The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1884-08-27
THE CAPTAINS STORY.

II can never pass that spot without
Sinking of an event that happened two
years ago." said the captain of the Fly
Night, a lake passenger-boat trading
between Detroit and Port Huron, as he
pointed to small house two miles away
on the American shore of lake Huron.
~ was a trim white cottage with green
lnttice-work, well-kept little lawn, and
sn front of it tall flag-pole set into the
toof OF a pagoda-like summer-house.
Below it, at the lake, was q dock, and on
huge sign-post one could read "War-
ner's Landing"
1T belonged, continued the captain,
ITO old Captain Warner who sailed the
Boscobel. He died and left the property to
his nephew, in the State of New York, who
brought his wife and little boy with him
70 I'VE there. lie was a gentlemanly
young man, well educated, and on the
right side of thirty. His wife was as
Trim a little lady as / ever saw; pretty as
. picture, and as light-hearted as a school
girl. Not one of your namby-pamby
Fashionable young women, but fresh,
healthy girl, with woman's heart and
mans courage.
"But the gem of the family was their
boy Willie, who was nearly seven years
old, and l do think the cheeriest and
most sensible little fellow in the State.
Sailors have always soft spot in their
hearts for children, and the way that
youngster carried on during the trip
from Detroit, when we brought the
family up here, was constant pleasure
and surprise. lie was the king of the
boat. The stewards cabin, the pilot
house, the porter's pantry, the ladies'
parlor-he appropriated to himself free
pass everywhere, and used it literally.
Eie found snug corner for himself in
nc hearts of all on board Why, re-
member one day, after the family had
'een in the house there about three
pnths, deck-hand, surlv fellow who
yer had civil word for any one, lug
1Rg out of his pocket a colored picture
'1k and leaving it at the landing, with
% Willie, with Joe Prices love- writ
FL on it.
IT was lonesome spot for such peo-
Pc 10 settle in, and | often wondered
'How they could reconcile themselves to
7lis until learned that Captain Warner
had made it a condition of his will that
they must live at the landing two years
Zone day. when they had been there
about six months, we took up the river
from Detroit to them a small pleasure
skiff with The Willie painted in gilt
letters on the stern.
81 never saw child so pleased. He
took to that boat like duck to water.
We used to see him on nearly every trip
as we passed, sculling himself about in
the slip like born sailor. | don't be-
ieve in allowing children to be too ven
turesome on the water, and so | told his
father; but he laughed, and he said he
thought Willie was sensible enough to
talAuaaFc of himself.
zone day, we were signaled to stop
at Warmers landing, William Warner
was going to New York. His wife and
boy were on the dock, wishing him as
fearful a goodbye as if he were on a two
years voyage to Greenland
''He, too, was in low spirits. He came
and sat by me in the pilot house, and
looked as glum as if there'd been a death
in his family. AT last he said, very sol
emn and earne t, DO you believe in pre-
sentiments of evil, Captain KenyonY
MOI l said quite sharply, for I
don't ike TO see man give way to such
nonsense
'He went down on deck then half-of-
Tended, and left the boat at Detroit with
out even bidding me good bye. We
were late leaving on our return trip that
night, and | was surprised to see, just
before we started Warner come on board.
He had a small parcel in his hand.
Captain, he said, i want you to be
nre to leave this at the landing on your
ay up
l can't, said, for l saw it was
lly an excuse to get me to call and see
Apt his folks were all safe. We're late
tle and at Port Huron we'vea lot of
tR7es to take on, which will make us
aters till
But he persisted, and when I saw