Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-01-04
The Captains Story.
written for the Ellsworth Americana

! written for the Ellsworth Amcrican,)
| ''Captain," said to my friend who wa
giving me the pleasure of an hours pleas
ant conversation and who as All earnest
and active Good Z emplor.'' it seems TO m,
that the temperance people do not truly AZ
preciate the situation of men who are ad
dicted to drinking. mean those who ar,
drunkards in Il greater or less degree.
Many of our good people, strong. homes
temperance men, also, are deeply interested
in the matter and are anxious to promot,
it, when they look at a man who give:
away to his appetite. eXciaims mentally a
least, how can he be so depraved ant
wicked the poor abandond wretch. Now
it seems to me that people utterly fail Il
understand the frebriate's situation. Bat
and wicked no donbt he is, but not always
nor often. in the sense of committing will
fully and maliciously a wicked act. l am
Of the opinion that in many of .he cases
| the man abhors his own condition more
than any one else. and yearns with III
indeScrbable longing which the temperate
man never knows, to be free from his habit
But he is in the power of his appetite 8
giant power Uuconsciously he has suffer.
cd himself to be led along, till ut last II,
finds himself bound hand and foot, and he
can never loose himself.
That is most true replied the captain.
Il know fIom my own experience and
observation that that is just the condition
of MANY Il man. who. but for that one
habit, fault. sin if you please, would be
the noblest specimen of manhood.
came very near being drunkard myself.
s.Why," exclaimed You surprise me.
for thought you were one OF those who
never could be tempted in such direc-
ton
lit is true, nevertheless, said he and
Twill tell You how it happened. and at the
same time now saw the truth of your
first remark Illustrated. by the good story
of one whose life once promised to be a
noble and most successful one.
In 1928 found myself in Boston seek
| ing employment as seaman. ! finally
shipped as mate Of lri. that was to trade
between Boston and the West Indies.
was introduced to the captain at the office
of his employers, who after n little con-
versation, invited me to go down and look
at the brig, to see how liked her. And Il
beautiful craft she was indeed. built en-
pressly for the captain by her owners. in
whose employ he had sailed since he was
a boy. and who now for the first time gave
him the command of n vessel. He invited
me into the cabin, There we were met by
his young wife. to whom he introduced me.
They had just been married, and he was
to take her with him on his first voyage.
Throwing open the sideboard furnished
drink replied that it was a matter Of in
difference to me. for was net drunkard.
nor did belong to the cold water society.
He replied that that was just his case.
YES" said his wife, Il am proud to say
that l have a husband who is manly and
decide6 cnoN,gls to drink or bet it alone. as
he pleases she looked up to him with
a proud and loving glance. And we'll might
she be proud of him, for a nobler man than
he was then have seldom met. Young.
brave. generous and atfable, he was every
Inch a sailor. and "a l saw him man,
times upon his deck he was perfect mod
el of AN accomplished seaman. But all,
how little that fair young wife thought,
however true that boast might then have
been. how soon all that noblenes. and de-
cision would he lost.
Well, we sailed for the West Indias. The
brig was packet, and being fitted up with
first class accommodations. we had passen-
gers of the higher class--some of them
wild and what We now call .tast young men,
The cabin was always furnished with the
best of liquors, and they were always free
for all. and all drank. | called in the brig
two years. usually carrying passengers,
and taking, as return freight, liquors for
ages before found that was taking my
glass regularly, and going into the cabin
on purpose for it. When nearly home on
one voyage. the captain asked me If re-
m.mbcrcd where two hogsheads of jana
ca Rum, of a certain brand were stored. |
told him did. lie requested me to fill a
demjohn from one of them. | did so and
we did have good liquor for the rest of the
voyage.
When the cargo had been nearly dis
charged. il occurred to me that would
have some of that old Jamaica to carry
home. a. such thing was allowed to the
officers. took the hand-pump and sol IN,
bottles down below. | had put the pum,
into the hogshcad and held my bottle ready
Ia be filled. when the thought flashed upon
me-what am doing? what would my
mother say to this: For a moment stood
undecided. The strength of the chords
that held me were being tried. Then those
| chords of death broke asunder. broke nv
bottles across the hogshead. and went OF
deck. and th..t was the last of my drinking
Had | carried that rum home should have
| certainly been n drunkard."
.sDil yau know 4" aSknJ ..what hocaun,