The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-03-03
DAVID MATSON.
ny JOHN G. WHITTIER.


Who of my young friends have
read the sGrr0wful story of "Enoch
Arden" so swectly and simply told
by the great English poet2 1t is the
story Of man who went 10 sea, leav-
ing behind sweet Young wife and
little daughter. He was cast away
on desert island, where he remain
led several years, when he was dis
covered and taken of by Il passing
Vessel. Coming back to his native
town, he found his wife married to an
old playmate IA good man, rich and
honorcd, and with whom she was
living happily. The poor man, un
willing to cause her pain and perplex
litv, resolved not to make himself
knawn to her, and lived and died
alone. The poem has. reminded me
of very similar story OF my own
Sew England noi ghDorhood, which |
have often heard, and which | will
try to tell, not in poetry, like Alfred
Tennyson's, but in my own poor
prose. | can assure my readers, that
In its main particulars, it is u true
tale.
One bright summer morning, more
than threescore years ago, David
Matson, with his young wife and his
two healthy, barefooted boys, stood
on the bank Of the river near their
dwelling. they were waiting there
for Pelatiah Curtis TO come round the
Point with his wherry, and take the
husband and father to the Port few
miles below. The Lively Turtle was
about to sail on a voyage to Spain,
! and David was to go in her as mate.
They stood there in the clever morn
ing sunshine talking cheerfully; but
had you been near enough, you could
have seen tears in Anna Matsons
blue eyes, for she loved her husband
and knew there was always danger or
the sea. And David's bluff, CHEEKY
voice trembled little now and then
for the honest sailor loved his snug
home on the Merrimac, with the deai
wife and the pretty boys. But pres
eatly the wherry came alongside, ano
David was just stepping into il when
he turned back to kiss his wife anC
children once more.
"In with you, man." said Pelatial
Curtis. There no time for kiss
ing and such other fooleries, wher
the tide serves.
And so they parted. Anna anC
the bows went back to their home
and David to the Port, whence h'
sailed of in the Lively Turtle. AnC
> months passed, Autumn followed thu
Summer, and Winter the Autumn
= and then Spring came, and anon
was Summer on the river side, and h'
4. did not come back. And anothe
year passed, and then the old sailors
/ and fishermen shook their heads sol
cmnly, and said the Lively Turtl
was a lost ship, and would never com
back to port. And poor Anna ha'
her bombazine gown dyed black, anC
her straw bonnet trimmed in mourn
ing ribbons, and thenceforth she wa
known only rs the Widow Matson.
And how was it all this time wit
David himself?
Now you must know that the Mo
hammedan people .of Algiers, an,
n and rripoli, and Mogadore and Sal
lee, on the Barbary coast, had for
long time been in the habit of fghtini
y our galleys and armed boats, to seiz
upon the merchant vessels Of Chris
p tian nations, and make slaves of thei
: crews and passengers, just as me-
calling themselves Christians manner
u ica were sending vessels to Africa t
!, catch black slaves for their planta
tions. The Lively Turtle fell int
the hands OF one OF these rowing sea
, robbers, the crew was taken TO Algier
and sold in the market place as slaves
poor David Matson was among tn
lrest rH.. .fin .ue u" .tI.
When a boy, he had learned tn
trade Of ship-carpenter with hi
o father, ON the Merrimac land now Ia
. was set to work in the dock yards.
His master, who was natural y a kin
A