The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-08-25

~ a ~ carly morning.
E/TN Captain Jack Brain
% \ BsN ard cane whistling
e. along the beach, with
his hands thrust into the pockets of
his duck trousers. He was "A tall,
broad shouldcred fellow, with hand.
some, sun Drowned face, and two dark
eyes that looked straight through you
IN quiet way peculiarly their own.
'Hnlloo, Captain Jack !"
Two fishermen were standing there,
something lying at their feet, dark
and still.
"Well, my henrties?'
''Bear baud here, will you, cap
tain?" said one. "a ship went to
pieces off the point last night, and
here's three bodies ashore, dead as
herring"
Captain Jack stoppe whistling, aud
bent down to look Mt tho bodies. Two
were men, strong aud hard featured,
evidently part OF the crew Of the ill
fated ship. They were quite dead. The
third one was child lushed to a spar.
Captain B1ainard hitched up his
duck trousers and looked thoughtfully
at the bodies. The child-a mere babe
of two or three years-lny half COW
cred in the sea weed, as if she were
asleep. Captain Jack bent suddenly
and cut with his sheath knife the rope
that bouni her to the spar.
'I'll be drowned if the small craft
mint floating yet, Dave Bent"
The baby face was upturne to the
sunlight. Dave Bent laid his rough
hand against it gently. 1t was wet
and cold, but still living face.
Captain Jack rose up with the child
in his jacket.
"IlI take it up to tho inn, Dave.
You can bury the other two. Hang
me If 1 ever knew anything like this
before!"
Mrs. Lane, widow of Captain Will
lam Lane, lost at sea, and hostess of
the hamlet inn, sat with needle and
mesh block mending nets IN the bar
room, as Captain Jack Brninard came
stalking in.
Mrs Lane in all her life had never
been thrown into such unparalleled
excitement as by the sudden appear
ance Of that small wait of the coast.
She had her reward. The child was
lying on her lap, when suddenly two
wondering black eyes Enclosed, and
the waif gave utterance to prolonged
vigorous scream.
BLESS mel" cried Mrs. Lane, al
never laid eyes on to such q homelv
child-and IL gal, tool"
What's to be done with it?" said
Captain Jack.
Law ks how do l know p said Mrs.
Lane, ct haint got any folks. most
likely. you'll have TO take it to the
b.
Captain jack looked thoughtful.
81 don't know-but it isn't lust
friendly TO leave such little craft in
strange water without any pilot, Mrs.
Lane i believe I'll stand by her my
self"
Land sakes what can you do?"
cried Mrs. Lane.
''Well, my Mary Ellen is bound for
China tomorrow but YOU can keen
her here till / come back I'll see that
you are paid-and for want of some.
thing better you can cali her Rachel
that was ny mothers name.
The Mary Ellen WAS laying to, in
Salem Harbor, with anchor raised,
next day, when Captain Jack came to
say good-hy to his hostess, and TO
place in her hand q little box of i'm
dian wood carefully tied with o faded
ribbon.
you'll find n necklace thoro and
ring. Mrs. Lane they used 90 be
mothers, and might as we'll go nlone
with tine name
And Mrs. Lane placed the necklace
round the plump baby neck, and laid
the ring carefully by until such 10 time
Hs the little wnif shOuld bc old enough
r. think of riugs, and then Captain
jack shook her heartily by the hand
and went away from tho hamlet inn.
and an hour after the white snilsof The
Mary Ellen had disappeared far down
the bay
Tt was the same dcsolate coast OF
fifteen years bcfore. There were the
light house and the reefs ON which 20
many gallaut ships had met their
doom; here, the gray beach, tho slip.
perry Shingles, the old boat houses and
youInr, the sand hills, the fishing
hamlet aud tho rocky pasture lands
taung toward tho sea. Captain Jack
larI, standing alone on the shin.
Mug sands, looked nt each ami all
0..I.v ho had not seen them before
inr mauy years.
l' was somewhere here, muscl
Captain Jack, 'lhat Dave Bent always
mDyrai bis bO1t. ia be Obliged TO
nun DO had 1t now 60 take me mp the
cavo lts growing dark airea iy."
Too soft dip Of oars ftruos sudden
ly Yu Captain Jacks cars-ho looked
up boat was gliding around tho
Point impelIod by single rover.
'BJat ahoy ~"
The slender oars Of the dory fell in.