Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-07-25
TIE CAPTAINS STORY.

thinking of an event that happened two
years ago." said the captain of the Fly
by-Night, lake passenger trading
between Detroit and Fort Huron, as he
pointed to small house two miles away
on the American shore of lake Huron.
1t was a trim white cottage with green
latticework, a well-kept little lawn, and
in front of it tall flag-pole set into the
Ioof of a pagoda-like summer-house.'
Below it, at the lake, was a dock, and on
huge sign-post one could read, "War-
ner's Landing.n
'lt belonged" continued the captain,
'to 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
TO live there. He was gentlemanly
young man, well educated, and on the
right side of thirty. His wife was as
trim little lady as l 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 a 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 a 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. He was the king of the
boat The stewards cabin, the pilo:-
house, the porter's pantry, the ladies'
parlor-he appropriated to himself free
pass everywhere, and used it literally.
He found snug corner for himself in
the hearts of all on board. Why, re-
member one day, after the family had
been in the house there about three
months, deck-hand, a surly fellow who
never had civil word for any one, lug
ging out of his pocket colored picture
book and leaving it at the landing, with
'For Willie, with Joe Prices love- writ
| ten on it,
ut was lonesome spot for such peo,
| pie to settle in, and l often wondered
how they could reconcile themselves to
| it, until l learned that Captain Warner
had made it a condition of his will that
they must live at the landing two years.
"Onc day, when they had been there
about six months, we took up the river
from Detroit to them 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 a 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-
lieve in allowing children to be too ven
turesome on the water, and so l told his
father; but he laughed, and he said he
thought Willie was sensible enough to
take care of himself.
Gone 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 two
years. voyage to Greenland.
she, too, was in low spirits He came
and sat by me in the pilot and
looked as glum as if thered been death
in his family. At last he said, very sol
emn and earnest, do you believe in pre-
sentiments of evil, Captain Kenyon2
+" NoP I said, quite sharply, for J
don't like 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 l was surprised to see, jus
before we started, Warner come on board
He had small parcel in his hand
+" Captain, he said, Il want you to bl
sure to leave this at the landing ON you
way up.
al can't said, for l saw it wa,
only an excuse to get me to call and Sc,
that his folks were all safe. Were lat
here and at Port Huron we've 1t 0
g slaves to take on, which will make u
laters till.
but he persisted, and when I say
how down-heartcd he looked, told hin
to give the parcel to the clerk and
would see what would do when we ar
rived opposite the Landing. We left Por
Huron in the middle Of the followin,
day. 1t had been very hot all the morn
y ing, but as the afternoon advanced,
stiff west wind, accompanied by
drizzling rain, began to blow.
" 1t was so late when we approache,
4 the landing that had quite determines
: not to call in fact, we stood out in tn
lake mile further than our usual course
was taking dog-snooze in my berth
when the mate awokc me.
There's women, Er, on Warner