Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1883-08-28
"Yes, sir, if my accommodations will

No matter about Accommodations,
Captain. / am an old sailor and know
how to accommodate myself. Besides,
the trim of your ship suits my eye."
The allusiOn to his i'll health attract
cd my grandfather's scrutiny, aud the
introduction of himself as an old sailor
touched his heart. On noticing him
more particularly he was struck with
an undefnable feeling of curiosity and
sympathy at his appearance. Tall,
straight and rather slender, he was
dressed in fine black broadcloth, with
q sort of Spanish cloak of the same
color ad quality. Atwo-edged sword,
common on shipboard at that time,
and improperly called a cutlass, was
partly covered by mis- cloak, and hung
by his side without sheath. His hair
was quite gray, and his manly features
would have been handsome had they
not been SO emaciated as to give un-
pleasant prominence to half-dozen
deep scars on his face. His eyes were
blue and full of expression but restless
at times, showing sudden abstraction.
The looseness of one of his black gloves
gave evidence that he had lost finger
or two from his left hand. These OBJ
servations were made by the Captain
While the stranger was looking at a
beautiful sextant on the table. Turn
ing, as if startled at his forgetfulness,
he resumed:
Name the price, Captain, and l will
pay it now"
My grandfather had already fixed
the price in his mind, and replied;
You are a sailor, sir, and sick. The
Accommodations of my ship, as well as
my own services, are at your free COM
mand."
The language of a sailors heart can
not be misunderstood, and knows no
interpreter; and the stranger knew that
remonstrance would be ungenerous on
his part. He made no reply, but ca
gerly extended his hand, and my grand
father, as he shook it. thought he saw
a tear in the strangers eye. But no.
bic hearts are impatient of exhibitions
of gratitude, and he quickly added:
81 am ready to sail, sir. Is your
baggage on board?"
s'This is my baggage, SIR" he re-
piled, showing him a small black
satchel under his coat.
Leading him to a state room the
Captain left him and went on deck,
and found the ship already under way,
the sails filled with q stiff breeze, and
wharves, warehouses, and spectators
fast growing small in the distance At
length, az darkness shut in the view,
the wind increased to gale, and from
gale to tempest; and for ten days
and nights the noble ship which had
plowed the seas of every latitude, from
Spitzbergen to New Zealand, under
went such conflict with the elements
as she had never before encountered.
During all this time, the stranger had
been confined below with an apparent
ly rapid consumption, which rough
weather had swiftly matured.
During the storm the duties of the
Captain were SO urgent that he could
only make snatched and hasty visits to
the sick man; and although they could
have been spared from their quarters,
he could have hoped for little aid or
sympathy from any of the crew, who,
with the easy tendency to the supersti-
tions peculiar to their class, had as
sociated his presence with the perils of
the ship.
1t would have required but slight en-
couragement from their officers to in
duce them to pay him the same COM
pliment that the sailors of Joppa paid
to Jonah on similar occasion, when
1.-The sea wrought and was tempest
uous."
But on the tenth night, just as the
Captain was ready to answer sum-
mons to visit the sick mans berth, the
storm ceased with a suddenness that
was startling; the wind was entirely
lulled, and no evidence of its fury re.