Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-10-29
AN OLD SALTS YARN.

I'm o weathoT-besten old salt, sir. and II you'd
There's many yarn could spin you Of life on
the ocean free.
Spin one? Just sit ON that tub. then, and TIL do
my best to tell
A story of something as happened when sailed
with the Nancy Bell
twas q beautiful summers morning when we
sailed away from the land,
And all Of US jolly and nerry-ay. every ono OF
the band
Though we'd Just had to part with children. pa
rents sweethcartA or wives.
. That comes jolly hard, you may guess. SIR;
soe're been used to It all our lives
I'd just said good-by to my Aary-that was my
dear old wife
tShe's now up above the sky. SIR and I'm lead
ing lonely life).
When saw woman talking. and listened to
what she said
To her son. who was going away. sir, from
where he was born and bred:
Remember. my lad, do your duty; be honest
whatever befsll;
Nor forget lad there's One above others who
watches and wards over all.
Be brave, boy, fear God, and remember through
all Of your voyage that He
Who watches DER those On the shore. lad. will
for tho tcrS on tho sea-"
didn't go in for religion" and prayin weren't
much in my line;
I'd have naught to say to o parson. they wasn't
no business Of mine.
But somehow the words OF that woman brought
suddenly back to mo
The thought of the prayers I'd learned, SIR
when a child at my mothers knee
And, thinks l, I'll look to that youngster and
keep an eye on the lad
With such mother as that TN he Oughtn't to
go to the badi
And did; but, there. there wasn't no need, for
sir. need hardly tell,
He vas truly the Of his mother. and he did
his duty--,C u.
Six months from tho day started, one
stormy autumn night.
We hoped in the carly morning old England's
shores to sight,
But soon the sky grew darker. and gale began
to blow
That threatened to send down, sir. as food
Cor the fish below
Loud thunder rolled and lightning shot across
the lurid sky,
@Vhile pillows Ieapcd around the ship that
seemed as mountain high.
I'd never seen ouch storm, SIR nor others
moro than me;
Twas like so many demons. disporting about
the sea.
Yet, amid the roar Of the breakers and the
tossing OF the foam.
Came the thought of their dear-loved faces
tho wife and the BARNS at home
Home that we were In sight of Twas hard.
you can understand,
To be wrecked on Christmas evening. and in
sight Of home and land!
Was there help! Then the captain, clear
above the bfllow'S roar,
Shouts with o voice of thunder: who'll carry
a line ashoref'
Who? Why into the waters in q second more
was hs-
The brave young sailor lad. sir. a-battling with
the
He carried the line in safety through that ter
riblc kissing foam,
Thinking, no doubt, of his mother, and q Christ
mas spent at home.
For time we couldn't see him, and feared
the lad was lost,
Till the hour when all was over, and every soul
had crossed.
Never soul had persisted. never a soul-but
rs
lie died on Christmas morning from his strug
gle with the sea!
He'd given his life for the crew. sir, and I've
nothing more to tell.
He said twas only his d,sty and done for the
Nancy Bell;
Twas just bit of true courage-at least SO i.
SecraS to me-
Though It's only an old salts story, sailors
yarn o the
Herbert J. Dunn. in N. Y. ledger.