The Columbus journal., 1884-02-13

no Que u lOOA oAtCI ucI, VI OH uouuS
might have persisted in getting the
boats over; or the crew might have for
gotten her when they put of; there was
no telling. There lay the woman dead,
l said; and I gave the baby to n of
the men named Nipper to hold whilst I
pulled off my coat to wrap the little
chap up in, for he trembled like .
shivering bird with the cold, and kept
on wailing, as if our handling him and
the sound of our voices had put a bit of
life 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, 1 rightly reckoned that the next
bit of sea that got up would sink the
wreck fast enough. 1 don't say As l
didn't humble a prayer IS I 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 M being
alive; and when 1 took q last peep at
her l almost felt as if she knew that l
was taking her baby away from her.
We handed the infant into the boat,
and showed of for the bark that lay
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 I pulled
my coat a bit open to let him see the
little face inside.
".Well, WE'LL cries he, tossing his
hands. Look sharp and get aboard
..All hands were looking v e the
side when I handed the baby up, and
there went a deal of hoarse whispering
among the men as they pressed forward
to see the wait. I carried him to the
Captain-the worthiest man. sir, with
the tenderest heart that aver sailed q
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,
Mr.. Roband?' says be, pointing to the
wreck.
":Ay, SIR says L.
"'God receive her! says he. Dye
understand the management of babies,
Mr.. Roband?"
why, I have two of my own,'I
answered.; but l was so much away at
sea when they were little ones that 1
can't say l ever had a chance of watch
ing what my wife did to EN- to keep
'em healthy. But what WI have to do
with this baby say L. is to feed him
and get him warm at once.
Then take him belOw-take him
below. Mr.. Roband.' cried the Captain
in a tremulous voice. Give him your
attention, sir, and never mind about
your duties until you've got this poor
little creature into ship-shape condi-
tiOn.'
'Well, I carried him to my 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
2,0O0-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
tie 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
ion their lungs have of growing Are
YOU Sure? saws l. 'Cock-sure,' says
he: haven't l seven of my own, Mr..
Roband?:"
when the baby was wrapped up IN
one of my flannel shirts, that being
softer thai: any blanket we had aboard.
the 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
Captain comes in.
"'God help this poor little one!' says
he; what age do You take him to be,
Mr.. Roband?:'
":NOt a year DID, says l.
"'Not Il year old! he cried; how
wonderful are the ways of Providence
that a tiny bubble Of humanity like
this should be left unframed by a storm
that. maybe, has drowned all the rough
M sturdy fellows who filled that yes
sci. It's like seeing an iron ship beaten
to pieces by seas amid whose hollows
you observe the little stormy petrol
securely flying
The steward arrived with the warm
mix and a spoon, and we turned to
feed the baby. | tried my hand, but it
was no good; | couldn't get the milk
down his throat; it capsized down his
neck, and his being and cry
ing made the job more difficult. Here.
give me hold, SIR said the steward; so
] ut the baby on his knee. Well he
knew more about it than /. and got 4
fair caulker of milk into the little 'un.
and after a bit the littls hap fell asleep,
whereapOn he was laid down in nv
bunk, and t''ere he was, quiet enough.
'S;r, we had some hopes of his thriv-
ing after this. lie was a sort of a trial
in his way, for he wanted washing, and
dressing, and feeding. and looking after.
and it came hard upon us, who hadn't
the fingers o the understanding for
such work. he was a beautiful boy.
1 never SAM finer eyes in IN infant:
b. as the heavens under which we
we're sailing. and 4 lovely little figure,
Il. Sometimes when it would ON to
my IL to nndress him I'd let him lie
naked on a flannel shirt stretched across
nv knc IS, and tickle him and make
:im laugh. until the dropping of a tear,
like a parched pea, down my cheek
would make me feel that l was acting
the fool. and allowing thoughts Of my
homo and of this BARNS loneliness to
trouble me too much. He had but the
clntn2y we found him in: 50 the Captain
n gave each of us a soft calico shirt
10 one Of the men forward. a neat hand
with the needle. a chap named Claw, to
make into a co ;ple of suits of linen for
the BABY; and this and q knitted waist
Goa and a Swathing of flannel round
his body and legs kept him tidy and
warm and comfortable. We got mighty
fond of him. We'd bring him on deck
and lay him in the fold of q sail or on
the ensign when the weather was fine
and warm, and then you'd see him
kicking up his legs in the sunshine,