The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-03-20
A DROP OF BLOOD.

In l775 tho brigantine Governor Clin.
ton left Philadelphia loaded with flour
for Spanish Town. jamaica II was the
10th of December and Captain Ira
Drake, her commander. expected TO eat
his New cars dinner On the island.
Every was auspicious, and with
northwest wind ho sailed down the river.
he remarked long after that he felt un.
usually 1ugriod by his parting with Mrs.
Drake and his daughter EIuma, On tho
wharf, but not being Of an imaginative
turn CT mind the impressions passed.
and hr SAW tha tall poplars and red
rooted f.rrhouscs in tho Neck fade
| away uudaI tho winter sunset with pro-
fessional Indifference.
The Governor Clinton was only $50
tons, ard she left port in company with
26 othors foreign bound, most Of them
square rigaed. ~ the present time there
are only two ships owned in Philadel-
phia, ard neither sails from here.
MIS- Drake and Emma walked up
| Second s,Ieot 10 their home, which was
| in tho house then two story. afterward
| tho ten store Of tho lato eccentric John
| Lamcnl who died few months ago.
| To 10 captain E wife in those days
Nas to hold sCciul position next below
tie mapna,es of society Hill, and Cap
| tain Dlako e.va reported a prosperous
| maa.
"Iother, :" SAID the daughter, "do
you feel any unusual anxiety in parting
| with father this voFaae?"
an D, ny dear. Don't let such things
get inJo your mind. "
"Ye.. bat the AEgy Slade has been
| cut oy,r 60 days, aud she's bound for
Jamaie. TOO. Poor Mrs. Folsom is just
wild abuut her husband. How do wish
father ~ MD give up the sea and stay
asholcr
Ship,na.ters' 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. dods.1g amoug the reefs ond
| keys OF tic l5Jliana banks. Dorthers,
| hurricanes and more deadly assaults
| from tllo desperate rufiians that infested
| the coast of Cuba and were secretly up
held by the Spanish authorities. who
| shared their piunder, and at this time
| both Tardy and the La Eittes were
known 60 DO cruising in the gulf.
Christmas passed. and as New Years
came on feeling Of uneasiness and
dread entered into tho Drake household.
| Emma had an additional source Of anx-
| iety. Sam Spain, although only "a, was
| first officer Of the Governor Clinton and
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
ance 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 mako me nervous. Your father and
the brig are all right, and when the
Quiclstep comes i'll We'll hear from
Spanish Town She sal from there to-
day"
"But, mother, there is something in
dreams, and never had such dreadful
ones before, and You know-good God,
what is that?" And the girls voice
arose to q scream "Oh, mother! On
your hand, on your hand u
The mother looked and grew pale as
death. There on her plump, white hand
was drop Of ruddy blood She muir
INJURED, Maybe pricled myself with
| T,-1- A,,I xrffl chtdAar chc
wiped away the dread token. But
there was no wound, tie skin being
unbroken. There, there, it has como
again. Oh. mother, let's pray My dear
father and Sam are in peril. l know is.
feel it. "
And they knelt and with heads 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
sight knots on a bowline, but this time.
under fair northeast wind, she was
cntting feather through the waves of
the Bahama banks on the 10Th Of Do
cember Hero her good luck ended a
norther set in, driving them 200 mics
off their course, and then head winds
blew for week, so that it was he last
day in the year before they cime in
sight Of the Cuban coast, and not over
ten miles OF Cape ST. Antoine the wind
failed. and there came one of those dead
Gains peculiar TO those latitudes. The
sails hung without a shiver, and the
pennant was as straight down a. yard
of pump water But this was not the
worst. Capiain Drake knew that be was
in the track Of the pirates and was prao
tically holpless to keep away frOr. ihcm.
and at this moment be MAS duubtiesi
signaiod or shoro to some Of Their yes
sels. Everything depended ON keeping a
stout heart.
His six "a pound carronados were
loaded with grapc aud keihlcdge. the
ARIA chest was opened, cutlasses und pis.
tolls were served 90 the crew. muskeis
were loaded, and the cook filled bis cop
pers with hot water ready tofcnel hoard.
ers. All hands kept watch tnat night,
and IN the mciniug Mate Spain went
aloft with glass &c at once hailcd
tie dick. 'rAcio is q ;opsail schooner
ly.pg beA.ae thai point oi iand 81 the