The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-01-10

oo1oS WV VI IL VIZ" hli2 III udN0 lOI-
gotten her when they put off; there was
no telling. There lay the woman dead,
l said; and I gave the baby to one OF
the men named Nipper to hold whilst !
pulled off my coat to wrap the little
chap up in, for he trembled like a
shivering bird with the cold, and kept
on wailing, as if Dur handling him and
the sound of our voices had put a bit OF
lie into him. We looked hurriedly
into the other cabins, but they were
empty, and we could find no papers.
There was no good bringing the dead
mother along with us to bury; the ship
she was in was her rightful coffin, and
being very deep, with her main hatch
open, l rightly reckoned that the next
bit of sea that got up would sink the
wreck fast enough. l don't say as |
didn't humble a prayer as 1 came away
holding the little chap. 1t was an af-
fecting sight to see that young woman
lying there-quite recently dead, as we
might suppose by her little one being
alive; and when 1 took a last peer at
her l almost felt as if she knew that I
was taking her baby away from her.
We handed the infant into the boat,
and showed off for the bark that Law
hove to waiting for us about half mile
to leeward.
"'What have you there, Mr.. Roband?'
sings out Captain Blackett, leaning
over the rail.
"a baby, SIR I ANSWERS, and 1 pulled
my coat a bit open to let him see the
little face inside.
well, WELL cries he, tossing his
hands: Look sharp and get aboard
"All hands We're looking over the
side when l handed the baby up, and
there went a deal of hoarse whispering
among the men as they pressed forward
to see the wait. / carried him to the
Captain-the worthiest man, sir, with
the tenderest heart that ever sailed a
ship; he pulled off his cap as if awed by
the misery and suffering that was typi-
fed by the BARN, and his eyes filled
with tears as he gazed down upon it.
".And the mother lies dead yonder,
RobandP' says he, pointing to the
wreck.
cay, SIR says I.
God receive herr says he. Dye
the management of babies,
Mr.. RobandP"
why, I have two of my own,'I
answered; 'but 1 was so much away at
sea when they were little ones that I
can't say / eve had a chance of watch
ing what my wife did to 'em to keep
'em healthy. But what we have to do
with this baby say 1. lis to feed him
and get him warm at once
Then take him below-take him
below, Mr.. Roband.' cried the Captain
in q frapor1a,1c uoioa tH,-o L.. o,~
attention, sir, and mind about
your duties until you've got this poor
little creature into ship-shape condi-
"Well, 1 carried him to nv cabin
and sung out to the steward to help me
undress him, for the thought of hand
ling this frail and delicate object alone
unnerved me I'd any day rather have
the job of taking in the masts of a
OO0-ton ship than the handling of a
baby for ten minutes. Both the stew
ards and my fingers were square-end-
ed, and we had to be very careful in
hauling out the safety-pins and clearing
little chap of the things he was
dressed in. He cried so that l was in
an agony, making sure we were hurt
ing him; but the steward said: No, l
know the nature of infants; it would be
unnatural if they didn't cry; it's a fash
their lungs have of growing Are
you sure?' says L. 'Cock-sure,' saws
be; haven't 1 seven of my own, Mr..
"When the baby was wrapped up In
one of my flannel shirts, that being
softer than any blanket we had aboard,
.he steward went and warmed some
Swiss milk at the galley fire; and while
| was sitting waiting for the steward,
With the baby lying on my knee, the
comes in.
"'God help this poor little one!" says
ne; what age do you take him to be,
Mr.. Robandp'
"tNot a year DID, says I.
"'Not a year old! he cried; show
wonderful are the ways of Providence
hat a tiny bubble of humanity like
his should be left unframed by a storm
hat, maybe, has drowned all the rough
Ind sturdy fellows who filled that YES
It's like seeing an iron ship beaten
% pieces by seas amid whose hollows
you observe the little stormy petrol
securely flying
1.-The steward arrived with the warm
milk and a spoon, and we turned to
eed the baby. [ tried my hand, but it
vas no good; 1 couldn't get the u,iik
his throat; it capsized down his
heck, and his being and cry
ng made the job more difficult. Here,
1--WE me hold, sir, said the steward; so |
[ put the baby on his knee. Well he
new more about it than /, and got a
air caulker of milk into the little 'un,
after a bit the little chap fell asleep,
.vhereupon he was laid down in my
bunk, and there he was, quiet enough.
'tSir, we had some hopes of his thirty
ng after this. He was a sort of a trial
n his way, for he wanted washing, and
tressing, and feeding, and looking after,
md it came hard upon us, who hadn't
fingers nor the understanding for
UGH work. He was a beautiful bow.
V saw finer eyes in an infant;
'lue as the heavens under which we
we're sailing, and a lovely little figure,
II. Sometimes when it would come to
ny turn to undress him I'd let him lie
TAXED on a flannel shirt stretched across
ny knees, and tickle him and make
nm laugh, until the dropping of a tear,
a parched pea, down my cheek
would make me feel that 1 was acting
fool, and allowing thoughts of my
lome and of this BARNS loneliness to
rouble me too much. He had but the
lothes we found him in; so the Captain
md L gave each of us a soft calico shirt
o one of the men forward, a neal hand
nth the needle, a chap named Claw, to
lake into a couple of suits of linen for
he baby; and this and a knitted waist
and a swathing of flannel round
us body and legs kept him tidy and
warm and comfortable. We got mighty
ond of him. We'd bring him on deck
nd lay him in the fold of a sail or on
he ensign when the weather was fine
nd warm, and then you'd see him
up his legs in the sunshine,
FASTING his tiny toes in it, and looking
t his fingers and talking to himself.
made the bark more human than
yer l thought a vessel could be rem
cred. He begot a strong home feeling
q us all. and you'd see the mnrinGG