The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-10-11
THE MEN IN THE CLUB HOUSE,

The men in the clubroom had beer
telling stories and the available stool
of narratives having given out We
were casting about for more. Eyes, ;
said my friend, the director of ano
partner in a noted ocean steamship
line, Il have had quite few remark
able incidents happen to me in my
day, especially when | was sailing one
of the two ships belonging to the --
/ line, and my partner the other,' with
retrospective smile as he thought OF
the extensive number of vessels he
controlled.
but | think the most trying exper-
fence | ever knew took place even be
fore then. when | was a youngster of
twenty and very proud of being trusted
with ship while still SO young.
"You see, ! was clergyman son
and my family looked upon my desire
to follow the sea as utter foolishness,
/ but after hal run away ii dozen times
or so and been followed and brought
back just as many, my father thought
he might as we'll let me have my own
way, so he took me down to Liverpool
and apprenticed me properly and in
the due form to an old friend of his.
who was the head of great merchant.
man line running to the West Indies
and back. was only fourteen then
and believe the idea was that !
should tire of the labor and hardships
of sea life and be glad to beg for home
urbnp chic I ,.ac ,f
course to be let go, for friendships
lege in due order; a year or so behind
my proper time, but still not ire.
deemably late. -
The old captain smiled again and a
twinkle frightened his eye as though
he was very much amused internally,
but his voice was as dry as ever and
not the shadow of smile transgresscd
the club rule which prohibited a mem
Der from laughing at his own stories.
Some of the listeners stirred little
lazily as he paused, and Wilson, who
was always the leader, nodded to him
to continue.
well" he complied, 4 dissapoint-
ed my father and enjoyed sea life SO
much that my captain gave fine ac-
counts of me and my fathers friend
took great liking to me and often
had me to spend week at his home
when the ship was in port, and | fear
ing to be late in joining her again,
had shortened my home visit and was
waiting for the day of starting. His
wife was kind to me, too. and he had
little daughter. who-bu that's anti
cipating.
THE years of my apprenticeship
passed and the proud moment when |
received my papers as master mar
liner, arrived. Then | was given a
ship, although my youth made this a
very unusual thing. and sent off TO the
West Indies. OF course | was sup
piled with an old and experienced
first mate, and it was probably due as
much to his care and watchfulness as
to my own skill that the voyage
passed off without an accident or mis-
chance of any kind. but | was rs
proud as hen with her first batch of
chickens, and the head of the firm
showed his confidence in my abilities
in a manner which came very near to
losing him daughter.
Arthur, my boy" he said to me
some days before | sailed again, I'm
going out with you. I'm going to take
my wife and daughter along, too; we
all fancy the trip, and it struck me
that we could 90 with you instead of
on a passenger vessel. My wife has
made the trip on merchantmen many |
a time when we were younger and my |
daughter is very anxious to try it. |
You can let the ladies have the 'wifc's
cabin can't your
I'm those DAYS every merchantmen
ship was supplied with little cabin
for the use of the captains wife al |
though they stopped the practice soon
after and forbade the men to carry |
their families with them. OF course, |
| was very willing to have my friends
as passengers. although ! was little |
nervous at the thought of my employer
being in the ship with me and having
his sharp old eyes taking notice of my
every movement.
but | need not have been anxious
on this account, for the day before we
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 old
lady and my little girl to do so, he
told me when | went TO say good by;
they can go along with you, and l
shall insist upon this Smother trip
will make the season too late and |
think the voyage will benefit them.
[ put them in your care and trust you
with them.
$50 the ladies went out with me,
the only women on board the ship,
and we had hardly got out of the
before the mother was taken
sick.
Its queer for such an old sailor
as l.. she murmured family as | assis
led her down below, but | suppose
I'm out of practice.
'She got enough practice in the
asst her some time. poor thing, and
n the mean time the daughter, who
while her mother slept, invariably
.ame up on deck, renewed her old
with me. had not seen
much of her for some years since she
lad been at school during my brief
risits at her home. and we found the
.ecalling of old times delightful.
Every night, even after her mother
rad recovered partially, we prOmenad-
d the deck together and our friend
min grew apace. One night, when the
,lder lady was below, suffering with
, headache. we talked until very
ate and she told me queer tales of
host and sleep walkers and the like.
Che had been filled with these stories
While at school and we enjoyed them
,.,,1r1n papnlp do lpX / I