Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-02-02
STEALING A JOSS.

i two feet. When fellow hove along
side her he couldn't help remarking
the beauty of her lines. She was as
lovely IS clipper ship bowling
along under o cloud of canvas, and
thats saying a good deal. All the
men in Old Salem, Mass. were mad
| " in lose with her, and no wonder.
But tho was no lubberly landsman
good ensdgh for her. | warrant ron.
She Rad hapled dowii her colors
.ong ass ! sssrrsndered to Jack
Crowninshield, the big captain of
the East Tndiaman Coromandel,
lying down at the dock and taking
in cargo for Colombo.
The skipper was as smart a sail
erman as ever took a sight at the
sun and the Coromandel was as
splendid a ship, as ever few the
saucy stars and stripes from her
monkey gaff. Mind you, am spin
ming yarn Of times ever so long
ago, when Salem was busy, thriv-
ing maritime town with her mer-
chants engaged in the Indian trade,
and when her ships, laden with Or
iental silks, spices. hides and other
products, were continually coming
into port. / was lively lad in
those days, having taken to the sea
like goose to the pond, and when
my captain, Jack Crowninshield,
got spliced to Clara Kinghan in the
little stone church on the hill / was
there as large rs life.
The skipper seemed more fluster-
ed than she did, and as they passed
down the aisle IL was admitted that
a likelier couple had never before
been united at the altar. The went
to Boston to spend the honeymoon,
and / went back aboard, took off
my Sunday-go-to-meeting togs and
went aloft with my tar brush.
ALI our crew was already shipped,
as we were to sail in three weeks
time, and We were trying to see how
pretty we could make the old packet
look before We cast off from the
dock and pointed her nose to blue
water. Our sailors were neither
Dutchmen nor dagoes such as one
meets with in these degenerate days,
but good Americans-the finest
seamen in the world. Pompey the
! coal black cook was an American
too, and nobody could handle the
foresheet as we'll as he; and | tell
you his pork and beans was dish
that would make you blubber like a
baby for more and his plum duff
was so indescribably luscious that
every Sunday forenoon while it was
a-sizzling in the coppers you would
find the watch on deck, all of them
under the lee of the galley with the
water fairly running out of their
mouths as they inhaled the fragrant
odors of plums and spice.
The Coromandel was one of the
fastest clippers hailing from Salem,
and it was the ambition of every old
woman who had sons to dispose of
to get them aboard of her. Mothers
used to bring their boys down to the
dock and waylay the skipper. Some
of them would fall down on their
marrowbones and just beg of him
to take their boys. 1t was q proud
day for me when | was shipped, and
on that occasion | felt as naughty
as dog with two tails. This was
my second voyage, and the skipper
took quite an interest in me. | was
given charge of his cabin and used
to keep his traps in order when at
sea, the steward being little old
and shaky on his pins.
The day before the ship was to
sail Captain Crowninshield brought
his wife back from Boston and in
stalled. her in the dearest little old
fashioned cottage that ever was. 1t
was covered with creepers and vines,
and in the little garden that sur
rounded it hollyhocks, sweet viii
liams and any amount of other
scented posies grew luxuriantly and
perfumed the air.
Mrs. Crowninshield came aboard
the ship that afternoon, and while
her husband was at the custom house
getting his clearance papers and
transacting other business she and
| fixed up the captains cabin. 1t
did nv heart good to see that dainty
little woman decorating the cabin
with ribbons and putting everything
in apple pie order. Theco contriyances
for his comfort that were evolved