St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-22
A SHIP OF49.
A ROMANCE OF CALIFORNIA.
IN THREE PARTs-fART L

Copy right. s 5 by Bret Hare. All Rights Resarved
It had ine so persisteutly in San Fran
cisco during the first week Of January, 1854,
that certain quagmire in the roadway OF
Long Wharf had became impossible, and
plank was thrown oTer its dangerous depth.
Indeed, 50 trelcherOu5 was the spot that II
was alleged. on good authority, that hastily
eDbarking traveller had once hOpeless,S lost
his portmanteau, AMI was fain to dispose OF
his entire interest in it for the sum Of two
dollars and fifty cents to speculative
stranger on the wharf. AS the stranger s
search was afterward rewarded only by the
discovery of the body of a casual Cninaman
who had evidently endeavored to wickedly
anticipate him, feeling of commercial in
security was added to the other eccentrici-
ties of the locality.
The plank led to the door Of q building
that was marvel even in the chaotic from
tier architecture of the street. Tae houses
on either sidr-irreguar frames Of wood or
corrugated iron-borc evidence Of having
been quickly thrown together, to meet the
requirements of the goods and passengers
vino were once disembarked on what was the
muddy beach Of tie infant city. Bat the
building IN question exhibited a certain
elaboration OF form and design utterly in
consistent with this idea. The structure OBJ
trudei a bowed front to the street, with a
curving line Of small windows, sG-mounted
by elaborate carvings and scroll work Of
vines aud leaves, Tuie below, in faded gilt
letters appeared the legend 'Pontac-Mar-
sei!les." The effect Of this incon gruity WAS
startling. It is related that an inebriated
miner, impedei by mud aaI drink b fore its
door, was found gazing at its remarkable
facade with an expression Of the deepest
dependency. II heT lived free life,
partner ue explained thictly 10 the Samir-
han who suecored him, land every time
since I've been on this six weeks jim5oree
might have kilkiatsd il would come 70 this.
Snakes I've seen afore now, and rats I'm
hot unfamiliar with, hut when It comes to
the starn OF a ship risin' up out OF the street.
reckon it's time TO pass in my checks - sit
is q saip, YOU blasted old soaker'' said the
Samaritan curtly.
II was in ieel ship. a ship run ashore
and ahlu lonrd on the beach wears before by
her g0id-seeking crew, vita the debris or her
bcati-r-d stores an cargo, ovsrtaken by the
wild growth Of th- strange city and the re-
rldmatiol Of the muddy fat, wherein she lag
hopelessly imbedled; her retreat cut OF by
wharves aud qulyssand breakwater; jostled
at first byf shcds AMI then impacted in a
block Of sold wIrehous and dwellings, her
rudder, port and counter boarded in, and
now gazing hopclessly through her cabin
windows upon tue busy street before her
But STILL a ship, despite her transformation.
The faintest line Of contour yet left visible
spoke o. the 5u1yancr Of another element;
the baiustrdde OF her roof was unmistakably
taffrail. Tue rain slipped from her swell
ing sides with certain lingering touch Of
the sea; tue soil araunl her Vas still treach-
erOus with its su ,gestions, aud even the
wind wnistl-l nIuticllly over her caimuey.
II, in the fury Of some southwesterlv gale,
she had one nj ,ht slipped her strange moor
ings aud left a shining track through the
lower t1wn to the distant sea, no one would
have been surprised.
Leastof all, perhaps, her present owner
AMI pDsscssor, VI r. Abner Mott. For by the
irony ofcircumstlnccs Mr.. Nil WAS far
tern farmer who had never seen ship
b.lDss. uDs hrs.r stc.Iu OF sat
than tributary Of TIA Missouri river. IA a
spirit half Of fIs,in atom, half Of speculation,
be had bought her at the tiius oi her abln-
donment, aul hal since mOrtgagtd his
ranch At P.tiunI with his live
stock, 10 dcfrIy the expenses Of filling in the
land where she stool aud the improvrm ,nts
of the vicinity. II hl1 transferred his
hous hold go Is aul his only diIslter -
her cabiu, aul hal diril,1 tIs splcc "be-
tween dtcks' aul her hold into lodging
rooms aud lofts for the storage Of goods. Il
could hlrjly be- said that the investment Ia
been profit ,hle. His tenants vaguely recog
nized that his occupancy vas sentimental
rather than a commercial speculation, and
often generously lent themselves TO the illu-
sion by not paying their rent. Others treated
ih.ir own tenancy as a ioke---a quaint recre-
tion bora OF III chi!dlike familiarity u frOn
tier intercourse. a few had left carelessl ly
blulunia their uls sulble gDpls = tle,r
landlord with great cheerfulness and a sense
OF favor. Occasionally Mr.. Ahner Natt. in
Sc practical reIfse, rGy.l agIiu Il the derclicts
aud talked of disp ,ssessiuE them. or even
disIn lutling his tenement. bCi he was easily
pllc itel by con 81 n mt t. tle "i.lr oil
ship or an effort made hy some tenant to
iieai2i his apart nent Apsotosrlp5 who
had in rcni u is utilized the forecastlc for a
gallery accessible frDm 10, bows in the xt
street,. pul n, fI-tl,r tr.bIfe tam a por-
trait Of the pretty face OF RJsey Mott The
Supsrs,Jipus rev -rcnce with which Abncr
Not "a his mons sirous fancy was naturally
euhlncel by his purely hurolic eVaggrration
of US al functions and It's native clement.
At is yer keel ha. sailed, and sailed aud
sailed he wn0ll explain with sour incon-
grnity OF illustration, In bee line, max
In tr',lls Tor lsvs rJn1iu, l rcc<on more
storms aad bdEEtrls h,Z tl,SlcI her then
you can shake a stick at. She's stImpeded
whales ator upw, aul slcd rJI1 vita
pilates and free 'o,ters 10 aud outer the
S1inisa Main. 40 i3cr1ss lots from Marcel
lcys Sdsrr sac wts rArsl. Aul ser sls sits
pcsccful-like, Just cz if she'd never been
outer psr;Itcr patch, AMI hadn't plau -hcl
the s,l wit fo's ala aud stulI.a' sails and
them. things ctrurlia' rlduI her nasts."
A5ner y II enthusiasm was shared bv
his daughter but with more Imagination.
AID an Intelligence stimulated by the scaut
literature OF Itr fathers emisrau, wagon aud
the frw books foand on the cabin shelves
But, % Der. the strange shell she Inhabited
suggested ACRE of tae great worll tlau the
n le. casl;ic civilir i;iJa sa; saw from n,
cabin wiallEs or met in the usrS1a> OK her
fathers blgers. SIui u2 for dIys in this
qutat Glsn'1t 81, hli seen Il
ea4ure from the enchh rtci
flay-r'l13 Of her chillisa fancy 70 the the