The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-02-16
SPECIAL r.l PRoYIOiEscEs.

, SPECIAL PROvIOENCEs.
A party Of us were gathered abou
. the fire In the sitting room of one (
, our down east hotels, when the coz
versation turned upon the subject {
, special providences. Some were fo
and some against the doctrine. Al
old man named Abner Britwell, VIII
had come in the stage with US, an
who hSd listened for some time, seem
ed to be much interested. He remain
ed silent until the subject had bee
pretty thoroughly discussed, and tn
interest began to flag; and then h
spoke. He said he should like to re
late few facts connected with hi
own history. We were ali anxious +
hear from him, and q respectable 81
lence ensued. 80 IA 'ii l.,i' 'i
II don't want to argue any upol
| this subject" he resumed "but .
have had some experience which
may be worth relating, even though
none of you are Influenced thereby il
your ideas upon the question under
discussion. When quite young los
my parents, and in . few years after
ward went to sea, which occupation
followed until was two and TWEEN
/ ty. Then got married and settleC
down on shore. One child was borI
to me-a bOy-and when he was foul
years of age, his mother died. 1brokt
up housekeeping, and went to live
with one of my cousins. My child
whom called Rufus, was bright
intelligent little fellow, and / loved
him with all my strength and, as he
| grew up, he returned all my love.
When my boy was twelve years OF
age failed in business, and came out
penniless. A friend offered me the
berth of mate ON board good ship,
and after some hesitation l accepted
it. It was hard work to make up
my mind to leave my child, but his
own good, as well as mine, seemed to
demand it, and / finally concluded to
go. I left Rufus with my cousin,
promising to pay for his keeping on
my return. ~
II was gone one year, and when l
came back L found my boy grown
considerably larger and very intelli-
gent, but 1 was told that he had not
been treated we'll by my cousin.
However, Rufus said he would re
main where he was while made
another voyage, and then he hoped
to 90 to sea with me. / was gone the
next time two months over q year,
and when 1 again returned / found
my child missing. He had run away;
my cousin said he had been able to
do nothing with him, but the neigh
bOrs assured me that he had been
abused, and that he had fled from ab-
solute necessity.
II may simply say here that every
feeling of love my soul could expert
ence was fastened upon that boy, but
1 cannot tell you how heavily this
blow fell upon my heart. Suffice it
for me to say that I never forgot him
that never ceased to pray for him,
and that my chiefest hope was GEN.
tered upon him. l searched for him
through every channel that was open
to me, but without any effect, and,
sad and fearful, again set forth upon
the ocean. eitfs'1-
made one more voyage, and then
was offered the command of a ship.
accepted the offer, and made ar.
rangements for taking possession of
my new post. Three days before the
ship sailed, fell through the hoist
way and broke my leg. I was car
ried to the hospital, and a new cap
tain took my place. OF course I be-
moaned, and I wondered why such
ill luck had befallen me. In one
week news was brought to me that
the ship had gone down, and that all
hands were lost. She had proved to-
tally unfit for sea, else she could not
have sank as she did. My regrets
were now changed to thanks, and
bore my confinement without fur
ther murmuring. r
When / was strong once more my
employers gave me . ship, and l made
two successful voyages Ia her. The
third voyage was to the Pacific. l had
a new crew, aud after we had dOub ed
Cape Horn, began to fear that mu-
tiny was on foot. 1t was not long be-
fore I became convinced that such was
not only the fact, but that had some
desperate men on board. could see
the cloud and hear the muttei ing, 3 but
I could not fathom the secret Of the
impending stOr.n. Ihad watched un-
til / had become assured that the most
diaboiicai plot was on foot, but knew
not where to place my hand. One
night, while we were of the Chilian
coast I dreamed that | was keeping
my mates watch, and that had
crawled into the long boat to get out
of the way of the rain. While there
I thought three of my men came and
sat down close by me, and commenced
to converse upon the subject of mur-
dering their officers, and taking the
ship. The aaa,ss of these three were
Brant, Cummings and McDermot.
They were ill-visaged fellows, and I
had suspected them from the start. I
could hear every word they spoke, and
my heart beat painfully as they laid
bare, step by step, the plan they had
concocted. They were the leaders,
and were to have the officers when the
ship was theirs. On the third night
the blow was to be struck. We in the
cabin were to be cut down first, and
then four Of the men, whom they dare
not trust, were to follow.
4 ,g I started up from my sleep. My
heart was bseting quickly, and q cold
sweat was upon my brow: The dream
still sounded In my ears, and it was
some moments ere / could realize that
was in my own bunk. When had
fairly collected my thoughts, /
turned out and went on deck, and by
. sort Of fnstinctiye impulse ! walked
forward. 1t was an hour past mid
night. and the moon was just rising.
I saw three men sitting upon the heel
Of Q spare topmast-eEa0flY whore ]
had seen these three med sitting in
my dreAm-and % I came near !
heard the words" Hush here comes
one OF 'em" spoken by one Of the
number, and then they started up and
went to the f0recastle. I saw who they
were-Brant, Cummings, and Nc
Dermot-the trio Of my dream!
On the following morning I felt so
impressed with the importance Of my
midnight viaion that I resolved to act
upon It. I told the officers that I
had discovered the source and direc-
ton of the fnutiny, but I would not
tell them how / gained the knowledge.
Those Of tbs men whom I knew I
could trust were sailed upon 10 help
me. After dinner stAti6led two OF
my officers at = oonve2ielt point in
the cabin, armed with cords aud osn-
vass bags. Then I sent my boy op
deck to tell Hrant that ! wished to see
bim. He came down, and - his foot
touched the cabin floor . bag was