Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-08-10
$elffteO Misrfllauu.
THE MYSTERIOUS LEGACY.

tarpaulin hat, and was as familiar with the
path of the sea" as the shepherd with
those of the sheep-pasture- Spending his
life III making extensive voyages, he was
seldom long enough at home for the salt
spray to dry on his weather beaten cheeks;
and there was hardly port on the inhab-
liable globe in which he could not shake
hands with an old acquaintance, either
civilized or savage. Indeed, his home was
on the ocean; and his family, like 4 ost-
r.ch egg, was hId on the shore while he was
gone.
His history was of course, crowded with
many interesting personal adventures,
irightfUl perils, and curious incidents, that
fell within the worldwide range of his ex-
perience and observation. The most of
these, at the relation of whichsmy childish
ears used to tingle and my eyes dilate with
wonder, have become so faded i'll memory
as to be incapable of a tolerable narration.
The following, how ever. seems to have
made q more lasting impression, owing,
perhaps, to It's having been often repeated
at the family fireside:
More than a hundred years ago, during
the cain that occurred between the old
French war" and the American revolution
large ship was lying at the wharf in the
town OF New York, laden with valuable
cargo, and ready to sail for Liverpool, and
thence to whatever portion OF the globe
chances of commerce might dictate.
This was my grandfather's ship, waiting
only for her papers and fair wind. The
papers were soon ready, and shortly after
them came the desired breeze. Presently
everything on board was in active motion
the casting-of and coiling of ropes, the
unfurlipg of canvas, the jocund tars run
ming up and down the ratlines like spiders
ON their webs; while the short, imperative
orders of the mate, and the hearty ''yo-
hoy-ho" of the cheerful crew, echoed over
the ripping water of the harbor which
looked in the rays of the setting sun as it
covered with cream of liquid gold.
Just before the last plank was hauled in ,
stranger stepped hurriedly on board and
inquired for the captains state-room. Be-
ng conducted thither, he entered and with
/ slight bow accosted the captain, who sat
writing at his desk.
''You are bound for Liverpool, 1 believe,
ir?"
eyes, sir
81 am in poor health; and, intending to
lpend the winter in Italy, wish to get a
passage on tn first ship that sails for Eu-
-ope. Will you take a passenger
ffYes, sir, if my accommodation will suit
on"
s'No matter about the accommodations,
.aptain; lam an old sailor, and know how
accommodate myself. Besides, the trim
# your ship suits my eye."
The allusion to his ill-health attracted
ny grandfather's scrutiny, and the introd-
lction of himself as an old sailor touched
tis heart. On noticing him more parti-
ulally, he was struck with an indefinable
ceiling of curiosity and sympathy at his
ppearance. Tall, straight, and rather
lender he was dressed in fine black broad
10th, with sort of Spanish cloak of the
anne color and quality. A two-edged
word, common at that time on shipboard,
md improperly called cutlass, was partly
covered by his cloak, and hung at his side
without a sheath. His hair was quite gray,
and his features were manly, and would
have been handsome had they not been
considerably emaciated, which oircum-
stance gave unpleasant prominence to sew
eral scars more or less deep on different
parts of his face. His eyes were blue, and
full of animated expression, but perpetual
iy restless, except when showing a sudden
air of abstraction. The looseness of one of
his black gloves gave evidence that he had
lost q finger or two from his left hand.
These observations were made by the
captain while the stranger was looking at a
beautifully finished sextant that ley upon
the table, and had for moment attracted
his attention. Turning suddenly, as if
started ut his forgetfulness, he resumed:
''Name the price of the epassage, captain,
and | will pay you now,"
My grandfather had already fixed the
price in his mind, and replied:
'You are sailor, sir, and sick. The
accommodations of my ship, as well as my
own services, are at your free command,
The language of q sailors heart cannot
be misunderstood, and needs no interpre-
ter: and the stranger knew that remon-
STRANGE would be ungenerous. He made
no reply, but eagerly extended his hand,
and my grandfather, as he took 1t, thought
he saw pearl in the softened blue-eye.
But noble hearts are impatient of exhibi-
tions of gratitude, and he quickly added,
with a business roughness,
Il am ready to sail, sir is your baggage
on board?"
showing a Small black satchel under his
cloak.
Leading him to his quarters, the captain
lett and went on deck: and soon the ship
was under weigh, the sails filled with a stiff
DTSGZe, anu NudTF6S, hdISuOubSS dul
spectators growing small in the rapidly in
creasing distance.
The stranger soon made his appearance
above deck, and was politely invited aft
by the captain, who naturally wished to
learn something of his history; but motto
ing that he was not inclined to converse
ton, he left him to his own meditations,
wrapped in his cloak and leaning over the
rail- Silent and pensive he reclined there,
gazing intsntly upon the sublime scene
around, the heaving swell of the sea, now
chopped by the increasing wind, the distant
sails that seemed motionless and glued to
the western horizon ;and then outupon the
dark, boundless and boisterous deep, over
which the sombre wings of night were al
ready hovering.
What were his thoughts?
Nobody knows. But he gazed with an
eagerness of interest, as though conscious
that he was taking a last view of those riot
Gus pillows upon who's bosom he had SO
long made his home. At length, as dark
ness shut in the view, he quilted his posi-
tion with evident reluctance, and went shi-
vering to his berth.
The wind increased to a gale, and from
a gale to tempest; and for ten days and
nights the noble ship which had ploughed
the seas of every latitude from Spitzbergen
to New Zealand underwent such conflict
with the elements as she had never before
encountered. During all this time the
stranger had been confined below with an
apparently rapid consumption, which the
sea air and the rough weather had swiftly
developed and matured.
During the long and perilous storm the
duties OF the captain were SO urgent that
he could make only snatched and hasty Wis
its to the sick man; and even If thsy could
have been spared from their post, the in.
valid could have hoped for little aid or sym
pathy from any of the crew, who. with the
easy tendency to superstition peculiar tc
their class, had associated hi. presence
with the perils of the ship. 1t would have
required but slight encouragement from
their officers to induce them to pay hin
the same compliment the sailors of Joppa
paid 10 their passenger on similar occa
sion, when sthe sea wrought and was tenn
pestuous.
But on the tenth night just as the cap
tain was preparing to answer summ,n nj