Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1866-05-10

aunt's and the nigger that waited on the capper
ashore fetched me a note bidding me good by
and saying that she must obey her father. That
was duty. Let man and woman do their duty.
did mine, for you see, I'd engaged with cappeu
Jersey for a lew voyage, and the time was come
and though 1t went agin me, couldn't desart, tho
| ( said, "lts the last voyage We'll have together
my hearty" Said to myself. you know
! did my duty. / worked hard Blu. all the
light was gone out o. the sky. was in the foG
with my compass lost. Life wasn't nothing to me
and soon had chance for death.
For there came TO such gale neTer blew
before when wo were not far from tho Gold Coast
and arter il had blown bit il seemed to me thai
the cappen lost his senses. He might have saved
the ship, but he was obstinate. SO she went upon
q rock and split to pieces. We took TO the beats
in the storm. never saw any Of nv messmate:
! again. We might well have been aHoat in
egg shells. The first knew, after knowing moth
ing. was lying with burning sand on my face;
and when cleared nv eyes | saw I'd been wash
ed ashore. Two men lay alongside o. me. / turn
ed the first over; it was the cook, Peter; he was
stone dead. | looked at the next; it was the cap
pen. Yes, twas poor Old Cappen Jersey. and he
warn't dead, for he groaned when touched him
Says "What cheer, csppen!'
Says he, al shsn't live to see my girl again,
| Blaiae."
"rcll that to the marines" says I. ave
on the main land, fancy, and, niCgers or not, l
never knew men was afraid Of. Well get home
yet, cappen.
Z" You may" says he, II must stop here; my
leg is broken"
SO it was The old hero had been bruised and
beaten to death besides. though he had borne it
so well, and found myself wiping my eyes ar |
looked at him; but ! was a hit Of a surgeon and |
set the limb and bsndagod itbark for splints, and
my shirt for bandages-and then (that was hard
job) I took Peters clothes and made a kind of
hol e. - tl,s oh III, Il ind
aud buried the cook, with bit Of prayer, and set
down to think. couldn't leave tho cappen. He
couldn't 90 a step, and must feed him and my
self had bit Of liquor in my flask and tha.
was all
Just then the cappen called me. "You have
been kind to me- he said. IBID me good by, and
say you forgive me, before you CO."
"I'm not gong,' | said, "i'll never desart, cap
pen. III find grub of some kind for both of US.
and we'll liv. TO tell this yet ashore in America"
Saws he, taking hold Of my hand, "Bess you.
Blaizs, but can't expect this OF you; son could
do no more for father"
"No," says IL mean to do the bestI can: and
whatever may have to fret about that will be
comfort"
Il wish" he began. Then he stopped and
gave him sup fiom the flask and gent away.
| don't mean 10 tell lies. This warn is true. II
you want wonders, and iron kettles floating ashore
and stories 10 last year. and complete carpenter
shops at hand. look for 'em in other yarns-such
as travels.
I couldn't tell you much about how we lived
sometimes burning, sometimes soaked to fhe skin,
half the time hungry. I found berries and roots
and bread fruit tree; and caught a parrot ard
roasted her. stuck 80 the cappen. l suppose q
month passed so, and he could jus. move a Little,
and then began helping him ON by easy stages,
hoping to come TO some place where we should see
human faces. We didn't. only to woods we were
afraid TO go through for the wild beasts. and
wished we had stayed near the shore where We
might have seen a sail.
learned how to say, 'Give US to -dsy our dali
ly bread" then. and the Lord sent it. But one
day-a burning day could find neither water
nor food We were starving. | was as weak as
a child and the poor cappen weaker than l.
And the cappen sad to me over and over again.
"Go. Blsize, ,"-'twasn't my man now-"you can
escape. perhaps. Leave me. I'm only an old dy-
ing man.
And had answered. "No one shall ever saw
Dok Blaizs desarted his cappen." But knew
We were both doomed. Neither flesh fruit
nor water could find. And at last l sat down in
despair.
"The Lord must help Ms now" said 1. "And
praps out here. where half the folks is unconvert
ed. he's lost sight OF US"
There again | wns wrong; for what in the var
sal world should hear but some one whistling
yankee Doodle" and the mex. minute l saw un
der bushes face--in particular nose--that
couldn't hail from any there but old Connecticut,
where was born and brosght up; and then IA
ces black and white and yellow--a hull ships
complement Of explorers, as they turned out to be
tried TO hurrah. "Csppen," says |. "The Lord
has heard US" And then keeled over and took
4 rest Didn't know much for bit. only | feel
sure that Connecticut phix was close to mine over
and over again; and that whatever yarn the boss
explorer puts in his book, helte no lie if be says
he nussed Inc ike my mother might. So before
long being among friends, We found ourselves pi
io;ed to port and put aboard Yankee vessel
homeward bound.
Well. TO cut long story short, fnsssmates, we
came ashore at Marblehead Mt last. and was well
and hearty, but the poor cappen laid low. | had
thought we'd bury him at sea, but il didnt come
to that, ard they took him home litter to die
there; but before ne went he held out his hand
10 me.
He said, "No son could be kinder than you have
been;" and 1 went away wiping nv eyes.
I'D got 10 love him out there on the gold coast.
Well. Ilwas uneasy, and walked the deck of
my rosm the best part Of the night. and at day
break some one says, "Ahoy, Mr.. Blaize" and
opened the door. A boy was there. SAYS he,
"Cappen Jersey has sent for you-he's dying.
knew it must come; but my heart sank like the
lead in deep water. set sail for the house. leav
ing the lad quite out OF sight and got there in q
few minutes. The nieger took me in. and there
was cappea in bed and chaplain alongside. and
Eva crying a. il her blessed heart would break
And cappsn says to me:
"B.aize, time is short for me, I must speak fast.
You love my girl stll2"
Saws I. 81 haven't words to tell how dear she 10
10 me-"
Then the cappen took her little hand and put il
in mine, and says TO the chaplain:
"Let me see il done before die"
And then we were married, and the dream came
true. for kissed her.
The best Of the yarn is, the cappen didn't die.
think when we were splieed ne feltAa load off
his cons cienee and took tnrn for the better; and
we have him living with US. hale and hearty a.
man can be at eighty four.
And now teach the young folks to 60 to church
reg'hr for, as l tell the chaplain, no Knowing
what good may come Of il. found my wife at
church. aud blefs you. she don't think me wicked
for saying so, though she pretends to-to please
the chaplain.
EVERYWORD TRUE.