Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1860-03-10
The Sailors Dream:

One beautiful Sunday afternoon,
WAS walking on the quarter deck of a
fine ship running down the Northern
trades. William Thornton, an old
weather beaten sailor, was at the wheel,
and | could occasionally hear him hum
ming the old air Of BLACK Eyed Su-
san" when my back was turned to-
ward him. He was an excellent helms
mau, and kept the ship to her course
true as the needle to the pole. AItho'
it still is, as it was then, contrary to rule
to enter into conversation with the man
at the wheel, yet observing William
smile and raise his hat on ''nine hairs, y
| asked him sympathetica ally
"W hat are you thinking about, Viii
liam %
about my sweetheart, sir"
care you going to get married again
when you return %
Il was never married sir, nor never
will be, if | was to live a thousand
years-yet [ have q sweetheart. It's
Just forty years this day since, saw her,
aud [ never saw her but once. Bui
what interest can You have iii an old
salts dream 81
"Go ahead, William, tell me about
the sweetheart. I'm in love myself,
aud can sympathize with you.'
Veil, sir, it is Just forty wears this
day since atrolied into one Of the big
gest chuches in Broadway, and was in
vited into 4 good pew by All elderly
gentleman. There were two ladies'
with Aim. One Of them, the moment
our eyes met, SAID as plainly as eyes
conld speak, Il am glad to see YOU
again" was sure that | had seen her
oef"rc: [ felt that vic were Old play
mates, but for the sou! Of me, could
not tell where. | coa!1 hardly take my
eyes Off her, she looked so good
" hen the services commenced, she pm
a prayer book in my hand, and pointed
to the lesson for the day. Twas Young
then, sir, and good looking, too. and
had about as mHch sclfconceit as most
young men, but the more I looked at
that sweet girl, the less | thought Of
myself. When the services were over,
| followed her to the door Of eho car
riage, and could not help saying s'God
bless yon, my sweet angel - and to my
surprise, instead Of being offended, she
replied, ''Thank YOU sir, and NAV He
bless you, too The gentleman raised
his hat to me and smiled.
Good bye, jack" he said, good
luck to you" i was the voice Of a sal
lor: he was, no donht, retired sea-cap-
tain. Both Of the ladies, though | had
neglected one entirely, bowed to me
out of the carriage window. Tn mo-
meut they were gone, and I never saw
them from that time to this, yet from
that day to this / have truly loved that
sweet girl"
''Did you ever try to find cut who
she was:" / inquired
''No sir, what was the use? I felt
myself poor, ignorant sailor, hardly
able to write my own name, and I was
not silly enough to think that such a
lovely girl would care anything about
me. Thinking about her took all the
self-conceit out of me-
"But you said you thought YOU had
seen her before how was that?''
''It was only in dream, sir. Inev-
er saw her before. Now as I'm grow
ing old l have been thinking seriously
about trying to be good, that I may
meet her in Heaven. Every 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 ever. I could never
think of marrying with her image ev
er present in my mind. Do you think,