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

.N~& sk|~Ay ANsA~ AN"A WV -
ingenious that | fairly opened my
mouth with admiration. A luck,
fellow was Jack Crowinshield. nj.
ways eating the fat and drinking
the sweet of life. But while thi:
labor OF love was occupying the
little woman's mind and busy fing-
ers, big tears were yelling up in hel
blue eyes, for tomorrow was the da,
of sorrowful parting, and she would
not be likely to see that big husband
OF hers for Mt least two years. fell
IN love with her ut sight, aud for
nearly two years 1 dreamed about
her.
In the morning there was large
crowd to see MS off. When the
skipper stepped aboard noticed he
looked sad and graye-so different
from his usual reckless and jovial
appearance. Mrs. Crowninshield
did not see the ship off. The strain
would have been too much for her.
They gave us three cheers as we
spread our canvas to the breeze and
sailed out to sea. The wind was
fair and it was q delightful August
day. We gave her every stitch she
would stagger under and Salem was
soon out of sight.
Nothing particular happened dur
ing the passage out. The skipper
confided to me that he intended to
make collection of 'curios' for. his
wife, who was particular admirer
of things from foreign parts. Twas
only youngster, as ! have said be-
fore, but if the captain had only
known how madly ! was in love
with his wife he would doubtless
have kicked me around the decks.
| think was fifteen years old ut the
time, and was as foolish rs | was
young. 1t is astonishing what in
fluence kindly word from q pretty
woman has upon a sailor boy ac-
customed to fewer half-pence than
kicks. Besides, my love was akin
to spiritual worship.
However, ! made up my mind
that il curios would make Mrs.
Crowninshield happy | would do
my best to afford her pleasure. So
when we were bowling along through
the northeast trades and the flying
fish came aboard l used to pick out
the finest and largest and preserve
them for keeping, after the recipe
of an old sailor, who was something
of taxidermist. These fish
would mount on panels of wood
given to me by the carpenter, and
with their wings extended with in
genious skill Though l say it who
shouldn't) they looked quite orna-
mental.
The captain did his best to make
smart passage. The Coromandel
was in her best trim and was kept
moving all the time. When we got
down to about 35 degs. south lati-
tude, and were in hopes of getting
a piping westerly breeze with which
to run down, we were hampered by
dead calm. 1t was quite lucky
for me, but the skipper fretted and
fumed like newly caught bear in
pit. lie wanted to make the
smartest passage on record. The
ship was surrounded by flocks of
Cape pigeons, Cape hens and an
occasional albatross. The pigeons,
which are birds of beautiful plum
age, were caught easily with nook
and line. All you had to do was to
throw over your line baited with a
morsel of salt pork and haul them
in hand over fist. | caught several
hundred and grew quite expert in
skinning them and curing the skins.
They were all intended for Mrs.
Crowninshield.
1t was triumphant hour. for me
when captured an albatross.
am an old broken down man now,
having been sailor boy and man
for more than fifty years, and
chiefly in the southern trade. For
voyage after voyage | have tried to
catch an albatross with bait, but
failed always. Cape hen--the yul.
lures Of the sea-you can capture
at will. They will bite at any gar
bage. But the albatross is a clean
" bird and | never knew one to be
taken with hook and line.
This morning, however, | was on
the forecastle head, hanging out a
shirt to dry, when the albatross
blundered on board. He was a
MAGNIFICENT bird one of the fneSt