The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-02-06
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-Househo!d Words. .
NV WIFE'S PRAYER.BOOK.
had been settled in Johnsonville some
ten years as merchant, when, as sat one
morning quietly reading the paper in my
counting house, the following advertise
ment met my eye: "One thousand dol
lars reward will be paid to any person
who can give precise Information as to
how the late James SmithsOn met his
death on board the William Curtis, on the
night of the 23d of August, 1854. Address
Jacob Sharper, Esq, 246 Fulton street,
New York" aa
You will wonder why this should make
me turn pale and sick, but it did, and for
this reason. knew the late James Smith
son. l was his fellow passenger on board
the William Curtis, and l was one of the
persons who last saw him alive. We we're
coming from EDgland-I to make my for
tune, he to return to his native land; and
had felt for him an instructive repug-
nance that took little pains to conceal
He was big, burly, bullying Yankee, who
had made fortune, and was now spend
ing it, and Boosting of it after the man.
Eer OF the worst specimens of his tribe
He disliked me as cordially as | detested
him and being the only two cabin pas
sengers, we necessarily rubbed against one
another to an extent almost unbearable.
l remember one day after dinner we
were sitting in sulky silence over our grog,
when sudden lurch of the vessel sent the
scalding fluid out Of my glass all over his
dress.
:" Curse you" he exclaimed, you awk-
ward fool-what are you doing? Can't
you hit out like man, if you want to vent
FOUR spleen, and not throw boiliDg-water
over me like dangerous idiot?" =
had already begun to explain, but I
vas silent for little after this attack and
hen merely said: "There was no ipten-
ion to insult or vent spleen; the occur
'ence was purify accidental"
"Hang accidents! I've found accidents
happen very conveniently sometimes ; and
you shall pay for this as soon as ever we're
out of this accused tub If you are a
man-which doubt-you shall give me
a meeting for this, promise you and I'll
try whether you can handle the knife as
well as you can throw glasses, you coward
ly Britlsher."
eff you use such language to me, I'll
Throw another-won't you? you
plucky bantam"
and | rushed at him and struck him full
in the face as he stood up.
He fell, and as he rose up, drew out his
revolver and shot at me. stopped down,
and the ball shattered the swing compass
IN the skylight; in a moment, he fired
again, and this time grazed me on the
shoulder. ran at him and the steward
and the captain having by this time arrived,
the pistol was taken from him.
"Curse you-you shall remember this.
III put pea into you yet, my chicken, l
will"
| explained the circumstances and the
captain at once said that unless we would
give our words not to attempt renewal
of the dispute in any way, he would put
us both in CUR cabins under lock and key.
After some little demur, we agreed to
this.
eff you want to fight, gentlemen, I've
no objection in life-very happy to see
you-but not on board my ship. I'll take
you on shore in the first boat, and under
take to bury either or both of you decent
ly, if you fall; but you don't fight on my
ship if know it"
l went to my state room, and turned in,
and determined that would never again
speak to such brute. In the morning,
saw the captain at breakfast, and he
cautioned me in friendly way against
Smithson.
Mind what you're about don't give
him chance. He'd think no more of
dropping you overheard, or putting knife
into you, than l do Of cutting this bread.
Don't go too near the rail, and see that
there's bit of rope over the side, if you
go forward; and if you do find yourself
night, don't say didn't warn you. Clear
away, steward"
MIR. Smithson hasn't sat down yet, sir"
Never mind; he's sulking, perhaps.
Clear away"
went on deck, and came down again at
dinner time. We were all seated-that is,
the chief officer, the captain and myself
when we missed Smithson
Call Mr.. Smithson, steward. We
mustn't spoil our din ner with his sulks"
The steward opened his door, and came
back. Hes not there, sir"
Not therei Where the devil is he,
thenf Has anybody seen him this morn
mgr"
Inquiry was made and no one knew
anything about him. The men at the
wheel had seen him go forward at about
eight bells, but no one had set eyes on him
since.
Where the devil can he be?" said the
captain. He must be in the ship; unless
you took my hint the wrong way, and put
him out of the way, youngster."
can assure you never left NV room
until breakfast time this morning, cap
tain"
In a further search, we failed to find any
traces of the missing man except one. A
large brass belsying-pin was discovered
damned between the iron that supported
the starboard forechains and the vessels
side. 1t must have been thrown overheard,
and by one Of those mysterious chances
that sometimes occur, lodged itself there 1t
could not have been put there, for the man
who saw it could lot reach it without the
assistance of two Others 1t was brought
on deck, taken to the cabin, and examined.
Nothing was found on it; it was as clean
as If Ii had never left the rack. Where
did 1t come from? 1t was soon found to
be one OF the spare pins round the fore
mast rail The two things looked like foul
play. could not deny it. The steward
remembered that Mr.. Smithson drank a
good deal after left the cabin the night
before; and the man at the wheel thought
he seemed little unsteady, but he lost
sight of him as he went forward.
Inc entries were made in the log: and
life went on its old course, except that /
was regarded with suspicion and mis-
trust That made me envy the victim or
suicide who calmly slept In the sea beneath
me.
The voyage ended, the whole story WAS
laid before the authorities of New York !:
and after merely formal examination.
was told that there was no evidence
against me and as l left the place.
made q vow that would never willingly