Daily globe., 1879-01-26
THE CAPTAINS STORY.

"vell, it happened about five years
ago. Its goins on now eight years ago
that my father died. He sailed out OF
Gloucester; had his house there; and af-
ter he died, mother she jest KEEP on il
the old place. I went down at first to
see her fixed up right, and after that
went down now and then, and now and
then I sent money. Well, it was about
Thanksgiving time, as it is now, and I'd
been Gown to Boston, and was coming
back pretty we'll loaded with the
things Id been buying in Boston for
Thanksgiving at home raisins and sugar,
and all sorts of West Ingy goods, for the
folks in Harpswell. Well, 1 meant to
have gone down to Gloucester to see
mother, but I had so many ways to run
and SO much to do was afraid I wouldn't
be back on time; and so I didn't see
her.
"Well, we was driving back with a
good stiff breeze, and we'd got past Cape
Ann, and I'd gone down and turned in,
and was fast asleep in my berth. 1t was
past midnight-eyery one on the schoon-
er asleep except the mate, who was up
on the watch. I was sleepin' as sound as
ever | slept in my life, not
more n if had been dead, when sud
denly walked square up; my eyes
flew open like spring, with my mind
clear and wide-awake, and sure as I ever
see anything, see my father standing
right in the middle OF the cabin looking
right at me. I rose right up in my berth,
and says I:
"Father, is that you?'
Yes, says he, 1T is me-
"'Father,' says I, what do you come
fcr?;
"'sam,' says he, do you go right back
to Gloucester and take your mother home
with you, and keep her there as long as
she lives
Sand says I, Father, I will And as
I said this he faded out and was gone.
I got up and ran up On deck, and called
out, ''Bout ship!' Mr.. More-he was nv
mate then-stared at me as if he didn't
believe his ears. ''Bout ship,' says I.
I'm going to Gloucester
S'Well, he put the ship about, and then
came to me, and says, 'What the devil
does this mean? We're way past Cape
Ann; it's forty miles right back to Glou-
cester.'
"'Can't hep it, I said; to Gloucester
I must 60 as quick as wind and water
will carry me. I've thought OF matters
there that I must attend to. no matter
what happens
"Well, Ben More and 7 were good
friends always. but 7 tell you all that
day he watched me in curious kind OF
way to see if I weren't with a fever OF
suthin, and the men they whispered
and talked among themselves. You see
they all had their own reasons for want.
ing to be back to Thanksgiving, and il
was hard on 'em.
"Well, it was just about sun up we got
into Gloucester, and ;. went ashore, and
there was mother looking pretty poorly
just making her FIRE and getting on he1
kettle. When she saw me she held up
her hands and burst out crying.
"'Why, Sam, the Lord must "a SEN
you. I've ben sick and al. alone, having
a drefful hard time, and I've felt as it
couldn't hold out no longer
"'Well,' says I, mother, pack up you
things, and come right aboard the sloop
for I've come to take you home and talk.
care Of you; SO put up your things
swell, l took hold and helped her, anc
we put things together lively, and packed
up her trunks and tied up the bed an<
pillows and bedclothes, and took he]
rocking chair and bureau and tables ant
chairs down to the sloop. And when
came down, bringing her and all be
things, Ben More seemed to see what
was after; but how or why the idea cam,
into my head 1 never told him. There's
things that man feels shy of tellin', an6
l didn't want to talk about it.
swell, when we was all aboard tn
wind sprung up fair and steady, and w
went on at a right spanking pace, an:
the fellows said the Harpswell girls ha<
got hold of our rope, and was pulling u
with all their mig ht; and we came in al
right the very day before Thanksgiving
And my wife was as glad to see mothe
as if she'd expected her, and fixed up tn
front chamber of her, with a stove in 4
and plenty Of kindlings. And the chill
dren was all so glad to see grandma, an
: we had the best kind ofa Thanksgiving.
Atlantic Monthly.
| A correspondent wants to know tsHo,