The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1870-11-16
Sandy dronl- with tLo,n,t II

was oronzed, his light hair changed
its tint, his voice grew deep and
coarse.
lie was in no way q good man,
but he was Il good sailor.
AS the years passed, he came to
be an oficcr-fr>t mate OF the
Agamemnon.
Ills pockets were full enough
for all his purposes. The sea was
better than land to him, and when
on shore he led that kind of bois.
terlouS life that drives the thought
OF mother" from mems very souls.
lie had friends, at least he
thought so-men who knew when
his pay jinglcd in his pockets, wo,
men who did not blush to receive
the lavish gifts from the jovial
sailor.
lie was not niggardly; nay,
once he had empticd bis last re-
naming silver into a bcggar's
hand.
1t happened to be prcttyish
beggar-girl, and he had gone on Il
three years cruise shoeless; and
during shlpwrcck, Or when the
Agamemnon found sister vessel
in distress, Sandy was bravcst Of
the brave but he had never been
generous enough nor brave enough
to go back to the eastward seaport
where his mother had left the can
die burning for him in the window
never, never.
Five years were gone, and ten,
and fifteen, and twenty.
A man nearly forty years of age
stood in Sandy Cameron's shoes
y man who led the widest life un-
der the moon ashore; man to
whom fiery brandy was as water
to q child; u man who remembered
God only in his oathS; when the
Agamemnon came, after a long
and stormy voyage, just within
sight Of the coast-withia sight Of
its lighthouse at least, for in the
darkness of astormy night nothing
else was visible.
Battered by the storms already,
bruised by the waves, wounded by
the rocks, still the Agamcmnon
fought her way homeward; by
the morrow eve sound earth would
be beneath the feet of the wave
weary marincrs-for once at least
all longcd for it, even wild Sandy
Cameron. lie was glad.
lie watched the towering lamps
with JOY, and sworc that they were
pleasant sights.
Before he slept he stood y long
while leaning over the taftraiI,
smoking and thinking-if he ever
thought.
1t was an evil lingering for the
Agamcmnon.
\ spark from the cigar held in
unsteady hand, regarded By eyes
not brighter for recent draughts
Of brandy: made its way somehow,
wind-bornc or dcmon-borne, into
the place where the cargo Of the
vessel had been slowed away, and
at the dead Of night they Of the
mid-watch saw stealing through
the planks beneath them rcd and
yellow tongues OF flames.
The vessel WAS on fire.
Fire! fire! fire." the word
rang its way to heaven, shouted
by every tongue on board.
The scene that followed bcgSarS
description. None who survived
ever could forget it.
There was no hope from the
first, none save III the boats.
They were filled at once.
Who could forget it? Oh, who
could forget it?
The old man pointing to the
lights on shore, and crying:
II wanted to sec the children
once before [ died -
The captain, deathly pale, show
ing that strange bravery which
sailors only possess at such time.
Changing from dictatorial old
hard drinllcr to i very hero; cling
ing in romantic fondness to his
ship; and while he did his best
for every other soul on board: for
getting himself; and vowing to
sink with her.
The young passenger and his
bride-she clingirg to him; the