The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1882-08-02
BE BELLE OF The CHESTER BELL

wear. She used to make splendid runs
between Bremen and here. A grand
clipper the was, a regular ocean peant,,
in them DAYS. Her name was the
Chester Bell, and she rode the waves
Just like a nutshell, sir Her captains
name was Tulliver, Tim Tulliver; likely
you've heard of him. 1 know sailors.
and pretty good seamen, too, that
change color at the very mention OF
that mans name. He was q tiger, sir,
q human hyera, a bloodthi1sty, bully.
ing wretch, without having even the
saving clause Of a bad temper. Why,
he could kill a man in cold blood the
same as You'd relish a good breakfast,
sir.
"Many's the crew OF fine, honest fell
lows I've seen shipped aboard O. her, to
be turned into skulking hounds the
minute he'd look at 'em. He'd a pretty
little girl for a wife, strange to say
them sort gently gifts such-and some
times she'd go to sea with him. If any
body could keep him in order it was
her ; but eve she couldn't pr-vent his
cruelty TO the men. With irst.rate
seamen he was tyrannical, but, great
Cesar! if q greenhorn shipped, let him
look slivel He'd IS lief take q Delay
ing-pin to him and knock him in the
head as eat his dinner. I've seen him
do it, too. 1t was a young fellow that
answered him b.ck, and he just laid his
face open from crown to chin. Oh, but
ha vas q cruel man, sir
"He often took emigrants to the
United Stetes-squads Of EN-. They
Centrally gos served middling we'll. Pay
the captain his money and he'd give
YOU the worth of it-so much for his
due. One passage be had rather IN un-
common lot-fve hlrdred, I think,
young and old-a pretty decent set in
Ill Fact is, these &C. man passengers,
even If they are in the stee1age, have
their pockets pretty we'll lined. G NJ
mend me to the German emierant for
honesty and thrift. There Was families
of two and five. and sometimes t. and
twelve-s good many handsome young
girls among them, too.
"The particular passage OF which I'm
going to speak, however, was in The
year '5O-a great year for clippers that
was. was busy tarring some ropes
when q family came aboard that made
us all look alive. First, there was the
grandfather, il his old country dress,
with hair as long Us my arm and as
white IS the foam of the sea under the
sun, He and bis dame we're al sweet-
hammered and %6ne-lookiDg a you might
meet in q hundred years. Then came
the sons and daughters and grandchil-
dren. It didn't seem rs if they ought
to 20 in the steerage alongo' commoner
passengers; but they did, though they
bore themselves like gentlefolk.
"T; en- folio .ed. sir, atween two
young member b. Their and her lover.
We afterward souIF. out-a young gi,l
not more than sixteen or seventeen.
Well, that was The bandsopes5 little
Craft { ever laid these two eyes on, and
I've seel some f%ne-looRing women in
my day, having sailed from every port
In the world. She vas that pretty tbs,
We chfistened her on the spot tn.
Belle of the Chester Bell
behind them cane Captain Tim.
behaving his level best, and there
weren't MANY as could beat him fer a
fine eye and a gallant bearing. He
seemed to be looking out for the COM
fort-ah, but the little beauty she was !
Queers and noble ladies might well
envy the red and white Of her face, and
even the way she walked aid the turn
OF her lead. 1t vas q SIGHT to SEE.
Her brother and her lover we're both
right manly, h,ndsome fellows, too,
and dear enough they loved her, one
could see.
"Well, we set sail, having beautiful
weather for the first few days, and the
pretty German girl, she would c 'me out
sometimes for an airing. generally fol-
lowed by one or the other of them two
chaps 1 was always looking u O the
corner of my Eye, and l observed that
the captain was allays on hand looking
at her in the most sdmirins manner. /
wanted to tell her lover that it would be
better not to show his little beauty 80
much if he wanted to keep her out O.
harms way, for girls is mostly that vain
il that handsome!
'tCame the second week ont, and We
had hard weather. I was taking my Oh
eervations tight straight along, for I
noticed Captain Tim was always max
ing much Of the old gentleman and his
wife. The fools! l could a-told EN-
why he singled them out. 1t wasn't the
captains place to be in the steerage. I
longed to tell him so, for I had q pretty
kid Of my own ut home; but I might
have paid for it with my life.
"There We're but few passengers in
the cabin, n of them q consumptive
lady who had not brought her servant.
How it was done I never knew. but the
captain managed to get this handsome
girl to wait upon the sick woman.
Mighty fond Of money they must a'been
to let that girl 60 out o their ii III and
into the company of a man like Captain
Tim.
"After q while I took notice that the
yonng fellow who appeared to be the
girl 8 sweetheart grew pale aud nervous.
He was out on deck o~ftener, and his
face seemed to indicate uneasy, jealou
feelings. / didn't blame him. | wan;ed
to warn him-for 7 could tell how it was
With him, poor fellow If he saw half
that I did, I don't wonder not only that
he was suspicious OF the captain, but 1
thought it I WAS 10 his place I'd make
the captain answer for it. He did get
pretty we'll reused up n time ; but 1
won't tell that part o the story till I git
to 1t,
"I knew something OF languages
at any rate enough to make out ever
the lingo Of a German. They say it's
the srandest language in the world; i:
may be, but it's jaw breaking all the
One day being down in tie
S,eersge I heard something that made
ne open my ears. Just then down came
the girl. Oh, but she looked prettier
than ver She had on o fine silk
apron aud q pair OF shining rings in her
little ears. Her hal. was all fufed up
and her face uglow, just like Wild rose
on 9 soft spring morning. The whole
family were up. after their spell of sick
ness, knitting and jabbering and laugh
Aukt o1A oub tuo SlClS SW6etuearG, WnO.
the minute he heard her footsteps
jumped up like a shot had BEN fired a
him and went to another. part OF the
ship. I see that she looked after him
in that sort Of way girls look some.
times, when they know they can do
inst what they please with a mans
heart, and I took notice that she seemed
fustered.
when the girl spoke. I heard the
captains name and then they all looked
sp1ious and pleased at the sane time,
asking and answering questions. All
at once a strange feeling come over ne
! didn't know exactly what was nv
duty, for I was as lch ARA d of Cap.
tain Tins ugly temper as any man
could be, but as 1 listentd and listened
I couldn't bear 1t any longer, and going
to the people I said q few words in
their own language. Well, l only gave
them to understand that the captain had
q wife, but, perhaps I had better have