The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1877-12-20
THE STEWaRDESS' STORY
A CHRISTMAS STORY.


southwark bound steamer, where there
was nothing to remind one of the blessed
season of peace and good will save soil
tary cross of evergreen which one passen-
ger had fastened over her stateroOm door.
It was wild night. We were just off I
Cape Hatteras, and the vessel was rolling /
like a pIaything in the hands of the !
stormy sea. A violent sflowstOrm was |
raging, and on deck the scene was
droary and arctic. Snow andice covered |
everything, and the muffied forms OF the
sailors passing to and fro under the glare
of the lanterns appeared like the ghosts
of dead arctic voyagers. WAS glad to
seek the warm saloon and gather myself
into a corner of a lounge. To watch the
movements of the passengers was 4muse-
ment enough, and served to prevent me
from thinking too tenderly OF the home
circle where / was missed from the fes-
tivities of Christmas eve.
The usual crowd was collected which
one always sees on q steamer southwark
bound in the winter time. Here around
a table were gathered group of men,
prObably sugar merchants, striving, In
spite of the motion of the ship, to play
4uiet game of euchre. Stretched on the
s0tes were ladies in all the stages of sea-
sickness A few children not yet put to
bed were crouching on the floor with
their nurses, and in a warm corner near
the heater lay poor cOnsumptive girl,
carefully watched over by her mother
and brother. She was going to die I'M
der the orange trees Only the old story
repeated over and over again every win
ter.
Moving round among ali those who
were sick was the trim, plump figure Of
the old stewardess She was carrying
bowls of broth, tumblers Of chopped ice,
and all those little delicacies 80 welcome
to a sufferer from seasickness. The
quiet, placid face of the old lady inter
ested me, aud in those few days already
passed since leaving port we had become
firm friends. With the quick instinct
kinds of people, she felt that liked her
company, and she had already formed
the habit of coming for quiet chat with
me the last thing al night after all her
seasick charges were safely tucked in
their berths and her duties for the day
over.
was inpatient tonight for her leisure
hour to arrive, for | saw strange tender
ness in the old lady's face, and felt sure
that the season was aTOusing old memories
in her heart, which perhaps ! could in.
duce her to tell me. So when at last
she came aud sat down on one end Of the
lounge where / was lying, L said, trying
to lead the conversation to what / fell
was uppermost in her mind: cts 8
rough night for Christmas eve."
Yes, ma am, she replied, smoothing
the folds OF the kerChief across her breast
"but Ive seen many a rougher night a
sea in my day, and'-thOughtfully-
"sadder Christmas ewes, too"
Have you spent many years on tn
ocean 2'' / asked.
q Yes, mAam, but not IN this way.
used to have my own little cabin III m
husbands ship-a coy little place, wher
! used to be always at his side, and neye
felt afraid of storm nor wind.
" Tell me about it," I said. "Surel
life like yours has much of interest /
it."
"Well. ma'am, I've been thinking
ali over to night, and if you don't Ininc
I'll tell you some of the things a sailor
wife has to pass through, and how he
heart gets Wrung very hard sometimes
s'I hadn't much knowledge of tbos
things when ! married Charlie, for | Wa
a slip of girl then and knew no more {
the sea than one learns in watching tn
vessels sail out of aud into n quiet Ian
bound harbor So when Charlie aske
me to be his wife and go to sea with hiI
for although he was young, he had
ship of his ewn-I said yes with all In
heart, for / loved the honest hearte
sailor, ma'am, ever since we were ittl
children together. l only thought the
of all the strange sunny lands Charli
had told me about, and to go to see theI
with him was TO take trip to paradis
Well, we were married Just before b
was to start on a voyage to Brazil.
mind me so we'll of that voyage, ma an
Just as if it all happened yesterday.
wss late in November when we starte,
and right here off Hatteras we had te
rible gale / was so frightened when Il
wind howled and whistled through Il
rigging and almost wished myself back
the old cottage with mother-for had
dear mother then, God bless her meI
oryp
The old lsdy's voice broke, and 81
stopped to wipe away the tears whiC
p down her cheeks.
But when the wind blew the wildes
charlie only laughed, and at last I cri,
myself to sleep in his arms like trigh
ened child.
"And when we came down into Il
warm tropic seas l was SO happy waite
ing the schools of flying fish and ii
great floating fields of gulf weed; and
night, when the sea was shining and Il
S.. ship seemed passing through a lake
silver, all my dreams OF paradise were I
allied.
"Then came the foreign land, wi
strange, swarthy faces, and words / didE
know, and odd fruits. and all manner
queer things. Charlie was never tired
bringing nae new and curious trinket
and made my little cabin as fancy as
Chinese toyshOp.
When we came home from that vo
age, my little Minnie was born. She W
darling blue eyed baby, and CHAR
was 80 anxious for her comfort that
persuaded me 10 stay at home wi
mother, and he went on the next vOyat
alone.
But [ couldn't bear it 50 when
came home again, / begged him to let 4
go back TO my home in the little cabi
He found it desolate enough witho'
me, so he said, and we went again t
gether.
n This voyage we lay long time
the Brazilian port, and before we saii'
fer home, another baby was III my arm
We called Pepita, after our dear old shi
ship and u was hard tOisay which the 81
ors petted the most. the ship or the bah
Ill went well with US until we we
within three days sail of New York, 81
then terrible storm came on. It W
In the winter, and tor eight long da
we tossed at the mercy of the tempes
1t was an awful time, ma'am. Charl
didn't laugh then; and although
tried 70 speak chee11S words, l c0u