Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-09-19
A SEAMAN'S STORY.

A SEAMAN'S STORY.
The sloop-of-war Mooseilauke stood
off Gonave
The SUMS gold disk had disappeared,
and the sweet melancholy of a southern
twilight lay upon the island, whose
profile, darkly outlined against the SAT-
from hued sky, was set in an amethyst
frame, the deep and luminous violet Of
the sea- Briefly, the tropic twilight is
short. Its silhouette hung there between
the two immensities of sky and sea.
Then the jewel colors Of wave and cloud
and wood draped island vanished. A
velvety blackness covered all. One by
one the stars appeared not in their mid
night glory, but tremulous tiny points,
dim as rushlights swept by the wind.
On the island the trees were alight
with firehies. These, too, fickered faint
ly, as though uncertain Of their power
to shine In the half light the great
ships sails, purpled by shadows, took
fantastic shapes, but very soon the moon
leaned out of cloud and cleared up
the mystery. The sky overfowed with
light A silver ship sailed silver sea.
Twilight's dusky veil had been drawn
aside by the fingers of night.
On the spar deck Of the Mooseilauke
Seamen Bill Williams and Sam Woods,
Apprentice Stubs and the Jack of the
Dust were matching experiences. Moved,
it may be, by the mysterious influence
of moonlight, these men Of discipline
spoke freely of love. A naval "Decam
eron' might have been taken down from
their lips. The boatswain's mate lis
tened without commenting. Old Slater
commented without listening From
time to time he left his messmates to
lean over the rail. Fixing his eyes ON Co.
nave with that interest which we give to
something which marks an event in our
lives, he wagged his head so knowing
ly that Stubbs and Dusty-men of one
poem, so to speak-were visibly envious
At length the old seaman took his place
among them. He began at once to speak:
''Hev I ever tol ye of'n adventure
me an the executive he'd on thet ther'
islan?''
''Give us the first line Mr.. Slater,
and We'll tell you, replied the Jack of
the Dust jauntily.
"Ketch a-hol O. yerself, Dusty" REQ
commended old Slater GET amt no
comic piece. Et's bout gala little
bit of er gal-yaller's gol." p"
The Jack of the Dust's expression
changed He had but just begun the
study of the "eternal feminine" and
his desire for phenomena was still un-
satisfied.
'Fire away" he said cordially. 81
guess it's good one this time''
"Doyou mean the Mooseilauke's first
luff?' questioned Stubs.
ether same" old Slater replied.
''That porpoisev' exclaimed the Jack
of the Dust.
''He wuzn't no porpoise, then, lad,"
said the story teller. ''They called i'm
ther dandy ensign'-he wuz Ensign
Fitz in them days-an Gentleman
jack an Han some jack, an he wuz
purity near all thet, fer he wuz clear
pink'n white He hedn't no airs, an he
wuz plucky as the mex one. couldn't
never count fer 'im.'' Old Slater low
cred his voice 81 couldn't count fer
i'm in emmy way, 'xcept thet ther Lord
had han at i'm fore they ketched i'm
at Annapolis. 1 amt sayin but what he
wuz onreliable's they make 'em emmy
where, but me an i'm wuz great frien's
better n we be nOw-fer time he's
took often me an put OH ter him. Me an
him he'd been OH ther Bender two year.
orJ1iSa in q
skipper-no sailor man't all he wuzn't
took ct inter his blame ole head ter
come up here from Port o. Prince, whar
we wuz havin more fun than nuff, fer
gun practice. No matter bout what we
done Though I rec'lec' our divis'n
cap'n got'n eye blowed out an seed
more'n ever after thet, ct havin
quick ned his Imagination. One mornin
Fitz he come ter me an sez, I've got ter
get out er this.
Pm goin shore shootin,' sez he.
Git leave an come long, Slater. Mebbe
we'll strike sumthin.'
II knowed he wanted me ter pull the
boat, so 1 got leave all we went shore
an shot will roun thar erwhile; then he
got huff an proposal er bite of the ra-
tions I'd fetched. set 'em out under
big COCO palm, an Fifty he got conf
Dental over mess an begun ter talk bout
the creole gal he'd got 'quainted with
in Port O Prince.
"What was she like, Mr.. Slater?" in
quired the Jack of the Dust eagerly.
Like 'em ALL" old Slater replied
grimly. But thet amt nuther here
nor thar. As 1 wuz a-sayin, Fitz he sed
he loved 'er 'madly' an lot more thet
/ knowed by heart, fer he loved easy an
| of'en in them days an swore he'd make
'er Mrs, Fitz eff he had ter give up his
| family, his mother havin given i'm
warnin thet she wouldn't hev no furrin
graft ON ter the Fitz tree While he
wuz a-ravin we hearn sumthin an looked
roup. Thar she stood!'
''The creole?" interrupted the Jack
Of the Dust
''No, the yaller gal," old Slater an
swered, ''lookin like er leetle gol stat.
yure in er garden, with all ther green
stuff back ON her, she was jes' so slim
an still. l reck'n she wuz bout twel'
year OLE"
ga kidr' exclaimed the Jack of the
| Dust.
Don't ye go a-jumpin, Dusty" said
old Slater. "She wuz out er the nu'-
s'ry."
I 'They ripen early in these ERE lat
tudes, Dusty. They don't hev nuthin
ter keep 'em back, which ever edication
will an too many strings roun ther
| = - 80,
wais'," Bill Williams remarked. with
the air Of reformer.
can they ripen-all roun. They don't
stay green on one side till they 80 an
then dry up" growled Sam Woods.
| Bill Williams nodded understanding
ly. "Thet's New Englan, Sammy" I"
said he.
"But the little golden girl?" ven-
tured Stubs.
Old Slater continued:
''Fitz jumped up when he see her an
motions fer ter come an hev bite an
long she steps, easy'n lights kitten,
an se' down side O. him. She couldn It
| never hev seed no sech rations, but she
/ wuzn't took back She eats nat s a
Ir.-Ir