The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-08-09
DAVID MATS0N, THE LOST MAN.
BY JOHN G. WHITTIER.


Who Of my young readers have not read
the sorruwGul story of Euoch Arden, 50
sweely and simply told 10y the great En-
glisu poet? 1T Is the story of man who
went TO sea, leaving behind a sweet young
vile and little daughter. lie was cast
away on desert island, where lie remained
several years, when he was discovered, and
taken off by passing vessel.
Coming back to his native town, be
found bis wife married 10 an old playmate
"a good man, rich and hOuOred, with
whom she was living happily. The poor
man, unwilling to cause her pain and per
VltNity, resolved not 10 make himself
known TO her, aud lived aui died alone
Tie poem has reminded me of a very SIM
ia, story of my own New England neigh
lcrhood, which lave often heard, aud
which / will ny to tell, net III poetry, like
4 fred 1euuysOn' but in my own poor
p.use. / eau assure my readers IhAt, IN
IL maih particulars, it - rue tale.
One Ia Y ht summer morning, more than
tuee scoie years ago. DAVID Matson, with
his vuu.rg wife and 40 heaitl 3, barefUUted
boys stood on the bank of JEe river, near
THEN dwelling. They wete waiting there
for Pelatiah Curtis To come round the
point viii Ills WheITy, to take the husband
aud father t. the pOrt few miles below.
The Lively Tuttle was about to sail on n
VOYAGE TO Spain, and David was to go IN
Hei - mate. They Stu.ad thsIe in the level
morning sunshine, talking cneerfully ; but
had YOU Deeb LeaI enough, yuu could have
zen tears iu Auua Ma,s,:u : blue eyes, for
size loved hei husband, and knew there
was alvaVe danger on the sea.
Aud David's Bluff cLeery voice trembled
little nov and tIen, for iie honest sailor
loved lis snug home on the hcuimac, with
tue dear wife and her petty boys. But
presently the wheiIy came alongside, aud
David WAS just stepping ia it, when he
turned back to kiss his lie aud boys.
''lu with you, man. said Pela ian Cur
tis. ''Theie's no time for kissing and
such f0OleIies when the tide serves.
Aud 50 they pai ted. Anna aud her
BOYS Went back - their home, and David
90 The port from whence he sailed off in
tie Lively Turtle. Aud months passed !;
autUmu followed the summer, aud winter
the aUtumn; and then spiIng came adon
j. was summer on The river side, and he
did not come back. And another year
pissed, aud tien old sailors and fishermen
shook ihei, heads solemnly, ahd said the
Lively Turtle was a lost ship, and would
never come back 10 poit. And poor Anna
had her bUmbazine gown dyed black, aud
her straw bonnet tTim1ed in mourning
Iibb1us, aud theucefor' was known only
as lie Widow MaisOn.
Aud how was il all this time with David
lim>elf3
Now, YOU must know that the Mobam-
Ueudu people Of AlgieIs and GIipOll, Mo-
gaGure and Sdlee, ard The BaI baTa coast,
had for a long time been in the habit OF
fitting out galleys and armed boats to seize
UJuu ne chant vessels of Christian nations
aud make slaves OF their crews and pas
seuseis, Just as men calling themselves
Jul istjaus IN Amer ica were sending vessels
10 Africa TO catch black slaves for their
paua ions. Tue Lively Turtle fell into
Tue hands of one of these rowing sea rob-
bers, and the crew were taken to Algiefs,
ald sold in the maEket-place as slaves,
poor David Matson among he rest.
When 4 boy, David had learned the
81 't'de uj suip carpenter wIGh his father, on
Tue Meuimac, and now he was set aG work
lu the dOckyaIds. His MASTER who was
naturally a kind man, did not overwork
NM He had daily his three loaves of
Dread, aud when his clothing was worD
out its place was supplied by the coarse
cloth Of wool and camers bair, woven by
'le Berber women. Three hours before
sunset he was released from work, and
tlddy, which is the MOhammedah Sab
o'Lh, was a day of entire rest. Once a
year, at the season called Rdmcan, he was
''il at leisure foI whole week.
SOme time wedo on-days, weeks,
. months. and years Hisdarll hair became
gay. He stin dreamed of his old home on
Ae MerTimac, aud of bis good Anna and
ls1 boys. lie wondered whether they
we're yet living, whaC they thought of him,
aud what they were doing. The hope Of
ever seeing them again grew fainter and
"nter, aud at last yearly died out aud
iesigned himself to his fate as slave
iof life.
81 but one cav handsome middle aged
7nileman in the dress of one of his own
nIIymen, attended by great officer Of