The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-07-20
The BELLE OF The CHESTER BELL

"Yes, sir, in the old hulk that lies
rotting there I've sailed many long
year. She used to make splendid runs
between Bremen and here. A grand
clipper che was, a regular ocean beauty
in them days. Her name was the
Chester Bell, and she rode the waves
just like nutshell, sir Her captain S
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 tiger, sir,
human hye1a, bioodtaiIsiy, bully
ing wretch, without having even the
saving clause of bad temper. Why,
he could kill man in cold blood the
same as you'd relish good breakfast
sir.
"Many's the crew OF fine, honest fell
lows I've seen shipped aboard O her, to-
be turned into skuking hounds the
minute he'd look at 'em He'd pretty
little girl tor wife, strange to say
them sort gently gifts such-and some
times she'd go to St a with him. If any
body could keep him in order it wa.
cruelty 70 the men With frst-rat,
seamen he WAS t,ranDical but, Preal
Cesar! if Rreenhorn shipped, let hin
look alivei He'd as lief take belal
ing-pin to him and knock him in tn.
head as eat his dinner. I've seen hin
do it, too 1t was a young fellow tina
ansa cred him back, and he just laid HI
face open from crown to chin. Oh, bu
he was q cruel man, sir
"He often took emigrants to tn,
United States-squads of 'em. They
centrally cot served middling we'll. Pa,
the captain his money and he'd give
you the worth Of it-so much for hi
due. Ore passage he had rather an ur T.
common lot - five hundred, I think
young and old-a pretty decent set il
all Fact is, these Ge man passengers,
even if they are in the steerage, have
their pockets pretty well lined. @ NJ
mend me to the German emigrant for
honesty and thrift. There Was families
of two and five, and sometimes t and
twe've--a good many handsome young
girls among them, too.
"1he particular passage Of which Pm
going to speak, however, was in the
year '50-a great year for clippers that
was. / was busy tarring some ropes
when family came aboard that made
us all look alive. First, there was the
grandfather, in his old country dress,
with hair as long as my arm and as
white as the foam of the sea under the
sun, He and his dame were as sweet
hammered and fine-looking as you might
meet in hundred years. Then came
the sopf and daughters and grandchil-
dren. 1t didn't seem as if they ought
to go in the steerage alongo' commoner
passengers; but they did, though they
bore themselves like gentlefolk.
ST, en- folio "ed, sir, atween two
young member br ther and her lover,
we aftervard found out-a young giIl
not more than sixteen or seventeen.
Well, that was The handsomest little
craft ever laid these two eyes on, and
I've seen some fine.looRing women in
my day, having sailed from every port
IN the world. She was that pretty that
we christened her on the spot the
Belle Of the Chester Bell
"Behind them came Captain Tim,
behaving his level best, and there
weren't many as could beat him for q
fine eye and gallant bearing. He
seemed to be looking out for their COM
fort-ah, but the little beauty she was
Queens and noble ladies might well
envy the red and white of her face, and
even the way she walked and the turn
of her lead. 1t was sight to see.
Her brother and her lover were both
right manly, handsome 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 come out
sometimes for an airing, generally fol
lowed by one or the other of them two
chaps / was always looking out O. the
corner of my eye, and l observed thai
the captain was allays on hand Looking
at her in the II ost admiIing manner.
wanted to tell her lover that it would b,
better not TO show his little beauty 81
much if he wanted to keep her ont O
harms way, for girls 10 mostly that vail
if that handsome
"Came the second week out, and W.
had hard weather. was taking my Oh
servations right straight along, for
uOtlCeu Odptdin 1im was anyways Ian
ing much OF the old gentleman aud hi
wife. The fools | could a-told Zen
why he singled them ont. 1t wasn't tn
captains place to be in the steerage.
loDged to tell him so, for had prett
kid of my own ut home; but Nigh
have paid for it with my life.
"There Were but few passengers i
the cabin, one of them consumptiv
lady who had not brought her servant
. How it was done / never knew, but tn
ga ,ts n managed to get this handsom
CIR to wait upon the sick woman
Nj ,hty fond of money they must a'bee
70 let that girl go out o their sigh an
fnto the company of man like Captai
Tim.
"After while / took notice that tt
vounp fellow who appeared to be IL