Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-11-08

| u
II LEVI isSE!}1> rector OF and part
s ssS:ss ;, = ~ 49, =, ncr in noted ocea,
steamship line, "a
haye mad quite few remarkable in.
cidents happen to me in my day,
especially when was sailing ono o,
the two ships belonging to the -
line, AMI my partner the other" with
n retrospective smile ns he thought of
the extensive number of vessels he
controlled
But think the most trying OK.
pericnce | ever knew took place even
before then, when l was II younpsicr
OF twenty and very proud Of being
trusted with ship while still so young.
You see, ! WINS clcrgymau's son
and my family looked upon my desire
to follow The sea ms utter foolishncss.
hut after | had run away n dozen
times or so and been followed nnl
brought back just rs many, my father
thought ho might rs well let mo hive
my own way, so he took me down to
Liverpool md npprenticcd me prop.
criy and i'll the due form 10 an old
| TREND OF his, who was the head of n
great merchnntman line running TO
the West Indies and back. | was only
fourteen then and [ believe tho idea
was that should tire Of the labor and
hdrdships OF sea life and be glad to ben
Tor home again; when this happened /
was OF course 10 be let 20, for friend
ships sake, and would be started oil
to college in due order; II year or 50
behind my proper time, but still not
irredeemably late"
The old captain smiled again and a
twinkle frightened his eye us though
he was very much amused internally.
but his voice was rs dry rs ever and
not the shadow Ola smile transgrcsscd
the club rule which prohibited mem
Der from laughing ut his own stories.
Some OF the listeners stirred u little
lazily ms ho paused, and Wilson, who
was always the leader, nodded to him
to continue.
well" he compiled. ,Iisap.
pointed my father and enjoyed sea
'riifo-so much TINT my captain gave fine
accounts of me and my fathers friend
took n gront liking to mo and often
had me to spend n week at his home
when the ship was in port, and ] fear
ing to be late III joining her again. had
shortened my home visit and was wait
ing for the dry of Starting. His wife
WAS KIND to me, TOO, an: he had n lit
tlo daughter, who-but that's antici-
patinS.
The years of my apprenticeship
passed and the proud moment when +
received my papers rs master
mariner arrived. Then ] was given n
ship, although my youth made this n
very unusual thing, and sent off to
the West Indies. OF course, was
supplied with an old and experienced
first mate, and it WAS probably due as
much to his care and watchfnncss MS
to my own skill that the voyage passed.
oil without an accident or mischnnco
OF any kind, but was us proud ms n
hen with her first batch OF chickens.
and tho head of The firm showed his
confidence in my abilities i'll manner
which came very near to losing him n
daughter
Arthur, my boy, he said to mo
some days before | sailed again, I'm
going out with you. I'm going TO
take my wife and daughter along, too I.
we all fancy the trip, and it struck
mo that we would so with you instead
OF on passenger vessel. My wife
has made the trip on merchantmen
many time when We were younger
and my daughter is very anxious TO
try it. You can let the ladies have
the 'wife's cabin, can't yon?"
"ln those days every merchantmnn
ship was supplied with little cabin
for the use OF the captains wife, nj.
though they stopped the practice soon
after and forbade the men to corry
their families with them. or course.
L was very willing to have my friends
as passengers, although / was q little
nervous ut the thought of my en-
ployer being in the ship with me and
having his sharp old eyes taking
notice of my every movement.
"But l need not have been anxious
on this account, for the day before VIC
sailed the old gentleman was disabled
with an attack of govt and he decided
that he must stay at home.
:" But there is no good for the OLE
Indy and my little girl to do SO, hi
told me when L went to say good-by
they can go along with you, and
shall insist upon this. Another tri,
Will mako the season too late and
think the voyage will benefit them.
put them in your care and trust yor
with them,'