The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1881-11-19
CAPTAIN STORMS.

Captain Storms put the glass to his eye
and took long look Far off, black agaiIs
the silvery horizon, that shapeless specl
showed. What Was il? Captain Storms
prolonged survey ended ne slowly droppe,
his glass aud turned To Mr. Scott. the maze
IL knew [ was right lie said; it was
wreck a dsmaniled hulk, drifting about u
the mercy of wind aud There may b,
NO one lett aboard, but Well bear down All,
have look"
And then Captain Storms lifted up hi.
vOic--a stentOrIan voice IL was-and gave
the proper orders TO the men at mast-heao
or-eU the helm, or sounewhere-l don't know
exactly. | would tell you the pre- else word
Cal plain StOfnls used Oh this occasion, if
could; but I'm deplorably back ward in
nautical matters. So you Ii have u be con.
tent with learning that the gallant bark the
Lovely Lass, bore straight down Oh that
dark mass outlined against the sunny sky.
Captain Storms leaned over the side and
lit cigar. He was bronzed young man,
stalwarL and gallant as take il sailor men
IN stly are; and he looked the very beau
ideal of Il dashin. seaman, in his off-h d
sealariDg Costume. He had a beard and he
had mustache. big and brown, like him
self; and. from the crown OF his glazed hat
to the sole of his boots, Captain 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 10 hear the FAINT
cry of human voice. No living thing was
to be seen: but from the corner of the deck
that faint, plaintive cry walled.
There's some one alive here still" said
Captain Storms. Speak, friendi Who are
you? Where are 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 garish sunshine,
with her face upturned to the serene sky q
woman lay dead. Crouching over her. a
making that feeble moan of dumb agony.
My child Captain Storms said. pitt
fully; my child. what is this2'
The CHASTITY little creature lifted blood
less face and a pair of haggard eyes.
Mothers deadl'
My poor little gIrl," said the sailor,
bending over her as tendery as that dead
mother could have done. You must come
with me or you will die too Come"
She rose up IA fraIl little shadow of ten
years. and held w her skeleton arms.
Peace is hungry" she cried piteOusly.
Peace is sick and cold, and mothers
dead"
And then, as the strong arms lifted her as
If she had been a wax Il Ill, the blue eyes
clUSed YEARLY, and the weak 'dy dropped
heavily against his breast and hunger, and
sickness, and I'D and death were all blot
ted out in blind darkness.
And for weary days and weary nights.
while the L ,vely Lass sailed along sunny
Southeastern seas, and the dead woman lay
quietly under the great Pacific, the little
rescued waif Law huttering between death aud
life. Ant during these endless days aud
nights the big, suu-browned sailor watched
1. rrIx i'll f..fl.
mother might have done. until the tutter-
ing spirit Ceased It's Struggles and grew calm
in health and strength once More.
Little Peace-her name was Priscilla Weir,
she sail; Peace for shOrt-caIHe up IN deck
by-and-by, pale and weak still, and lisped
out her story to the soft-hearted sailor.
There had been great storm-oh,
dreadful STORM" Peace said with a shudder;
land III ANN Was sick DOWN in the cabin
and lett benin E, and Peace stayed with
mamma and was left behind too. Aud then
mamma Came up on deck and died. and
Peace sobbed, and was i'll, and 50 cold,
aud then YOU came" looking gratefully at
the Captain, land Peace doesn't remember
any more
Does my little Peace know where mamma
came fr III, and where she was gOing?' Cap
tain Storms asked.
Yes, Peace knows. Mamma came from
New York, and was going lo China to papa.
Papa lived in China and was rich"
But this was all she could tell; and Cap
tain Storms knew tn 1t among all the un-
likely things on the earth. the most unlikely
now 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.
And | shall leave my little Peace behind,
next voyage" Captain Storms said. | have
a sister who keeps school in Philadelphia, a
fashionable young ladies' academy-and
Peace shall stay there and learn To play the
piano. and talk French, AMI paint pictures,
and grow up pretty young lady.
And l shall have silk dresses and lots oil
pictures and story books?' Peace asked
with interest
Heaps of 'em, Peace. And nice little
girls To play with. and music and dancing
and erything beautiful all day long"
Peace clasped her hands-that would bt
lovely. So, byand-by, when Philadelphis
was reached, the Captain of the Lovely Las
consigned his little girl, a willing captive
into the hands of Mrs. Lee. Not but tina
she shed few tears at parting, to-, anG
chung to the sailors neck, and WAS very sorr,
when il came to the parting and the good-b,
kiss was given.
"rhere, there. my little Peace." Captain
Storms SAID, unclasping the clinging arms
al IHtlSn cry ike tldt, IL Will Ecuuci
your eyes, and swell your nose, and maxi
you look ugly. Keep up heart, little Peace
/ will come back in year or two with
cart load Of lovely presents for my little girl
Kiss me again and let me CO."
Captain Storms imprinted a sounding
smack on the wIstful little tear-wet face
end unwound the clasping arms and wake,
off, and straightway was whistling cheeril.
along the deck of the Lovely Lass and quit
forgetful, 1 am afraid, of his little Peac
and her grief.
"Dear, good guardian" thought Peace
"He's 81 kind and so Good-natured; and i
was nice playing on the deck of the Lowell.
Las; but. for all that, had rather be here
and wear cretty dresses and play with Mrs
Lees bOarders. and never In afraid of ship
wreck any more"
Captain Storms sailed for New Zealand
and on windy nights. wher the doors an,
windows ratified, and great soughs cam
down the chimneys, and Peace lay awak
and thought of him on the terrible ocean
and said her simple child's prayer for hi
safe keeping
Two wears went by, and Peace had jus
one letter from ''guardy" (guardian) in a
that time, and that one TO say he was con
ing back. She was a tall, rather awkward
10 king school girl of twelve now. with pr,
Tong hS thar wara oil q