her, how she would be
likely 10 act toward only son. Well, as
| said, used to work very hard very hard
from morn till night. During the leisure,
which was afforded me Sundays, | naturally
felt the want OF some amusement more excita-
bic than that of the pleasures of home, and
the society of my poor mother. Unluckily,
therefore, | fell into the company OF some dis
sipated young fellows, and resorted TO the siin-
ulus of strong drinks to afford the excitement
EhaP faa mai s y ssase Is e eh9
ward; and all the persuasion of my mother to
turn me from the fearful road | was pursuing,
proved of no avail. At last, BY constant ne
glect of business, lost my situation at9geth-
er; aud then, frantic With grief and despair,
fed from that roof which lad sheltered me
from infancy. Having always had strong in
ciinaiion for the sea, shipped on board wha-
Ter as cabin boy. The vessel was gone about
( three wears, at the end of which tlne | found
myself once more in my native town. l
sought the cottage 10 which | had previously
resided, hoping that my mother was still living
there But | found the place deserted, and ON
inquiring of some of the neigbbors, learned
that my mother had remained upwards of
year after my departure, In the OLD homestead,
griering for my departure. She had found out
from some of the ship owners In New Bedford,
that | had gone to sea, and waited long time,
hoping that | would write 20 her. But as q
whole year went by without bringing any news
OF me, Sue became almost frantic with grief,
aud seemed to be gradually losing her reason.
Que day she left the house with bundle in
her hand, and when the neighbors inquired
concerning her intentions, she commenced TO
weep and wiring her hands, saying that she was
goiGg to look for her long-Iost son. They saw
her take the road to New Bedford, and since
tina; time she had never been seen or heard of
again, in the village.
'.Such was the story they told me, aud you
can judge of the effect which it bad upon my
uind. plunged into the most degraded soc-
ETY., and drank deeply of the wine cup to
drown sorrow; 80 that in few months all my
hard earnings were spout, aud | was forced to
ped in this vessel, the Plymouth, and came
among you as lnessmate | have now given up
all hopes Of ever again meeting with my moth
er, unless it be in the and of spirits, after my
: DEATH"
S~~. ~.e'' ae~P sisl., ~,.l as.ain the shad-
ow fell upon his forehead. After moments
, silence, he added:
''What makes Inc feel worse about the mat
ter Is, because they told me in the village that
they thought she was insane This NAV have
got her into some difficulty"
''Perhaps you wouldn't know her again. if
you were 10 see her, said one of the men.
sob, yes, would,' answered Jack: "tbat
IS, II | could get glimpse of her arm. Bu,
think she'd have to be very much altered in
tue eountenance for me poi TO know her it |
saw her."
"Iou were saying something about her
arm" suggested one of the listeners.
"Ies, was going to say would know her
II | was to see her bare arm, but 4 don't like
TO tell why," answered Jack, moodily. "Yes,
Will, though" he added, after moments ST.
lenee. s'ln her right arm, just above the ell
bow, are tho marks Of my teeth One night
staggered into the house, and under the infin-
/ ence OF liquor had drank, reeled to the floor
My mother took hold of me, and gently raised
me up, and l-monster- brute that was, fix
ed my teeth in her arm and bit her, while she
was SO doing. My teeth were very sharp, and
they sunk deep in her flesh. IL was some time
after that, ere the wound healed, and when itl