Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-09-14
THE LOVE OF THE SEA
now MEMORY OF EARLY DAvs Az
/ FEcTEp AN OLD MERCHANT.
rhs Queer Actions u Wen Dresses 10
Explained BY His Conversation with .
, sn,p.s W aschman-AAsetAsa Tor aSaap
, Strong In Amer Life.

sA,p.. w.schman- For . ship
ssrons In Amer Life.
He was portly in figure and hssd on his
taco that look Of contentmene ana peace
which comes with the possession OF plenty
OF the worlds goods and the disposition
and ability to enjoy them. He was we'll
dressed. wore a silk ha. and would have
given TO a casual observer the impression
that he was retired merchant, one OF the
many men in this great big city who have
successfully fought the battle OF lie ana
calmly settled down 10 enjoy the fruits Oh
victory. The casual observer would have
bx.en right In his Impression. He was a re-
tired merchant. He had wealth in plenty.
His home was fitted and filled with all the
Injuries which the unsparing use OF money
could procure. His wife and daughter al'
reared at all the fashionable social func-
tious. and he and they were welcSne guests
In the proudest homes Of the great city,
Sheltered from the falling rain by a large
umbrella. he sauntered down South street
ma unconcernedly rs il he We're hundred
miles from any excitement instead OF being
only a short distance from the scene OF u
great celebration At Burling slip be
stopped, looked carefully around and went
across South street and down the plef,
where big ship was tied up. The gang
way stretched from the rail of the ship To
the pier door, and up the narrow walk, over
the rail and down on to the deck he went,
The Waterman was there, ana after pfiei
talk they went aft and down the cahin
gangway. He gave sniff OF deilght ana
a sigh of satisfaction as the warm air troh
the cabin rushed up the eangway. and lie
disappeared into the depths whence 1t came
When he reappeared, he wore SUIT OF the
watchman's clothes, and the SILK hat WAS
renlaced with "A SOU wester." He went
forward with the rolling gait OF born ana
bred sailor, took Il look aloft ina way which
showed that he knew what he was looking
at, unlocked the cooks galley and explored
IL thoroughly, went into the paint locker
and fumbled around among slush buckets
uaint cans, scrapers, "bo'san's chairs,
swabs and tar pots Then he went into the
sail locker and stretched himself at full
length on the Jbs and staysails. which were
carefully rolled up and packed away in the
little room. Long, deep breaths he took
and u look of bright, buoyant happiness
came into his eyes
The big iron eye at the clew of Il topsail
stuck out from mass of canvas near him,
and he patted and stroked it and spoke
soft, low words to it as though it Were the
hand of a woman whose heart he hoped to
win. Over the great folds of storm stained
duck he rolled and tossed and at last went
out and closed the door, with u "goodby'
which was partly whisper and partly II
sob; then into the foe le," with its three
tiers of hunks deserted save by the pungent
odor which is always n part of Jacks float
ing home.
There was the forward bunk, always the
last one taken, because, being built
athwartship instead of fore and aft, its
owner may wake up and find that lacking
ship has placed his heels higher than his
head, and Jack prefers sleeping on an even
keel Into one of the hunks he crawled and
carved his initials on the board which sep
arated it from the one Just forward of it,
then out and forward to the chainlocker,
the big box where the anchor chains are
laid away.
Still forward, away under the forecastle
deck, where the dull CLINT of the water
| came up through the great round eyes of
the ship-the hawseholes--the air was full
OF damp, sticky odor that told Of stores
of salt beef for the men and II pig for the
cabin. Back again by the big windlass,
which received a loving pat from the hand
which only a short time before had been
soft and white, but now was soiletl by con
tact with almost everything il had been
able to reach on board the ship.
Giving pull ut the neatly coiled ropes
as he went by, he talked to them as if they
were old friends, gave the main deck cap
stan a whirl, picked up Il marine spike and
carried it to the locker, found a Delaying
pin and put it into a vacant hole in the rail
! ,,.bara IolnpVpI and mt last hack
to the cabin, where the Waterman had
tin pan of coffee and n couple of hard
tack" waiting for him. Mechanically he
raped the ''soup plate crackers" on the
table and dropped them into the hot coffee.
There's none in them, sir" said the
Waterman. They're too hard for the
crcepers But s'pose it's habit, sir"
YES" was the answer, lit is habit.
When was a boy and ran away to sea. rs
SO many boys have done, we used to get
hard tack that would have walked over
board if it hadn't been kept in II barrel"
"Them was great times, sir" remarked
the Waterman.
"True they were, and they gave me the
love of the ship. Did yon ever feel it,
watchman2 That love for the sea and its
ships and the life of it all, that once you
have tasted is always with your Tint
makes of a ship living being, to be loved
and petted and taken care Of and chided
and watched over. That makes it IA part Of
your own life and almost as preciousf"
Indeed have, sir, or wouldn't be here
now" answered the Waterman, and the
men, so widely separated by circumstances,
but with kindred hearts, clasped hands
and then Spilled the main brace"
Then he changed clothes again, put on
his silk hat and went up on deck with the
Waterman. At the rail he stopped and
shook hands once more with the ships
guardian.
"Goodby," he said 1.-THE sen was my
first love, and she treated me so harshly
that left her But cannot get rid Of the
old feeling. and once in awhile it conquers
me. Now I'll go home again and be all
right for time. Goodby," and as the
watchman's hand closed over a s. gold
piece his visitor went up the pier to the
street, with light, springy step and a
slight roll which showed that the successful
merchant had not entirely obliterated the
sailor lad of years gone by and that the
sea and her ways had not been forgotten
New York Tribune.