The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1896-03-11
A DROP OF BLOOD.

A DROP OF BLOOD.
In 1875 the brigantine Governor Clin-
ton left Philadelphia loaded with -four
for Spanish Town, Jamaica. 1t was the
10Th of December, and Captain Ira
Drake, her commander, expected to eat
his New Years dinner on the island.
Everything was auspicious, and with
northwest wind he sailed down therlyer.
He remarked long after that he felt IN
usually furried by his parting with Mrs.
Drake and his daughter Emma, on the
wharf, but not being Of an imaginative
turn Of mind the impressions passed,
and he saw the tail poplars and red
rooted farmhouses in the Neck fade
away under the winter sunset with pro-
fessional Indifference.
The Governor Clinton was only 430
tons, and she left port in company with
&c others, foreign bound, most of them
square rigged. At the present time there
are only two ships owned in philadel-
phia, and neither sails from here.
Mrs. Drake and Emma walked up
Second street to their home, which was
in the house then two story, afterward
the tea store Of the late eccentric John
Lamond, who died few months ago.
To be a captain S wife in those days
was to hold social position next below
the magrates Of Society Hill, and Cap
tain Drake was reported a prosperous
man.
Mother" said the daughter, edo
you feel any unusual anxiety in parting
with father this voyage?"
"No, my dear. Don't let such things
get into your mind. .
eyes, but the Aggy Slade has been
out over 60 days, and she's bound for
Jamaica too. Poor Mrs. Folsom is just
wild about her husband. How do wish
father would give up the sea and stay
ashoreI''
Shipmasters' wives had to have stout
hearts in those days; there were perils
on the sea then that are unknown now.
A West India voyage meant poor
charts, lodging among the reefs and
keys CT the Bahama banks, northers,
hurricanes and more deadly assaults
from the desperate ruffians that infested
the coast of Cuba and were secretly up
held by the Spanish authorities, who
shared their plumber, and at this time
both Tardy and the La Fittes were
known to be cruising in the gulf.
Christmas passed, and as New Years
came on a feeling Of uneasiness and
dread entered into the Drake household.
Emma had an additional source Of anx-
iety. Sam Spain, although only "a, was
first officer of the Governor Clinton and
q splendid specimen Of the American
sailor, and before this voyage he and
Emma had exchanged vows. And so
Door Emma fretted and made her moth
er anxious.
New Years day, 1896, was cold,
clustering and sleety, and after attend
anco at early mass at St. Joseph's
both women sat down to breakfast.
''For the Lords sake, Emma, don't
tell me anything about your dreams.
You make me nervous. Your father and
the brig are all right, and when the
Qaickstep comes in We'll hear from
Spanish Town. She sails from there to-
day. :"
"But, mother, there is something in
dreams, and I never had such dreadful
ones before, and you know-good God,
what is that?" And the girls voice
arose to a scream. ttOh, motherl On
your hand, On your hand p
The mother looked and grew pale as
death. There on her plump, white hand
was drop of rudy blood, She muir
INJURED, maybe pricked myself with
the fork !" And with shudder she
wiped away the dread token. But
there was no wound, the skin being
unbroken. "There, there, it has come
again. Oh, mother, let's pray My dear
father and Sam are in peril. I know it.
feel it..
And they kneIt and withshe bowed
down prayed to him who rules the winds
and tempests to Spare their loved ones
On the sea.
The Governor Clinton was an old tub
and did her best when she reeled off
eight knots on bowliDe, but this time,
under a fair northeast wind, she was
cutting a feather through the waves Of
the Bahama banks on the 18th Of De-
cember. Here her good luck ended. A
porther set in, driving them 900 miles
off their course, and then head winds
blew for week, so that it was the last
day in the year before they came in
sight of the Cuban coast, and not over
ten miles off Cape St. Antoine the wind
failed, and there came one Of those dead
callns peculiar to those latitudes. The
sails hung without shiver, and the
penHant was as straight down as yard
of pump water. But this was not the
worst Captain Drake knew that he was
in the track of the pirates and was prac-
tically helpless to keep away from them,
and at this moment he was doubtless
signaled OF shore to some Of their YES
sells. Everything depended On keeping
stout heart.
His six "a pound carronades were
loaded with grape and kentledge, the
arm chest was opened, cutlasSes and pjs-
toIs were served to the crew, muskets
were loaded, and the cook filed his cop
pers with hot water ready to repel board
ers. All hands kept watch that night,
ard IN the morning Mate Spain went
aloft with glass. He at once hailed
the deck. ''There is a topsail schooner
lying behind that point Of land off the