The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-02-25

selves up in their swinging hammOcks,
chafled each other, abused everything,
and longed for port. They quarrelled IN
calm forgot, Corgave and were jolly
in gale; spent daysand nights saturated
like sponges with salt water, and did
their duty according to the ships articles
and what more could be expected OF
them?
But to our story. The good ship Clyde
sailed for her destination, having on
board the lady passenger, whose name
was neither given nor asked for. She got
an excellent berth in private cabin,
which believe the Captain gave up for
her use She had been told there was
Lo stewardess--nO luxuries on board
and scarcely any comforts. Everything
was done to dissuade her from embark
ing in this ship. But she so pleaded life
and-death business, and her utter indif-
ference to all such things in comparison
with getting to Scotland by the first pos
sible opportunity, that she was accepted.
1t was an odd sort of place for a lady
to be in all alone. The poor captain and
his mate felt indeed sense of awkward
ness, especially at table. 1t is true they
were very particular i'll washing their
rough hands, and they even went so far
as to brush their hair; while Tom Wat
son, the cook, had never been so careful
about his manipulations in the caboose,
Yet when the unknown lady entered the
cabin at meal-time with sweet smile,
courteous words, and unobtrusive de-
meanor, full of thanks for all her COM
forts, and of expressions of satisfaCtiOnin
the ship as home, the captain and Mac
iutyre could not feel at their ease; and in
spite Of all the captains attempts to tell
stories and to prove himself not un-
worthy of his guest, he was uncomfort-
able, and often wondered what tempted
him to ship such passenger.
| ITO the crew, the lady was for some
days the subject of great speculation.
They seemed to think or spea'' of moth
ing else. Manya rude and rough thing
was said of her, but no rudeness in look
or word was ever offered to her. She
had a kind word for every one, and she
found out something about their histories
whether they had a mother, wife, a
sister, or child-which enabled her. by
the intuition of genuine benevolence, to
speak the right word, whether to the
cook, the steward, the cabin-boy, or the
man at the wheel, when he could hear
her. There was no fuss, no obtrusive-
ness about her. Yet she touched the
heart, and flashed upon it the light of the
goodwill and presence of one who really
felt kindly to them, and who treated
them neither as slaves nor aliens, but as
those who bore the image of God, and in
whom love existed, however dormant,
and was capable Of responding to its
manifestation in another being. "The
lady" became power in the ship, and
her presence was as bright moon shin
ing over a wild, rough sea. No one eS-
pressed to his comrade-for sailors can
not thus express themselves-how much
he felt her influence, yet all did feel it.
The oldest growers-men who felt it
their duty to growl-such as old Dick
Murray and Tom Halliday, although |
they winked and turned their quid as
she passed along the deck in her walk,
yet aprlogized in their own way, saying,
"She's fine craft, anyhow-ship-shape
Bristol fashion, all taut from keel to |
JTuCk, dUu no HllSldk6,
The Clyde moved along on her voyage
from dav to day, the great dome of the
blue sky ever covering the one ship in
the centre the blue sea, which was only
now and then dotted by another sail
passing like sea-bird in the far distance.
Each day, no Tever, had its own charac-
teristic weather; for each day, like each
person, has history that no other ever
had or ever will nave. The course ofone
day was not, in the ocean below, in the
sky above. or in the air around, the same
as that of the previous one except in the
foam at the head of the ship, or in her
wake astern. She was moving in the
vast, shoreless sea, overunknown depths
peopled with unknown creatures As
for the crew, every face became stereo-
typed, and one wondered how it was that
aship did not become home of brothers,
who could not afford to quarrel, or be
other than close friends. But the con-
tact of bodies is not contact ofspirits, and
mere outward fellowship within wooden
walls, even with the question of life or
death constantly presenting ITSELF often
produces separation the more COM
plete from the very circumstances which
prevent a greater physical separation
The lady, by subtle electricity, bound
them together.
1t may seem odd to some that she
should have dared to propose prayers and
Bible reading on Sunday. But she did it,
in her own quiet, apologetic, loving way,
until the favor she asked was felt to be |
c,,r houtOunl 4 uc,1 b,,,, |
her reading ofappropriate-and most APP
propriate they were-passages OF Scrip |
ture, with hymn and prayer, touched |
those rude hearts. They did not reason
about her unselfishness, but felt it; they |
did not ask if it was love that prompted |
her, hardly knowing what it was, but
they were the better and happier for all
they heard
Rum un Jack?" observed one sailor.
"Uncommon, Fred" he replied; Pm
blowed if make her out"
"Nor l, f" said Frel: "but she's right
good un, and remind me of my cousin
Kate"
"Well," said Jack, II was thinking of
my uncle Bill the Methodist, the best |
knows"
So both agreed she was uncommon"
1t was new thing to see the men
turning their hitherto unused Bibles out
ofther kits. To read them and confess
they were saints2 Oh dear no! not that
yet, but only to recollect what "the lady"
was saying, and to read what she had
asked them TO read.
"Come along, Tom, you're scholard,"
one would say: Overhaul, will you, what
the lady asked US to read"
The lady knew not what light of true
love from heaven she was to this crew
what ships light, chart, and compass.
She knew only that she loved her brother
and this because she loved a common
Father At length her influence was
fully established by case of severe ick-
ness which occurred on board. It is un-
necessary to detail its features and pro-
gress, or to say how, with woman's del
icacy, grace, and tact, she ministered to