Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-12-16

twenty-six years, sailed from Cliffville.
August 10Th, 1849, in the brig Starlight.
Neither he, the vessel, or any of her
crew were ever heard of afterwards
cts sad story that paper tells.
SIR" remarked the old man; as he
noticed me looking intently at the regis
ter. GA story of long waiting, disap-
pointment, and mourning"
"He was your son?'' [ ventured,
after moment of silence.
eyes, he replied, with something of
a tremor in his voice. 'sThe only one
left of three. The others died when
they were children. He was a noble
lad, and good seaman. was so proud
of him, sir, SO proud, and used to look
forward with pleasure to the time when
he would command his own vessel"
Tears ran down the old mans cheeks
and his lips twitched convulsively.
Alas the dream of his old age was
dispelled-his idol lay buried beneath
the waters of the cold cruel sea.
''And the little one," I asked, sis
she his child?'
He did not appear to hear me. He
was gazing apstractedly into the fire
with peculiar, far-off expression. His
wife answered in his stead, eyes,
"And her mother ?" I resumed.
"Died," answered she, 'three years
ago. She never was very strong, and
when she realized that all hope was
vain, she seemed to lose interest in
everything. We did all we could for
her, but as the doctor said, there was
no medicine in this world that could
save her. One night she called us t
her, and told us that she was going to
leave us, and wished to bid US all fare
well; and when she saw the tears rise
to our eyes-for we loved her as if she
had been our own-she looked up, and
smilingly said Father, mother, don't
mourn for me; [ shall be happy, very
happy, soon-for [ am going to meet
him, my husband, in land where
nothing can ever part u.s. We lifted
her child up to the b dside. She kissed
her tenderly, and with it's fathers name
unfinished on her lips passed quietly
away"
was much moved by this recital,
and it was not without difficulty that I
overcame the choking sensation felt in
my throat, and suppressed the moisture
that came to my eyes. The old man
having reused from his reverie, was
gazing sadly at the sleeping child I
felt desire to know more of William
Hemphill than the sad entry upon the
family register told. [ listened to the
wind moaning through the naked branch
es of the trees outside, and whistling
through every hole and crevice in the
old house, and wondering how they
must feel who hear it's demoniac
screeches through the rigging of a
doomed ship. far away upon the ocean
beyond the reach of aid. For some
moments, no one spoke-no sound broke
the stiffness except the ticking of the
clock, the cracking of the fire and the
heavy breathing of the little woman in
the corner, who, following the example
of the child, had gone to sleep. was
the first to break the silence.
Where was the Starlight bound :? !"
I ventured, hoping to draw forth the
story.
"To the northern SEAS replied the
old man. "She was whaler. and as
pretty craft as ever sailed Why, sir,
it was considered an honor to be one of
her crew For four years, William had
been first mate of the Dolphin, staunch,
slows sailing brig, that could stow away
a larger cargo than any craft that sailed
from California, yet he had often ex-
pressed wish to sail on the Starlight.
The Dolphin got Id on a Sunday about
shutdown. We were seated around the
table In this very room, that evening, a
happy party, listening to Williams de-
scription of the strange and wonderful
things he had witnessed far away in the
Arctic seas, when there came knock
pointed to the slumbering little woman
-'opened the door, and who should
step in but Nathan Ross, the captain of
the Starlight. He drew up chair and
joined the party and entered into con-
versation and told us many strange in
teresting stories. At last, as he arose
to go, he turned toward William and
asked whether it was true that he had
made his last voyage on the Dolphin.
Yes, replied our boy. Three voy-
ages on a slow tub like her are quite
enough for my temperament How
would you like the Starlight?' inquired
the captain. There's not craft that
would suit me better, he answered. L
want mate, the captain went on to ex-
plain. Isaac Denton is down with a
fever, and as [ know you to be a good
sailor, I dropped in tonight to know
whether you will ship with me?' VIII
liam's face lighted up as he answered,
With no man sooner than yourself, and
on no craft with more pleasure than the
Starlight.
"The next day everything was ar
ranged, and William was the first met+,
of the handsome little brig, which saR-
ed two days after upon a six mont this
voyage. There was crowd on the pier
when she left, composed of fathers,
mothers, sisters, brothers, wives, and
sweethearts, collected there to say
Good bye! God speed, and safe voy-
age! Days rolled into weeks, and
weeks into months, and, at last, people
began to speak of the return of the
Starlight, and to look toward the hori-
zon, expecting each day to sight her
sail, but no sail appeared except that
Of fo1,iy al