The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-11-20
Published by special arrangement with The
author
DAVID MATS0N.
NY J, q WHITTIER.
LrnnyrIphied lsSG |

Copyrighted 1856
Who OF my young friends have reaC
the sorrowiul story Of "Euoch Arden" 81
sgeelly and simply told by the great Eng
llsh poetP II Is the story Of aman wh'
went to ssn, leaving behind a sweet young
wife and little daughter. He was cas-
away on desert Island, where hOremaln
ed several years, when he was discovered
and taken of by a passing vessel. Coming
back to his native town, he found his wift
married to ri old playmRte--e good man
rich and honored, aud with whom she WA
living happily. Tho poor man, unwilling
to cause her pain and perplexity, regolve(
not to make himself known to her. ant
lived and died alone. The poem has re
minded me Of q very similar story OF my
own New England neighborhcod, not il
poetry, like Alfred Teunyson's, but In my
own poor prose. | can aSsure my readers
that In Its main particulars 1t is true tale,
One bright summer morning, not more
than fOur.PCore Yeas ago, David Nation,
with his young wiie aud hiB two healthy,
bsYefouted boys, stood on the bank Of the
river near their dwelling. They we're
waiting for Pelatiah Curtis to come
round the point with his wAerry, and
take the husband aud father TO the port,
a few miles below. The Lively Turtle
was about to sail on a voyage TO Spain,
aud David was 10 20 In her az mate.
They stood there In the level morning
sunshine talking Cheerlully i; but had you
been near enough YOU could have seen
teGrs In Anna MalSoll's blue eyes, for abe
loved her hps6Rpd and knew there wGa
always danger on the sea. Aud David's
bluH, CHEEKY voice trembled little now
and then, for the honest sailor loved his
snug home on the MerrimaCk, with the
dear wife aud her pretty boys. But pres.
emily tho wherry came along side, and
David was Just Bteppipg iHto II, when he
turned back 10 kiss bis wife and children
once more.
ain With you, man." said Pelatiah Our.
tia. "Thers 10 no time for kissing and
such icolerjCs when the tide serves"
And 90 they parted-AnnA and The
bcys went back to their home, and David
b The poit, wherGe lie sailed of in the
l.iysly TgrElp. And months passed, au-
iutpn followed sHnlnep, aud ytntpT the
sutumu, aud then spring came, aud anon
Il WIS nunmer on the riyerside, and he
AID moi come back. And another year
passed, and then lhe old sGilors and fish.
ermen shoe tleir heads solpmply, and
said that the Lively Turtle was lost'shipl
and would never come back to port. And
moor Anna had her gown dyed black, and
her straw Lonnst trimmed p mourning
ribbons, and thenceiorth she was known
only az the Widow Watson.
And how WIS 1t all this time with David
himseli2
medau neople Of AlgieIs and TEpoll. and
Mogadore and Hallse, on the Barbary
coast, had been for a long time In tho
habit OF fitting out galleys aud armed
boats to seizs upon the merchant vessels
Of Christian nations, and make elaveH Of
their crews and passsngars, Just as men
calling themBelyeS ChrlStianp In Amelipa
were sending vessels to Africa 10 catch
black sIayep for their plantations. The
Lively Turtle fell Into the HANDS oil ono Of
these sea-sobbers, and the crew were taken
10 AlrieYs, and aold In the market place &c
slaves, poor David Maisou among the
rest.
When boy he had learned The trade OIL
ship carpenter with his father on the Nor.
rimgck; aud now no wsg cot 10 work on
the doCk.yards. His master, who was
naturally o kind man, did not overwork
him. la had daily his three loavea oil
bread, aud when his clothing vas worn
out, itS place wSs SupPiteA BY the coarse
cloth OF wool aud cancels hair Noyeh. BY
the Berber women. Three hours before
sunset he was released from work, and
Friday, which Ia the Mohammedan Sab
bath, was o day Of entire rest. Once
wear, at the selpon called Ramadan, he
was lolt at leisure for whole week, Sc
time went on--days, weeks, months and
years. His dark hair became gray. He
Am dreamed Of his old home on the Mer
rimack, and OF bis good Anne, and the
boys. He wondered whether they ye!
lived, what they thought o. him and
what they were doing. The hope Of eyei
seeing them again grew fainter aud taintel
and At Lost nearly died out, and he 70
signed hlmRelf 10 his fate % q slave fol
life.
But one day handsome middle.aget
gentleman, In the dress Of one Of his oWr
Countrymen, attended by a Rieat officer 0
the Day, entered the sbip.yard and callet
up before him the American captiyeS
| The stranger was none other than Joe
Barlow, Commissioner Of the United
gLRtes 10 procure the liberation Of slave
belonging 10 that government. He took
| ihe men by the hand, as thOy came up
aud told them that they were free. Al
Won might eS poet, tho poor fellows werC
very grateful some laughed, some wep
iof 10y, some shouted aud sang anu thr6V
no their cape, while others, with pAvit
Malgoil among thu,n, kpelt down on tn
chips and thanked God for tho grOat de
| lIVeranCe,
"ThlS ID very affecting tcene," said Lh
C,ommissIoner, Wlplng his eyes. u niue
keen tho Impression Of IL for my Colum
bIad,D and drawing out bis tablet lie pro
Ceeded 10 write on the spot an sppelroph
10 freedom, which Afterwards found
place In hiBgreSt epic. ,,
David Matson had Fayed q little none
during bis captivity by odd Jobs on
Wofk on holidays, DO got pAepage I
Malaga, where be bought nice shaw
ioT M vile and 0 watch Tor each Of hI
boyA He then wont 10 the quay, whsl
an American ship WAs lying just ready
''. Almost I'M The dut man he SAW on boar