Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1865-09-19
SET CT S IT o r Y .
The Lost Man.
By JOHN G.. WHITTIER.

Who Of my young friends have read the
sorrowful story of .Enoch Arden" so sweet
ly told by the great English poet? 1t is the
story of q young man who went TO sea, leav-
ing behind him q sweet young wife and little
daughter. He was cast away on desert is
land, where he remained several years, when
he was discovered and taken off by passing
vessel Coming back to his native town; he
fonnd his wife married to an Old playmate
a good man, rich and honored, with whom
she was living happily. The poor p,an, IN
willing to cause her pain and perplexity, re-
solved MOTTO make himself known to her, aud
lived and died alone. The poem has re-
minded me of a very simple story of my own
New England neighborhood, which [ have Of
ten heard, and which I 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 a 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 his
dwelling. They waited there for Pelatha
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 voyage to Spain,
and David was to go in her as mate. They
stood there in the lovely morning sunshine,
talking cheerfulIy, but had you been near
enough you could have seen tears iu Anna
Matson's blue eyes, for she loved her hus-
band, and she knew there was always dan
ger on the sea. And David's bluff, cherry
voice trembled little now and then, for the
sailor loved his snug home on the Merrimac,
with the dear wife and her pretty boys. But
presently the wherry came alongside, and
David was just stepping into it, when be
turned back to kiss his wife and children
once more.
"In with you," said Pelathia Curtis,
s'There is no time for kissing and such fool
cries when the tide serves"
And so they parted. Anna and the boys
went back to their home, and David to the
port, whence he sailed in the Lively Turtle
And months passed autumn followed the
summer, and winter the autumn, aud then
spring came, and anon it was summer on the
river side and he did not come back. And
another year passed; and then the old sailor
and fisherman shook their heads solemnly,
and said the Lively Turtle was lost ship,
and would never come back again. Aud
poor Anna had her bombazine gown dyed
black, and her straw bonnet trimmed in mourn
ing ribbons-and thenceforth she was known
only as the widow Matson.
Now you must know that the Mahommedan
people of Algers and Tripoli, Magadore and
Saline, on the Barbary coast, had for long
time been in the habit of fitting out galleys
and armed boats to seize upon tho merchant
vessels Of Christian nations, and make slaves
of their crews and passengers, just as men
calling themselves Christians in America,
were sending vessels to Africa to catch black
slaves for their plantations. The Lively
Turtle fell INTO the hands of one of these ro-
wing sea robbers, and the crew was taken to
Algiers, and sold in the market place as
slaves, poor David Matson among the rest.
When a boy he had learned the trade Of
ship carpenter with his father on the Merri-
mae, and now he was set to work in the
dock yards. HIS master who was naturally
kind man, did not overwork him. He dali
ly had his three loavcs Of bread, aud when
his clothing was worn out, its place Was sup
piled by the coarse cloth of wool and camePs
hair woven by the Barbary women. Three
hours before sunset be was released from
work, and on Friday, which was the Mahom-