Smyrna times., 1875-11-10
David Matson,
BY JOHN c. WHITTIER.

BY JOHN C. WHITTIER
no OF my young friends have read the
SorroWlul story Of "Enoch Arden" so
Sw'c'ly and simply told by the great En-.
g'ISh poet? 1t Is the story of man who
went to sea, leaving behind sweet vounc
"lie' and little daughter He was cast away,
on a desert island, where he remained sever.
al years, when he was discovered. and takan
OH by passing vessel. Comina b,cl, -
MS native town, he found his wife married.
20 an oid piaymatc-a good man. rich and
n'ho[G"' with whom She was loving happi-
~ me poor man, unwilling to cause Lor
pam ana perpieAity, resolved not to mako
llilSeH known to her, and lived and diod
alone The poem has reminded me Of
very similar story Of my own New Enc.
gi"ho nelghborhood, which have often
heard' and which will try to tell. not i,
poetry like Alfred Tcnnyson's. but in NV
o"n poor prose. can assure my readers
mat IN It's main particulars. it is = trIc
| tale:
One bright, summer morning. more than
lilfee score years ago, David NTatson. with
his young wife, and his two healthy baro.
footed boys, stood on the bank of the rivor
near their dwelling. They were voiti,c
tnerc Tor Pclatiah Curtis to come round
the Point with his whcrry. and take tLo
husband and father to the port. a few miles
below. The Lir5y TarHr was obout -
SAL on voyage to Spain, and David was
to 60 IN her as mate. They stood t),cro i,
inc level, morning sunshine, talking cheer.
iuIIy: but had you been near enough. vou
could have seen tears in Anna Matson.s LIuo
eyes, for she loved her husband, and know |
there was always danger on the sco Ana |
payid's bluff, checry voice, trcmbIcd ~
tie now and then, for the honest sailor Low.
ed ms snug home OH the Mcrrlnack with
'he dear wife and her pretty boys. But
presently the wheny came alongside. and
David was just stepping into it. when bo
turned back to kiss his wife and cbnIna,,
once more.
IN with you, man." said Pelatiah Chr.
tN' There's no time for l<issings and such
iooleries when the tide serves"
Ana so they parted. Anna and the bovs
went back to their home, and David 70 tLo
Port, whence he sailed off in the L;rz,
I"tlr. And months passed; autumn fol
lowed the summer, and winter the autumn.
ana then spring came; anon, it was SIM.
mer ON the riverside, and lie did not como
back And another year passed, and then
The old sailors and fishermen shook tboir =,
heads solcmnly, and said the LireIy T,rH,
was a lost ship, and would never como
back to port. And poor Anna had bor {
)ombazine gown dyed black, and her straw !;
bonnet trimmed in mourning ribbons, and Y
she was known only as tho f
widow Matson.
And how was it all this time with David n
himself? I
Now you must know that the Mabommo. =
tan people of Algiers and TripoI. and Il
dagadore and Sallee, on the Barbary coast h
lad for long time been in the habit Of v
I'tihg out galleys and armed boats to seize n
poh merchant vessels of Christian nations n
hd make slaves of their crews and nosson. h
efS' just as men calling themselves Chris. o,
Ians, IN America, were sending vessels TO fc
Ilrica TO catch black slaves for their plan.
ltions. The Licey Turtle fell into the
ands OF one of these rowing sea.robbers. SC
nd the crew were taken to Algiers. and III
Did in the market-place as slaves, poor di
'aVid Matson among the rest. sil
When boy he had learned the trade Of re
hip'carpenter with his father, on the Mer. tr
mack, and now ho was set at work in the -
ock-yards His master, who was naturally It,
KIND man, did not overwork him. He
al daily his three loaves of bread. and
hen his clothing was worn out, its place ag
as supplied by the coarse cloth of wool yo
ld camel's hair, woven by the Berbcr wa
omen. Three hours before sunset he wos Ie'
leased from work, and Friday, which is no
10 Mahammedan Sabbath, was dov Of inl
ltire rest. thi
once year, at the season called Rama. ~
m, he was left at leisure for whole wael,
time went On-days, weeks, months and c.
ars. His dark hair became grey. He nj
III dreamed of his old home ON the Morr;. -,