The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-03-02
The Sailors Dream.

waxing on the quartSr deck OF Dno ship
running down the Northern trades. VIII
liam Thorton, an old weather beaten sailor
was at the wheel, and | could hear him
occasionally humming the old air of Black
Eyed Susan when my back was turned
toward him. he was an excellent helms
man, and kept the ship to her course true
AS the needle to the pole. Although it is
still, as it was then, contrary to rule TO en-
ter into conversation with the man at the
whoel, vet observing William smile and
raise his hat on ''nine hairs" I asked
him mpatheticaIy-
"What are you thinking about, VIII
liam ?"
"About my sweetheart, sir"
" Are you going to get married again
when you return?
was never married sir, nor never will
be, if should live thousand vears-vct
l have a sweetheart. It's Just forty wears
this day since l saw her, and | never saw
her but once. But what interest can YOU
have in an old salts dream ?''
$50 ahead, William, and tell me about
this sweetheart. Pm in love myself, and
can sympathize with YOU"
| 'S'i oil. II 10 just iOItN years IlliS udN
since | strolled into one Of the biggest
churches in Broadway, and was invited in
to grand pew by an elderly gentleman.
There we're two ladies' with him. One of
them the moment our eyes met, said as
plainly as eyes could speak, az am glad
to see you again." l was sure that had
seen her before felt that we were old
playmates, but for the soul of me, | could
not tell where. l could hardly take my
eyes off her, she looked SO good. When
the services commenced she put a prayer
! book in my hand, and pointed to the les
son for the day. | was young then, sir,
and good looking, too, and had about a.
much self concelt as most Young men, but
the more l looked at that sweet girl the
less | thought Of myself When the ser
vices were over, l followed her to the door
of the carriage, and could not help saying,
God bless you, my sweet angel y and
to my surprise, instead of being offended
she replied, q" Thank you, sir, and may
He bless you, too" The gentleman raised
his hat to me and smiled.
"Good bye, jack he sad, "gool
luck to you" 1t was he voice of a sail
or; he was no doubt retired sea captain.
Both of the ladies, though | had neglected
one entirely, bowed to me out of the car
riage window. In a moment they were
gone, and | never saw them from that time
10 this, yet from that day to this have
truly loved that sweet girl"
Did you ever try to find out who she
VAST" inqui. ed.
No sir, what was the use? | fell, my.
self poor, ignorant sailor. hardly able 10
write my own name, and / was not sil!y
anough to think that such a lovely oiri
would are 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 2"
/" 1t was only in a dream, sir l never
saw her before. Now as I'm growing old
| have been thinking seriously about trv-
ing to be good, that I NAV meet her in
Heaven. Every Sunday for forty years,
has the scene in that church been before
me, and every time l think upon nv
sweet girl she looks more lovely than ever.
l could never think of marrying with her
image ever present in my mind Do you
think, sir, it is possible for al old sinner
like me to be good enough to go to heav-
en- Z"
why not, William r.
g will tell you why. About eight
years ago l loft the sea, for then dream
ed | saw my dear angel go to Heaven, and
| try to be good | worked along with Mig
gers and stevedores, and had over two
thousand dollars thatI had saved, 80 | got
along very comfortably. Ijoined a church
and thought had got religion, when a
rascally deacon cheated me out fifty dol
lars. | was so laundering mad that gave
thr fellow an awful hiding and before he
could set the law dogs on me- | was at
sea again. | think now that | did very
wrong, but | am 30 hardhearted that |
can't in my soul forgive him to this day
My sweet angel tells me in my dreams
that must forgive him, and that ifI wish
to join her | must be good"
| lie said much more, but the above af-
fords e ance at his inner life and shows
the purity of his soul. 1t must not be
thought that he was a whining old fool
but on the contrary he was man otdauut-
less courage; bold even to recklessness,
and quick to resent an insult No men
are thrown more upon their resources for
their mental food than the seamen. For
weeks and even months, sky and water
are their only companions; and on long
voyages when they have watch -and-watch
their labor is very light. 1t is then their
minds dwell upon the pleasant scenes Of
the past and make the dross of earth APP
pear divine. Bill Thornton's case is not
singular Almost every sailor has some
beautiful love dream, and hence the reason
why so few of them marry. The ideal
has more charms for them than the real.
With all their faults, sailors are not bad
men. As class, in rude way, they love
the true, the beautiful, and the good, aud
are proverbial for their generosity. NAV
they all 90 to Heaven al last
1HE DARK AGEs-' The boy at the
head of the class will state what were the