Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-28

siVn OF sail. The night threatened to
| os cold, and there was little expectation
tnat any OF the party would live till
morning, even II the boat continued TO
Hoat. AS the sun neared the horizon the
younger man was lying IN the bottom of
the boat. wrapped in his overcoat and
blanket, while the elder sat in the stern
with the Captain.
Just as the sun was dipping into the
waves. the elder Of the twain said to
capt. Hitchcock, that with his permjs-
sion ne would offer prayer. or course it
| was gwen at once. And | never, in all
my me- said Captain Hitchcock, heard
more beautiful prayer from the lips of
mortal man. And as he said amen and
l saio amen too, raised my eyes and
saw your SAIL
"Perhaps," said Capt. Raymond to his
group OF listeners, "perhaps you'd like to
know the names OF those two passengersr
Iney are familiar to you all, and you'll
nnd them at the bottom OF this letter,
which received, with a silver pitcher,
Few days after we reached New York.
haven't seen IL for some time, until it
turned up to-day while was overhauling
my desk. 1t is an old letter, you see, and
was written before the envelope was in
vented"
The letter was passed around and
handled with great care. 1t was then
read aloud by one OF the group, and ran
as follows:
NEW YORK, December 2S, 1914.
DEAR SIR-Desirous of testifying our
grateful sense of the noble DISTINGUISHED
ness with which you stood from your
course on Dec IL last in search of the Cap
tain, passengers aud crew of the ship
Ala0amian, which foundered on that day
at sea, and OF the kindness we received at
no md 10 HI
acceptance OF the accompanying piece of
plate.
1--WE know that no offering of ours can
add TO the proud feeling OF satisfaction
which must have animated your bosom
wnen upon your own deck YOU saw the
eighteen human beings whose lives you
had saved; but we wish you to possess
some slight token which in after days
may serve. TO remind your children and
your friends of how nobly you did your
duty to your God and your fellow men !;
and We desire that other shipmasters, In
cited as well by their own humane i'm
pulses as by the appreciation which so
noble an act never fails to call down
from the public, may 'gO and do likewIse.'
ihn 9epnclusion, we congratulate you
upon the opportunity you have enjoyed OF
gratifying the most generous promptings
OF the soul, we pray that heaven may
shower its choicest blessings upon you
and yours, and we beg you to be assured
OF the lasting gratitude of, very truly,
your friends,
1856 edward COOPER.
"ABRAM s. HEWITT,
passengers"
TO Capt. George b. Raymond, Of the ship
Atdtdntd, Of Neao York.
ga day or two after receiving and
answering this lei ter" said Capt. Ray
mOnd, Il received an invitation to 70 to
Peter Cooper's house, as the family was
very desir0us of meeting me. L was 80
busy with the affairs of my ship that
could not respond at once, but sent word
that 1 would call on New Years day.
When / called and my name was an
nounced they did not wait for me to go
into the psrlor, but all came out into the
hall to greet me. The ladies pressed
around me, and | assure you it was
rather embarrassing for young sea dog
nothing more than my duty, and some
how felt that l was being thanked and
praised a good deal beyond what mer-
tied. l tried to tell them so, but they
wouldn't listen to me, and all the time
was there they made such hero OF me that
didn't know what to say, and wondered
how l would be able to escape.
"None OF the Cooper or Hewitt family
have ever forgotten me, but, on the con-
trary, they miss no opportunity OF referr-
ing to that incident of Dec. II. When the
Lotos Club gave dinner to Mayor Cooper
l wanted to come as much as | ever
wanted to do anything in all my life, and
l thought would do so; but don't like
to be called up for a speech, and knew
that Hewitt or Cooper would be sure to
have me out and make me say something,
so stayed away and saved the club from
listening to the story OF the loss OF the
Alahamisn."
''If you had told that story as you have
told it now,"" said one of the listeners,
s.you would have made one of the most
effective speeches ever made at a dinner
party"
$50 say we all.' t-..