The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-04-15
BIDDEFoRD, ME-, FRIDAY MORNING. APRIL Is, 1864.

promise shall bo ful6llcd--supplanting the
cunningly premcdtated oratory OF his disci-
piles by some impromptu utterance OF q very
different kind. forced from their lips BY what
seems the blind necessity Of the occasion. :.
After Deacon Allen had composed himself
in his final resolution, he arose and went att.
Mr.. Hodge had jus. come up the companion
way, and was declaring the fact OF supper.
'iSuppose you 20 daown fust, Deacon
Townsend" said Deacon Allen, "and III
spell you Mt the wheel while you're eatin'.
The three young men kin stay below, tew |;
Of want 'em to mind the sheets, or any
thing, why, kin call 'en.
The Christian politeness Of this oiier, as
sisted Ly the moro earthly motive OF q very
perceptblo SAVIOR streaming up through the
companion way from o agridiron, where Mr..
Peaycy's talents had at length found active
vent in the shape of several pounds Of beet.
steak, so far Modified Deacon Townsend that
hc replied,
"Wa'al, I don't know but will, thank Zee,
Deacon Allen"
And putting the spokes Of his tiller under
the prestige OF the other Meeting, no des-
ccnded to the cabin. ,s
It was impossible TO induce Mr.. Hodge to
accompany him. That enthusiastic young
person felt too wcighty sense OF response
bility to permit Of his leaving the steersman
alone on dock. Ho considered himself i'm
pcratively called on to keep hold Of the
sheet, although 1t was Delayed; and, moro
oyer. the absence of all his equals In mari
time knowledge would presentan unparalleled
opportunity for learning large number OF
sea terms from the Deacon, which he might
play off hereafter upon Messrs. Reeve and
Peavey rs the result Of his own immemorial
naval experience. Accordingly, he sat down
on the taffrail, just free Of the helmsman's
arm, and lot the other members Of the crew
20 down to tho first table. As soon as the
clatter OF knives and forks indicated tho
rough absorption In selfish occupations be-
low, he took courage, and began CONVERSE
ton with the Deacon, in language as little
maritime as possible, that ho might provoke
no contempt Of any unconscious deficiencies
in that direction.
"You 'vc followed tho sea long time, |
imagine, Deacon Allcn?"
"Jcs' 80; ever since was boy"
"Where you ever across the zig pond-on
voyage to Europe. meant"
"Wa'al, no. Coastin' and fshin' princi-
pally."
"You have vessel Of your own. I sup
poso2" g,
"Exac'ly. did hev te,o; but arter tux
more farm land sold OF tho biggcst-a
sloop of about ninety ton-and kop' the
other for fshin' parties, or going tew the
Banks, and sich. I sha'n't be able 10 do
much hard work of shore, naow as grow
older, and though it's nat'ral to bo to sea.
it's kinder comfortabler t' be on land. My
son will do most o. tho hard fishing business
arter this summer, | kalkilate."
81 don't wonder you feel liko having a
quiet home ut this time OF lifo. You've beon
in soma pretty bad storms, l suppose, since
you first went TO sen?"
"Wa'ul | hep seen some weather."
"Whcro you ever afraid In storm, Dca-
con Allcn?"
MIR. Hodge pank his voice into mysterious
under tone as he said this: for he wished the
question to be in confidence, not knowing
Sbut 1t might be nm efeminacy.
"Thc fust tmo over sailed on anything
of vy'go, I went from Portland, Maine,
daown to Savannah, or small fOro.n.aftcr.
We had load of whitc-pine plank and jice
aboard and though that Is jist abaout the
safest cargo vessel kin carry, ,oas orful
skeercd goin' round Hattcras. We got 10
ono o. them hlows that goes raound and
round in cirkittous manner-cirk Ter storms
I've hecrd 'em called sencc, though l hadn't
no ideo then what thoy was, except that
thought they was suthin' providential to
send rs all to tho bottom. $40.
We lay in the trough, driftin' under bare
poles, for forty-eight hou.s; and all that
time there wasn't patch o. blue sky the
sizo o. your hand, nor tho sun, moon, nor
stars, to hs seen nowhere" r,...'.s
"How did you know where you were?"
"Wa'al, We didu't. Oi course wo couldn't
take 10 observation. and doad-reck min
couldn't do no good, driftin' that fashion,"
"Couldn't you see land?"
LAND? No. Sir. Though I'd ha' gin
all my share of shat air lumber, which was
all had in tho world, tew, to hev hod
standin' place in the middle o. dry acre.
But as fur the rest, land was jist about the
last thing thoy wanted to see, or any sailor
either in gale; an ef we didn't get blowsd
onto Roman shoals and git bilged, why,
they'd bc very thankful" -.
"And haven't you been afraid sincs?"
"No Sir; not sence."
"What do you think curod you, Deacon
Allcn?" a.'
"Wa'al, there was number o. things.
Arter TINT vysc learned moro o. the sea,
and found out that II ain't every wave that
swamps ye. though IL be big. Moreover, |
rot used to blows. And then agin, what
did it inorc'n anything, tho Deacon added.
solemnly, was that afore went to sea tho
next time got change o'heart. and when
gales come, I knowed that He who holds tho
waters in tho holler o. bis hand sent 'em aud
could manage en-"
MIR. Hodge sat silent for somo time. Hc
had not been used to hearing this variety OF
talk anywhere out Of church. Least OF oil
was he prepared to hear 1t from man whose
type he generally supposed represented by
hard swearing and pantaloons liko Mr.. Pea.
vey's. So did not know exactly what to cay
in reply. ,.,
The Deacon. being as little used to his
tyne, construed his silence somewhat inaccu-
rately, and supposing him to DO affected a.
no himself would have been by the hint Of
another's religious experience, warmed to
him secretly, and continued In an earnest
voice. i
aI hone you know what the blesscdnss Of
that feelin' is yourself, Mr.. Hodgef"
H.I'm sorry TO say, Deacon Allen, that !
don't belong to the church"
"Wa'al,' then, Jest let an old man say 10
20. that till ye dew have the comfort o. look.
y Al l. - Il