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


Tears ran down the old mans cheeks
md his lips twitched convrllsively.
Alas! the dream of his old age was .
idol lay buried beneath .
he waters of the cold cruel sea.
"'And the little one,'' asked, 's is !
she his child ?''
He did not appear to hear me. He
was gazing aDstractedly into the fire |
with peculiar, far-off expression. His
wife answered in his stead, '' Yes"
"And her mother 2" / 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 y
her, and told us that she was going to
leave us, and wished TO bid rs all fare
we'll: 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 I am going to meet
him, my husband, in land where
nothing can ever part us. We lifted
her child up to the b dside. She kissed
".
unfinished on her lips passed quietly
away"
was much moved by this recital,
and it was not without difficulty that
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. 1
felt Ii 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 whlstllng z
through everyJhole and crevice in the
old house, adstk 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. 1 was
the first to break the silence.
Where was the Starlight bound y
I ventured, hoping to draw forth the
story.
'sTo the northern SEAS" replied the
old man. "'She was a whaler, and as
pretty a 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,
slow-saiing brig, that could stow away
| larger cargo than any craft that sailed
from California, yet he had often ex
pressed wish to sail on the Starlight
| The Dolphin got in on Sunday about
sundown. We were seated around the
table in this very room, that evening, &
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 a knocl
ON the door. Maria, there'-and ht
pointed to the slumbering little woman
i" opened the door, and who should
step in but Nathan Ross, the captain o
the Starlight. He drew up a chair ant
joined the party, and entered into con
versat1on and told US many strange In
teresting stories. At last, as he aros
to go, he turned toward William ant
asked whether it was true that he hat
made his Last voyage ON the Dolphin
Yes, replied our boy. Three voy
ages on a slow tub like her are quit
enough for my temperament. Ho,
would you ike the Starlight!' 2 inquire,
the captain. There's not a craft tina
|
want a mate. the captain went on to ex
plain. Isaac Denton is down with
fever, and as I know you to be a goo
, sailor, [ dropped III tonight to kno1
whether you will ship with me?' VII
liam s face hghted up as he answered
With no man sooner than yourself, an
5 on no craft with more pleasure than tn
Starlight.
: ''The next day everything was al
ranged, and William was the first ms
| of the handsome little brig, which, ,sa1
l ed two days after upon six months
voyage. There was crowd on the pAe
when she left, composed of fathers
mothers, sisters, brothers, wives, an
sweethearts, collected there to sa
l Good byel God speed, and safe voy
, age - Days rolled into weeks, an
weeks into months, and, at last, peopl
! began to speak OF the return of tn
e Starlight, and to look toward the hor
1 zon, expecting each day to sight he
s sail, but no sail appeared except tha
!, of some fishing smack or coasting We.
t sci in the distance. So six, sever
g eight, nine, and ten months role
: away, and yet no news of the overdu
d vessel reached US, and the people be-
!, gan to display anxiety and to scan th
:, sea oftener, but the trim little vesst
1 never showed her peaks above the hor
: zon 1t was not until two years ha
r sped by, that all hope died. Oh, sir
! sad faces and broken hearts were III
Il merous then Our home was no longe
e the same; heavy cloud hung over i
+ casting a glooIA where everything ha
a been bright and happy before. We sa
q the face that had been the brightest {
all, growing each day pale and thinne
e It was a long time before / fairly rea
r lied that our boy had gone from us fo
Il ever. have often found myself gain
II off on the ocean, with nervous feelin
at my heart, thinking half aloud, Pc
L haps she'll heave in sight to-day b,
y the remembrance of those two years {
: vain waiting and hope would flash upc
d my mind-then my heart would sinl
J: with dull sinking pain. After Mar
4 his wife, sir-died, the clouds SCENE
e to fall thicker about us. I should ha,
;, lost all heart, had it not been that Il
n child was left us. Each day some ne
d trouble overlook us, and last year WI
Q obliged to mortgage our little hon
q here"
r The fire was dying down-only fe
:. GOALS slnouldered among the ashe
r The wind sang dolefully, and shook Il
d old house till doors, sashes, and blin
/.I, IL