The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-10-11
LOVE BEFORE THE MAST.
Il ROMANCE or 7IiE BRINT DEEP

A Touching Yarn. a Sailor followed to
the ForccaStle by his Young Wife,
She slows herself away in male dis
guiSe "A fatal fall from q Yardurm--
The Husband commits suicide by
jumping into the Sea.
From he San francisco lLGH, Sept. II.
The captain Of an English ship
just arrived in port relates a singu~
lar story which is worth adding to
the already extensive budget of
marvellous tales of the ocean. The
names of captain and ship arc not
given, as sailors arc provcrbially
sensitive about their vcracity, and
there is a strong flavor Of romance
in the shippers anccdotc.
The official log contains this
entry :-"August IS, latitude,
longitude, James Cotton, a stow
away, fell from tho forctopgallant
yard to the deck, and was instantly
killed."
"August 16, latitude, longitude
-, William Bean, an ordinary sea-
man, while the funeral service was
being read over the body of Cotton,
jumped from the topgallant rail and
sank immediately. Ship hove to at
the time. a boat was lowered, but
no traces Of the man was discern
ed"
"That,' said the captain, sis an
entry that gives the key to the
yarn I'll spin you," as a -MuU re-
porter sat i'll his cabin yesterday
afternoon after the MONDAY meal.
II shipped Bean in Liverpool.
He was tall, good looking young
fellow, and lid not appear to be
much of Il seafaring man by his ap-
pearancc, but he had a couple of
good discharges and 1 took him.
After he went forward among the
men 1 did not notice him again
the second day out. The mate
came aft Juggling along little bit
of II fellow with short curly hail
and Il round face, whom he had
found slowed away under the fore
batch A lot Of the men got around
to sec what 1 WAS going to say
about it
"What tho hlazes made you hide
in my ship?' L said. Ho didn't
answer d word, and seemed scared
to death. Then Bean stepped out
and said:-
81 know that young man, captain;
he is an old chum of mine. He
wanted to get passage to Califor-
mia and had no money"
L sworo some at them both and
then sent Cotton off in charge OF
the third mate, who soon got him
to work Oh Il broom. He handled
the broom pretty well, and took
sort Of to polishing up the brass
work and seemed SO inclined to be
industrious that took him out of
the mates watch and gave him odd
jobs about the cabin, lending the
steward q hand and SO Oh. Ho had
all night in and better grub than
they got in the forccastle, but he
used to always slip some of it for
ward to Bean. Those two were a
good deal together on Beams watch
and Cotton would sometimes stay
up all night with him. Then he
got to like going aloft, and used to
handle the royals Us we'll rs any
ordinary seaman on board One
day the mate said to me, Il heard
those two mep, Bean and Cotton,
talking together last night, sir, and
there was something queer about it.
Bean was telling him that his
mother and brothers would never
forgive him, and the best thing to
do when he got to San francisco
would be to write to soIno fri>nd at
home, but not to let his people
know where he was. Cotton was
crying and seemed to feel very bad.
Then they saw mo and shut up. I
think Bean has made that boy
Cotton run away from school or
something Of tho sort"
told tho mate to mako work as
light as h6 could for him, and once,
when he brought mo up q cup Of
tea on tho DoOD. I asked him if his