The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-09-11
CURRITUCK JOE.

and many foreboding shake of the bead nc
companies the words with which they speak
of that stormy point. The loom of its sinister
clouds is the signal To put close reefs in the
topsails and the skipper whose vessel has
drifted too near its desolate shore PAGES his
deck, with keen eyes scanning the western
horizon, all through the long and storn-hlled
hours of the night.
And the winds have different tone when
they surge along the waves TINT roll foam
crowned and furious against its shifting sand
dunes. There is an exaltation, n victorious
shouting, in their rush, that seems to tell of n
supreme sovereignty.
North of Ilatteras, and running southwark
from the border of Virginia, is Currituck
sound, a respectable sheet of water, separated
from the ocean by a narrow belt Of sand, such
rs defends the entire Seaboard Of North Caro-
lima. This immense sea bar-fOr il can be
called nothing else-is not an inviting place
of residence, and when the heavy northeast
gales come roaring down the coast, there is a
widness and gloom pervadinS it that is
anything but cheerful Wrecks are fire.
quent during the winter and early spring,
when the great gales are most prevalent,
and then the men at the government
life saving stations have wet and stormy
work to do. The sullcn boom of a gun viii
bring them forth to meet the rush and sting
Of chilling sleet, when nights darkness lies so
heavy on tho earth that sight is impossible
Currltuck bar has long been iavorite re
sort of mine, more from IA sentimental
memory, perhaps, than from its actual
pleasures. Still, | find in its wldncss, and
in the peculiar, seemingly wreck haunted,
atmosphere that is its heritage, an antidoto
for the toll Of life that has seen but few
other changes besides the annual visits 10 its
barren wastes during the season when game
was to he found along its shores Ny jour
neys began quite number of years ago, be-
fore the life saving service had planted its
stations along the tcmpest-swept beach, and
were inaGguratcd by one of those apparently
unimportant occurrences that pass and are
forgotten, until an epoch in ones existence
brings them out with startling viydncss.
i was roaming through the market at Nor
folk, having been called there By business
which, while giving me many spare hours,
still necesstated IA stay Of several days, when
| saw some fine ducks exposed for sale, VERT
able canvas backs, and plump az partridges
fresh from buckwheat stubble AS was
10 start for home the next morning, a desire
20 become the owner of some of these took
to perceive.
Better take pair or two of EN-; they re
right good, young and fat and tender" he
said, looking up ut me with eyes so full of
kindness, and yet so woful with sorrow, that
/ was startled and did not answer immedi- !
atcly.
",hey re fresh as "A nor'east gale on Curr- |
tuck, he went on; IL know it, fur | shot 'em .
myself
where" questioned, eager to know some
thing of the owner of such strange eyes.
"Down on Currituck"
"Wherc is thatp
The man appeared to be little surprised to
find that n person existed SO ignorant MS not
10 know that famous locality, and then he
gave me the desired information.
IFS in North Car'lina, Just out Of Vrginny,
and is ono Of the coast sand bars"
MS the game plentiful"
"lf YOU mean ducks, yes"
ado YOU live therer
ayes. ! only come to Norfolk once or twice |
n year to stock up. I'm not truckster; |
couldn't be"
a few more questions elected the knowledge
of how to get to the favored land and thon |
purchased the entiro lot OF his ducks, giving
him, much to his surprise and qualification,
his full price.
AS turned away with my prize he said:
'lf You ever come down that way and want
some good duck shooting, just ask for Curri
tuck Joe. All the fellows as paddle down
that way know me-"
! thGnkcd him, and having hired colored
boy to carry my purchase won't back TO my
hotel.
IL was two years after my visit to Norfolk,
when one morning the telegraph brought
word that ship belonging to our house hah
gone to pieces Just south Of Currtuck light.
"Somc one Will have to go down there and
gather all the news there is to bo found out"
said the senior partner, and | Immediately
volunteered; for at the sound of the name,
there came before mo the CLEAN Of the pite-
Gus eyes, and the echo Of words that grad
ually grew distinct AS "Curlituck joe"
| arrived ut Norfolk two days after this
and took passage on IA small steamer plying
in the waters | wished to visit
We came to the place where the first drift
from the wreck lay, and found n mass of
planlIing torn and broken, and strangely cx-
employing the supreme power held 10y tho
wrath Of wind and wave, when brought into
with the work of man Further
IN along the beach were piled boxes and
bales, carefully covered by fragments of the
leCk and bulwarks.
Az we ncarod ono Of these, figure,
roughly clad in brown tarpaulin suit, rose '
from sitting posture beneath rudely
formed tent of rent canvas, and saw before u
me the man had met in the market ut Nor. '
folk TWO years previous.
"Thcre's CurIituck joe" said my guido.
He's been "A lookin out for the goods"
The man approached, walking with n curl !
Dus, Shutiling gait, Us though deprecating
my adverse criticism that his appearance
might arouse.
GOOD nornin'," he said, bowling awk-
wardly.
GOOD morning, joe" answered, extend
ng my hand.
IL took it hesitatingly, but my strong :
grasp seemed to reassurc him. and thought !
hat he Strengthened up as hs felt it.
ABE you one Of the insurance mcn" he
asked
mo, the ship belonged to our house, and the
,argo was consigned 10 us
There's not much of 1t left for anybody" Z
aid Joe.
II see that there is but little where are the I
men that were savedp
"Gone north There was only three; the
-est got washed away by sea just Us the ship I