The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-11-16
SING CLAR STORY.

The captain of an English ship just ar
rived in port relates u singular srOry which
is worth adding to the already extensive
budget of marvellous iales uf the ocean.
The names of the captain and ship are not
given, as sailors are perfectly sensitive of
their veracity, aud there is a strong flavor
Of romance il. the skipper's anecdoie.
The official log contains his entry: Aug.
Is, latuude -, iongiinde--, James Culion,
stowaway, fell from the foretup gallant
yard u the deck, aud was Instantly killed"
Aug Is, laiiiud"--, longitude, VII
liam Bean, AN ordinary seaman, ~hile the
funeral services were being read over the
body of Colion, jumped from the top-gal
liant rail and sank Immediately. Shipho
to at the time. A boat WAS lowered, but
u" trace "f the man WAS diScerued."
That" SAID the Captain, lis an entry
that gives the key - the yarn IN spin
you. rs d reporter sat III his cabin yester
day after the MONDAY meal.
Il shipped Bean in Liverpool. He was
a tall, good hooking young fellow, aud
did not appear to Je much of "A seafaring
man 10y his appearance, but he had couple
of good discharges aud .ook him. After
lie went forward among the men did not
notice him again until the second day out.
The mate came aft Juggling along Il little
bit "f fellow with short curly hair aud a
round face, whom lie had found slowed
away under he fore hatch. A lot of the
men got AROUND to see what | was going to
say about 1t.
".What the blazes made you hide away
in my ship | said. lie diun't answer "a
word. aud seemed scared To death. Then
Beau stepped out aud said
81 know that young man, Captain!; he
is an old chum of mime. He wanted To- get
Il passage to California and had no money
IL swore some at them bo. II and then
sent Cotton oft III charge of Tue thin q mate.
" ho soon got him To woIk GA a broom -
lie handl, d the broom pretty well, aud
took solt nf To polishing up the brass ~oIk
aud seemed inclined To- lie industrious
that | took him out of the mates watch
aud gave him odd jobs about the cabin,
lending the steward a hand and 80 on. He
had all night IN aud better grub han they
had in the fotecastle bu: lie used always
To slip some of it forward to Bean. Those
two were a good deal together on Bean :
watch, aud Cotton would sometimes stay
up all night with him. Then me got &"
like going aluft, aud used to handle the
royals as well as any ordinary seaman on
board. One day the mate said To me. Il
heard those two men, Bean aud Cotton.
talking together las night. hir, and there
was something queer about it. Bean was
telling him that his mother and brothers
would never forgive him. aud he lest hing
to de- hen lie got to San FIancisCu would
be to write 10 some friend al home. but not
to le his people know where he Was. Col
ton was CT ying and seemed Ia fe.l very bad
Then they saw me and slut up. l think
Bean has made thar boy run away from
scEo" az something Of the SOFT
ii told he mate to make work as light
as he could for him, and once, when la.
brought me cup of tea on the po"p, |
asked him # his friends knew lie had
stated ior California.
..Oh no. he said. but ! could not get
along well at home, ami thought 1t best
| to go away.
''Y"u knew Bean well at Lone, didn't
! you p ] asked.
"'Ies, sir,' said he, and looked red and
confused.
did he induce you to ruu away?'
{" No; ne, sII. said lie !; but he Iuld me
lie WAS coming in this ship
That was all [ said about it then. 4
| week or 81 atfeiwaId, when he was clean
; ing up my cabin. lie got hold IF q photo
| graph of my wife, which al tist i'll Liver.
pool had undertaken to color aud had made
: IA botch of IT..
! Did you ever do painting?' | asked.
| He said he could paint little, and eoI a
! box of water coI.T paints from The hind
! mate aud some brushes aud gave him a
, few photographs to color. You see bow
| well lie did it. He surprised me-
| Then The Captain opened his album ami
| showed the reporter some photographs
which ~ere very skilltuly and artIsticallS
/ reiuuched.
| II saw him once" continued the Cap
lain, painting the photograph of a very
| fine looking old lady. He told me j. was
! Beau S mother. Well, To come to the day
I the accideul occurred. was on the deck
Al the time aud Bean and Cotton were >it
Ting forward. | was just going Io call lie
| young chap aft to u, lp The salinIaKer. who
WAS working ON the poop, when a sgu"l
! came along. The mate sang out, the Ioy,
! halyards were let go and Cotton jumped
int" The fu,erigeing To get al"ft and stow
| The fureruyal. for II was daI kcning up e
I windward. Bean also got up int" the ii"
gng aud seemed to want 10 get up first, buI
| Cotton got ahead.
He laid ont the yard, got hold al
| the canvass, and the next thing we knew
>unetiiing came whirling down on deck
| with n thud that made me shudder. Tie
| first one at the poor fellows side was
Bean. He turned him over. for the face
was toward the deck, aud then he tel
| down IN fl, and the bnat-swain attended
| 10 him. the watch carried Cotons body
J aft. His neck was brulIcn. | pulled of
the shirt aud then knew the whole story
and the skipper took another glass of sher-
| ry, aud his eyes were moist.
What WIS the mystery" asked the re
| porter.
NV ell" said the Captain, Just this; Cob
| ton did not brioug to our side of HE deck
| The body that was se~ed up and launched
rntn the deep was young woman, and snt
| Beams wife, f.r | found the uIarI iagr
J certificate in Beams t.uuk with some let
'ers, that partially explained The matter
| I5ut L II tell about that afie" ward. As soon
| as Bean got right le came aft looking like
ghost, and he knew by my face that had
| discovered the secret.
"'tap,ain, said he, taking off his hat,
would ynu have any niljrcIion IL letting
! me stay alone wIth il this night p
Il let h'm stay all night 10y the bod
| and | can imagine what the poor fellow
| suffered. | never saw such a deSpaiiiup
face "n "A man in my life as that which mel
| me when | opened the cabin door aud the
! hands were summoned for the funeral
wees. tie stood 10y untii the last moment