Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1891-11-28
A WIFE WORTH HAVING.

The old ship Vincent seemed to be one
Of those crafts that according to the
theory OF sailors. are doomed 20 i'll fate.
James Marshall. young man from New
port, r. l.. had been her captain for five
years, and during that time she had been
twice knocked down" once had she
carried away her foremast. and at the
time of which we write the old ship was
docked at Liverpool, undergoing repairs
from serious damage she had received
during II heavy gale in st. Georges chan
mel. But in all these mishaps the owners
had been forced TO acknowledge that the
young captain was entirely free from
blame, while on the other hand he had
made better "tmc" i'm his trips than any
other master had been able To get out of
her.
The last damage which the Vincent
received proved 10 be the occasion of the
dawning ola new era in the life of Capt.
Marshall, for while waiting in Liverpool
for his ship to be prepared hc fell IN with
q blooming New England girl named
Emma Ramsay, the eldest daughter of
the agent who did the business for the
Vincents owners, and ere long they dis
covered that between them there existed
peculiar feeling of mutual love. Capt.
Marshall popped the delicate question,
Emma consulted with her papa, and at
length she consented to become Mrs.
Marshall 1t was happy day for all
parties when the marriage took place,
for from the known characters Of the
bridegroom and his beautiful bride all
felt sure that the match would prove one
Of peace and content.
The Vincent was once more ready for
sea. Her cargo was all on board and
shipped for Boston, and Emma had re-
solved to accompany her husband to the
United States. For number Of DAYS the
weather was pleasant and the wind was
fair, while Capt. Marshall felt himself
supremely happy in the delightful COM
pany of his wife. The old sailors shook
their heads as they saw the gentle Emma
pacing the deck, and they.very mysteri-
ously asserted that "such pleasures
couldn't always last" and SO indeed it
proved, for at the close of pleasant day,
when they were within three or four
days sail OF their destined port, things
began to look anything but agreeable.
Away to the southwark and eastward the
horizon began TO assume n sort of inky
blackness, with here and there a ghost
like livid spot, while on all hands tho
heavens had changed their ethereal blue
for n cast Of deeper and more fearful inn
port.
Capt. Marshall felt az hc had never felt
before on the approach of a storm. For
himself-for his ship-he had 10 thought
then. There was one on board who en-
crossed his every sympathy his
young wife he felt degree of intense
anxiety that was painful, but he forgot
not his duty. and with comparative calm
ness he set about it. Tho courses were
hauled up and snugly furlod, the lighter
sails taken la and the lofty yards and
topgalant masts sent on deck and tho
three topsails close reeled.
Long before the sun went down the
undulating ocean had assumed almost
the blackness of night, and not many
moments elapsed after the spars had
been secured upon the deck, cro the
storm burst upon the ship. 1t was a
regular southcastcr, and those who have
encountered one Of these storms in the
gulf know something o. their power.
Higher and higher rose tho mighty tenn
pest, until at length IL was found neces-
sary 10 tako in the topsails and trust to
the fore and main stormstaysails and a
balance reef spanker, and in this way
the ship lay to till morning, the gale in
creasing every hour.
Capt. Marshall trusted that when the
sun rose on the next day the storm would
abate, but in this he was disappointed,
for part OF the forenoon he was actu-
ally Obliged to scud before IL.
1t was not until two staysails had been
torn from their bolt ropes that he fully
explained his anticipations and the ex-
| tent of lis fears TO bis wife. Emma"