Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-09-15
CAPTAIN STORMS.

Captain Storms put the glass to his eye,
and took long look. Far off, black against
the silyery horizon, that shapeless speck
showed. What was it? Captain Storms
prolonged survey ended, he slowly dropped
his glass and turned to Mr.. Scott, the mate.
Il knew 1 was right" he said; lit is a
wreck, disn.antled hulk, drifting about at
the mercy of wind and sea. There may be
no one left aboard. but We'll bear down and
have look.
And then Captain Storms lifted Up his
voice-a stentorian voice it was-and gave
the proper orders to the men at the mast
head, or at the helm or somewhere-Id don't
know exactly. would tell you the precise
sion if could; but I'm deplorably back
ward in nautical matters. So yoa'n have
to be content with learning that the
gallant bark, the Lovely Lass. bore straight
down on that dark mass, outlined against
the sunny sky.
Captain Storms leaned over the side, and
lit cigar. He was bronzed young man,
stalwart and gallant, as take it sailor men
mostly are; and he looked the very beau
ideal" of dashing seaman, in his off-hand
seafaring costume. He had beard and
he had a mustache, big and brown like him
self; and, from the crown of his glazed hat
to the sole of his boots. Capt. Storms was
a sailor, every inch of him.
The Lovely Lass bore down, along the
sunlit tropic sea, and reached the floating
wreck. Captain Storms was the first man
to leap aboard, the first man to hear the
faint cry of human voice. No living thing
was 70 be seen; but from the corner of the
deck that faint. plaintiff cry walled.
"There's some one alive here still, said
Captain Storms. Speak, friend! Who
are you? Where arc your"
Again that unspeakably mournful wall.
Captain Storms strobe across to where
heap of torn canvas and rotten wood lay,
and looked down. There in the garnish
sunshine, with her face upturned to the
serene sky, woman lay dead. Crouching
over her, skeleton child, with long, wi Id
hair, sat making that feeble moan of dumb
agony.
My child" Captain Storms said pitiful-
ly-"my child, what is this?"
The CHASTITY creature lifteda bloodless
face and pair of haggard eyes.
Mothers dead"
"My poor little GIRL" said the sailor,
bending over her as tenderly as that dead
mother could have done, you must come
with me or you Will die too. Come!"
She rose up-a frail little shadow Of ten
ytars-aud held up her skeleton arms.
Peace is hungry" she cried piteously.
s'Peace is sick end cold, and mothers
dead"
And then, as the strong arms lifted her
as if she had been wax doll, the blue eyes
closed YEARLY, and the weak baby dropped
heavily against his breast; and hunger, and
sickness, cold and death were all blotted
out in Lind darkness.
And for weary days and weary nights
while the Lovely Lass sailed along sunny
southern seas, and the dead woman lay
quietely under the great Pacific the little
rescued waif lay futtering between death
and life. And during these endless days
and nights, the big sun Drowned sailor
watched over his little girl as father-nay,
rs mother might have done, until the
futteling spirit ceased its struggles, and
grew calm in health and strength once
mere.
Little Pence her name was Priscilla
Weir. The said; Peace for short-came up
on deck by and-by, pale and weak still,
and lisped out her story to the soft hearted
sailor.
There had been great storm-oh, q
dreadful STORM" Peace said, with shud-
der; "and mamma was sick down in the
cabin, and left behind; and Peace stayed
with mamma, and was left behind, too.
And then mamma came upstairs on deck,
and died; and Peace sobbed, and was 80 i'll,
and SO cold, and then you came," looking
gratefully at the captain, "and Peace doesn't
remember any more"
Does my little Peace know where man.
ma came from, and where she vas going"
Captain Storms asked.
Yes, Peace knows. Mamma came from
New York, and was going to China to papa
Papa lived in China, and was rich"
But this was all she could tell; and Cap
tain Storms knew that among all the unlike
ly things on the earth, the most unlikely
was that papa and little girl would ever
meet.
The Lovely Lass spent nine long months
on the Pacific coast, and then sailed back
for America.
aAnd shall leave my little Peace behind,
next voyage" Captain Storms said, have
q sister who keeps school in Philadelphia,
fashionable young ladies' academy-and
Peace shall stay there and learn to play the
piano, and talk French. and paint pictures,
and grow up pretty young lady,"
.sAnd / shall have silk dresses and lots
of pictures and story books2" Peace asked,
with interest.
Heaps Of 'em, Peace. And nice little