The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-01-01

then uttering terrific screech, she sank
to the floor.
fastening forward, I was confronted
by a tall man, with a full shaggy beard,
dressed in a half civilian, half sailor
costume. He stepped by me, and
crossing, with extended arms, toward
the old couple, exclaimed" ather
mother! don't you know mes At the
sound of his voice they rushed forward
with cry of Joy, and fell upon bis
breast. He had returned, as from the
grave, the son they had mourned as
dead, to be the stay of their declining
years. But the wife he had SO tenderly
and truly loved Where was she ?
Alas beneath the frozen sod OF the
nearby churchyard she lay, wrapped
in that deep sleep that knows no
waking. Sadly, but fondly, he clasped
his motherless child to his breast, and
seated there before the ample hearth,
he told his story. The Starlight had
foundered in the Arctic Sea, but he
and two others succeeded in reaching
an icefoe, upon which for three en-
tire days they drifted over q trackless
sea, until Danish bark hove IN sight,
and rescued them-his comrades in a
dying state. and he almost. On his
| arrival at Copenhagen, he found an
English vessel about to sail for Liver
pool. and succeeded in obtaining pas
sage on her. His great desire was to
reach home as soon as possible; but as
he was without means he had no alter
native but to work his passage. Reach
ing an English seaport, he at once went
IN quest of vessel about sailing fo1
some American port. The Virginia
was an American ship. She would sail
in few days for New York and wanted
q few good seamen to complete hel
crew, the captain informed him where
he made his application. 1t was not
until the Virginia had been two days
out THAT he discovered she was {
SLAYER, bound for the coast of Africa
After tedious, stormy voyage the shil
put in at Quitta, a little town on tht
Atlantic coast Of Africa. He succeeded
III effecting his escape to the interior
where he remained several months
among the natives. He recounted thu
strange things he had seen, and thu
danger he had encountered in the jun
gle, At the expiration of two years h
again found himself upon the coast, a
Old Calabar, where he shipped upon
Brazilian vessel, and in due course o
time arrived at Rio de Jaleiro. Year
of toll, seeking for gold in the mountain
districts, found him poorer man thar
!, when he left home to seek his for
J tunes-at home again, weary wan
derer, with little pleasure in the soun'
of the Christmas bells a-ringing.
The bald space upon my head ha
increased in circumference since tn
Christmas eve heard that story told i
the little old house, and now I am
very old bachelor. It is just two year
ago last New Year since I retired froI
!, active life, leaving my partner, William
Hemphill, to manage and conduct th
business. The wound occasioned b
his wife's death has never entirely heale
ovef, so he is a widower and [ a bacl
elor, live together in quiet neighbo1
!, hood in the suburbs of the town. On
! would scarcely recognize in the prett
= = and handy little maiden who preside
! over our establishment the pale child fc
whom / made my purchase of toys thi
Christmas eve. Together, once or twic
year, William and I run down to Clif
: vile to look after little homestead
! which is now his property, and visit th
= little plot, in the picturesque villae
" churchyard, where his father, mothe
and wife are sleeping. There is a sma
upper room in our dwelling, which OF
y y little housekeeper keeps as a sort
- - sanctum. In one corner of it [ have o
T T ten noticed small green chest I ha
occasion to pass through the apartmel
: afeW days since, when L discovered TIN
. . the lid of the chest was left up, and CT
= = riosity prompted me to take a peep
: it's contents, which | found to consist
the remnants of a dolls cradle, a doll
:, wagon, with a solitary red wheel, al
- - the head, body and one leg of tha dc
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