The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-08-07
DART BONDET.
Written for The Constitution.


watched.
eyes. That's the way it is. Only the ashes
let to show for what has been. Then in time
the ashes goes But nice lubber 1 u.s." he
said, changing his expression suddenly. "a
cryin', was, cause the ashes was gone, an
here / is with pouch full o. tobacco. I'll
have some mo- ashes in shake or two, an
then somebody else can do the cryin'."
Looking the least bit ashamed Of himself
the old tar began industriously shaving off
thin strips of tobacco, filled his pipe, and
lighted it, AS the smoke began curling up
ward in thick, heavy clouds, Jack settled him
self comfortably against a convenient mess
chest and waited in dignifed silence for an in
vitation to begin the story.
LETS have the yarn, Jack"
"It's true story, Lads
"Wbose grave was it, Jack 2"
He took two or three long puffs in quick
succession, blew the last mouthful of smoke
laziiy between his teeth, and watched it with
his eyes half closed.
Whose grave was it," he repeated slowly.
1t was Dart BOwden's grave. Jes thirty-t%o
years ago this day in November, an truer
shipmate than Dart Bowden l never sailed
with. That grave was dug about seventy
north latitude, an no Twin man saw that grave
dug but OLE Jack West.
cit happened this way:
'The whaler st. Mary left Bedford town in
49, Dart was young an .yenturesome in them
days, an he took the ice fever when that ship
come. Nothin' would do but Dart must go.
"Now Dart an me was brothers-like, an our
daddies was bTothers-like before us. Many
cruise thom old chaps took together, an many's
the day me an Dart has watched the ships
come in o lool1in' for 'em home loved Dart
Bowden, L did. an moren that did | love Mary
Bowden, the haDdsomest little gal in all Bed
ford, Them was days when they was lots O.
handsome folks there too.
$50, when Dart made up his mind to 90,
lowed I'd go, too.
"Ten men we had-a gallant ship and gal
liant crew. God bless me, how well ] remem-
Der that day. II was a Monday, an a smilin',
happy sort o day it was.
"The town folks come down, the flags flyin'
an a ban playin' [ kissed Mary Bowden
goodbye, an then we was off. l was up aloft
with the captains glasses, an / watched the
wharf tell the fog come up.
lads, if ever the curse Of God rested on a
ship, it was on that one.
THAT night on mid-watch saw phantom
ship. l saw n twelve-sail ship, all big and
clumsy, like in olden times / saw her torn
sails flap an beat, an her Recovered poles
bend like hurricane had her. / saw a lean
an hungry crew beckonin' to me. They
put their long hands up trumpet-like, an sent
a hail that never reached us. On she ploughed,
an the mist-lile foam rolled up about her
rotten Prov Wilder an wilder her ghost
crew motioned. They kneeled an tore their
hair, an wrung ther hands They climbed
like monkeys, climbed to the very trucks of
those icicle masts, an out to the tips o. the
bendin yards. An off in the mist the phan-
tom ship sailed, that ghost crew still
beckonin'.
"That meant death, but never word said
"Ill luck came from the very start Five
days out we buried Mike Stroker Then the
squall took our foremost am the life boat. We
patched her up at st. Johns an headed north
again. Then another brave lad give up.
sit was on an' on through the frozen cham
nes, among the icebergs, an everywhere our
i'll luck followed us.
"Worn out one night,T was half asleep when
good ship qpiyered like straw in
mock in a twinklin', an ies' as touched the
decla there was another long lurch, another
shock, an the ship stood still in the water.
ut was a question of minutes.
owe got off though, eight men and ten days
provisions, alone in the ice current. Ten days,
an they might search for ten thousand years
an not find us.
81 thought of the phantom ship.
-Four long hours an We reached island,
Rescue island we called it, an there we stop
ped. Nothin' but snow an ice, an north sea
water.
'First ON half, then quarter rations, until
that fearful time come when there was no
rations.
"Nothin' was said, but we all knew it was o
comm Twcnty-four hours we set in that
tent. The raft had been burned, an the chill
was q creepiu' over us.
"Another twenty-four hours. Twoan twowe
had been out huntin; but we come back empty
handed always an had ies give it up. That
day thought was all day, but measure by
the twenty-iour hours-I went out alone 1
knew it was comm an dreaded it,
al never shall forgit that walk. Nothin' but
snow an ice, an thinkin' of tho lads in the
tent. And lads let me tell you right here
Hunger is fearful thing. When l thought of
il first il seemed horrible an inhuman, but [
u ia Fatli in WIS asis
off.
"When got back it was all settled, AM moth
in to be done but draw tho lots.
Eight pieces of paper with name on each.
On one of them n cross mark was made by the
captain blindfolded, an the cross mark meant
death.
"Iheu Dart Bowden began drawingthe slips.
at was awful.
"Tho first slip was Eugene Wright
ison nt' Of the slip, ''i an as 81 Dart art
turned it over to see if the cross mark
was on tho back, fairly quit breathin'. !
looked at Gene. lie was fixed like he was
cut in marble
"part shook his head, dropped the ticket, and
reached Tor another.
Gene Wright lay back an threw his sleeve
ACROSS his eyes saved.
"The mex ticket was the same way, an the
mex was mine.
IL saw Dart face turn pale as q corpse-iust
n fash-like look, an ! felt the blood surge in
great tides through my body.
He shook his head an smiled turned over
the Paper, an shook his head again.
Before l could get my wits together again
tho noN' name had been called, an he too was
saved.
"Then Dart called his own name.
"lio looked aroun' with q smile on his face
and then said quiet like:
"'Wel, boys, it's me-.
81 WAS up before ! knew it with my arms
ar0un' his neck, an cryin' like baby.
They had 10 tear me loose, an bonn and
gagged me.
Dart sat down an wrote letter. He was
as cool rs l ever saw him. lie folded the let
ter, an kneelcd down beside me.
Jack lie said, this is for mother an
Mary. Whom you are married an happy. old
shipmGte, remember me. 1t is best that l
should die, Jack. Goodbye, lad
He stopped and kissed me twice, an then he
walked ont steady an erect.
Tho minutes seemed like hours. / would
| struggle like a maniac TO free myself, an then
| ! would listen. Then l would struggle again.
al came at last, three shots almost together,
an my very heart stopped beatin' as listened.
| IAN was still for n minute or two,an' then
| heard. faintlike an far away, another shot.
| They must have heard il outside for pres
| emily enc OF our men fred agnin.
Il listened again, an presently il come again,