The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-07-14
MISCELLANEOUS.
CAPTAIN DARRELL,S WARD.
A TRUE STORY.

gers a ScOtchman, who had been fOl
several years a resident of the colonies
and his only child, little girl of twelve
David Cameron had recently lost hi
wife, VINO bad long been in delicate health
and. closing up all his affairs determined
upon change of residence, with view
of pushing his fortunes elsewhere He
bld been q seaman in his youth, and was
OF course, able to adapt himself easily tC
such accommodations as we could Offer
him in whaler. He was tenderlY at
tached to his little daughter, who soon be
came a favOrite with every one on board
l. needed not the assurance ot the
stricken widCwer to satisfy us that Jessie
had been in the hands of an excellent
mother She was an interesting and in
telligent child, and had made the most OF
Der opportunities in situation where
educational advantages were necessarily
very limited
TarOwn into daily contact with her, as
| was, It was not strange that found a
strong attraction drawing me to her. She
was a study to me; for could not help
contrasting her, every hour in the day
with q little sister of mine about the same
aye, who l. | had left at home. 1t was
true, Maria was a bright and pretty child
anG so proud and fond of me, her sailor
brothcrl She believed that Priam Oar
rcii was the Incarnation of all that was
grand and noble In manhood But st,e
had nothing of the quiet sef-reliance to
be observed in this child, who had been
thrown 81 much upon her own resources
In book knowledge, as well as in the thou
sand little graces and arts required in So
ciety, she Was, OF course, the superior of
Jessie Cameron; but in strength and
force of character, she might well have
been several years the younger.
When near the French Rock, we en-
cOuntered gale sf wind which exceeded
in violence anything which | have ever
experienced, before or since, in the Pacific
But our little passenger was quite at home
on shipboard, an1 appeared 10 have little
f-ar or uneasiness. She remained on
deck nearly all the time, until the wind
and sea increased to such degree that
her father was compelled, by fears for her
safety, to order her to keep close in the
cabin.
The old Warsaw, owing to her stiff
ness, was a very ugly sea-boat in gale
And on the second day Of the blow, all
her storm canvass having been torn fiom
the holt-ropes, she lay wallowing at the
mercy of the elements. 1t was found
quite impossible to bend and set any new
sails, and our situation became really
dangerous.
We lay thus for several hours, occa
siCnally shipping the top of sea, but no
material damage had been done Toward
night, we were favored with a lull, and adj
vantage was taken of it TO set new miz
I'm staysail, that we might have some
thing TO keep her head up to the sea.
All hands were above the deck at the
time; and I myself was on the mizzen-
stay, half way up the mainmast, dom g
the last work of bending the sail to its
hanks. The halyards and sheet were
strongly manned. and every one in readi-
ness, waiting for the word to hoist away.
l was just about 70 slide down from my
perch, when great wall OF water came
rearing down upon us, and l knew, by
the feeling of the ship under me, that she
would not rise clear Of it. On it came
] elung invOluntarily to the stay, hearing
confused cries of "HOld on ~ "LOok
Outw II met US with shock that seemed
to have driven in the whole brOadside oi
our stout craft.
1t cOmbed in nearly the whole length
of the ship, fore and aft, giving no one
time to escape, or 10 do anything but tC
cling instinctively to the nearest support
All below me was raging gulf of water
III which men and inanimate objects were
pron;scuOusly dashed about. | hac
enough to DO to retain my hold where
Was, looking down upon the dreadful
sight | felt that my fate wOu'@ be de
Ciied in another minute or two. 1t must
be the same as that of my shipmates, who
were vainly stretching their hands TOWARD
me for succOr, while here and there CRY
Tang in my ears, breaking the ceaselesi
roar of sea and wind. We were all to die
together, unheard of; the simple RECORD
attached To our names, Probably found
cred at sea-"
But, shivering in every timber of he
ancient fabric, the Warsaw rose again trl
umphant from what seemed her death
struggle with the elements Her bare decl
came into view as she shook herself free o
the burden; for nearly all the bulwark
were swept away on both Sides as well a
everything OF a movable nature. But no
human being was to be seen, as, still
clinging in my elevated position, looke'
about me. All had been swallowed VI
ana gone to their final account.
l had no time for sentiment; indeed
think the leading emotion in my mine
was one of astonlshment at feeling the shil
still buOyant, for / had no idea that sh
could ever rise again / slid down to tn
deck, and watching my opportunity
darted below into the cabin. Everythin
WAS ahoat there for the companiOn-wa
had been dashed into splinters, and tn
sea had poured down in a cataract.
stood in the doorway leading into the afte
cabin. drenched and shivering, looking vi
at the now opened hatchway, and won
dering how long it might be ere / shOul
BE- ingulfed; for the next sea that bOarde
us would probably fill and water-log Tia
already shattered hull.
"Where's father?" said tremulous lii
tie voice behind me.
Until then had not thought of tn
child. / turned at the sound, and saw tn
bright head protruding from the narrO
opening of state room door. The blu
eyes were unnaturally expanded wit
wonder and anxiety; but there was non
OF the childish weakness of fear tha
might have been looked for under the Gil
cumstances
Mr. Darrell, where's father ?" she re
pested.
How could answer the question Onl
by sign TO her To keep close within he
room, as / moved forward out of he
range OF vision, that my tell-tale fac
might be hidden.
Powerless, as regarded any effort
could make for safety against the storm,
awaited the moment when the ship shoul
be ingulfed, with little Jessie and mysel
But as if the demon of wrath had been IS
tlated, she now appeared to make bette
weather of it than she had done for hOul
before. Hope again revived, and ha
tened to explain our position to the o
phancd girl.
| knew not how to begin, roug
seaman that was, to break the sad inte
ligence To her. But found it unnece
sary to speak; she had already guesst
the truth, in part, and a sipg gle look in m
face was sufficient for her quick con
prehension To take in the rest.
After the first burst of grief, which
suffyre1 her To indulge unchecked, she n