Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1865-03-18
David Matson.
BY JcHy o. WHITTIER.

Who Of my young fre,ds have read The
sorrow lul story of Enock Arden, 80 swectly
and simply told by the great EngUsh poet!
1t is the story of man who went
TO sea, leaving behind a sweet yonng
wife and little daughter. He was cast
away on desert island, where he remained
several years, when he was discovered aud
taken of by passing vessel. Coming
back 10 his native town, he fouHd lis wife
married o nn OLD play -matc-a good man
rich, and honored, and with Yhs:a1s she was
living happily. The poor NAV Wa willing
to'ceuse her pain and perplexity, resolved
not TO make himself known 10, her, and
lived aud died alone. The poem has ro-
minded me of very similar story of ny
own New England neighborhood. which l
have often heard, and which will try to
:ell, MOI in poetry, like Alfred Tenuyson's
but In my own poor prose. l can assure
tiny readers that in its main particulars ii is
a tue tale
One bright summer morning, more than
thrse,score years ago, David Matson, With
his young wife and his Two healthy, bare
footed boys. s'ood or the bank of the river
near ,teir dwelling They were waiting
there for Pcla'iah Curtis to come round the
point with his wherry, and take the hus.
band and father TO he Port, few mile
belew. The Lively Turtle was about to
saH on voyage to Spain, and David was
to go In her as mate. They stood there in the
l.vel morning sunshine talking cbserfuly
but had you been near enough, You could
have seen tears in Annie Matsons u-ue
eyes, for she loved her husband. and knew
there was always danger on the sea. And
David's bluff, cherry voice tremblsd little
DOW and then, for the honest sailor loved
his snng home on the Merrimsc, with the
dear wife and her pretty boys. But pres
e0lly The wherry come alongside, and David
was inst stepping into it, when he turned
back to kiss his wife and children once
more
| In with you, man, said Pela,iah Curtis
There is no time for kissing. and such fool
cries when the tide serves a...ia
| Aud so they parted. Anna and tht
bows went back TO their home, and Davic
to the Port, whence be sailed OF in iht
Lively Turtle And moths passed, an
tumn followed the summer, and winter th'
autumn, and then spring came, and anon
il was summer on the river side, aud h'
did not come back And another yea
passed, and then The old sailors aud fisher
men shook their heads solemuly, aud sai'
tha. the Lively Turtle was a lost ship, an
would never come back to port. Aud poo
Anna had her bombszine gown dyed black
and her straw bonnet trimmed in mourning
ribbons, and thenceiorth she was know onl
as the widow Mason.
And how was it all this time with Davi
him,elf?
Now you must know tia, the Mohan
medan people of Algiers and T'ipoli, an
Mogadore aud Sallee, on the Barbar
coast, had for long time been in the habI
of fitting out galleys aud armed boats
seize upon the merchant vessels of Cbristia
nations, aud make slaves Of their crew
and passengers, just as men calling then
selves Christians in America were sendib
vessels 10 Africa 10 catch black slaves fo
their plantations. The Lively Turtle 10
; into the hands OF one Of these rowing sc
robbers, aud The crew we're taken 10 A
I eiers, and sold in The market place as slave
Poor David was arnOng the rest. l1i
When a boy he had learned the trad
= of ship carpenter, with bis father, on II
a Merrimac aud nov he was set TO work
q the dock yards His master, who W,
na,urslly a kind man, did not oyerwoI
him. He had daily bis three loaves
bread, and when his clothing was worn on