Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1896-03-12
A DROP OF BLOOD.

Clinton left Philadelphia Ioade'
with -four for Spanish Town, ia
maica. Ii was the 18th of Decem
Der. and Captain Ira Drake, he
commander, expected to eat hi
New Years dinner on the island
Everything was suspicious. and will
q northwest wind he sailed dowr
the river. He remarked long aftel
that he felt unusually fiurried by
his parting with Mrs. Drake and
his daughter Emma, on the wharf,
but not being of an imaginative
turn Of mind the i'm pressions passed,
and he saw the tall poplars and red
rooted farmhonses 10 the Neck fade
away under the winter sunset with
professional indifference.
The Governor Clinton was only
430 tons, and she left port in CON-
pany with 26 others. foreign bound
most Of them square rugged. At
the present time there are only two
ships owned in Philadelphia, and
neither sails from here,
Mrs. Drake and Emma walked
mp 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 a few months ago. To be a
captains wife in those days was to
hold social position next below the
magnates of Society Hill, and Cap
tain Drake was reported prosper
Gus man.
Mother said the daughter, do
you feel any unusual anxiety in
parting with father this voysge?'
No, my dear. Don't let such
things get into your mind
yes, but the Aggy Slade has
been out over 90 days, and she's
bound for Jamaica too. Poor Mrs.
Folsom is just wild about her hus-
band. How do wish father would
give up the sea and stay ashore!'
Shipmasters' wives had to have
stout hearts in those days; there
were perils on the sea then that are
unknown now. A West Iudis voy-
age meant poor charts, dodging
among the reefs and keys of the
Bahama banks, northers, hurri-
canes and more deadly assaults
from the desperate ruffians that in
Tested the coast Of Cuba and were
secretly upheld by the Spanish au.
thorities, who shared their plunder,
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 feeling of uneasi-
ness and dread entered into the
Drake household. Emma had an
additional source of anxiety. Sam
Spain, although only "A, was first
officer of the Governor Clinton and
a splendid specimen of the Ameri-
can sailor, and before this voyage
he and Emma had exchanged vows.
And so poor Emma fretted and
made her mother anxious.
New Years day, 1896, was cold
clustering and sleetv, and after at.
tendance 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 Quickstep
comes in we'll hear from Spanish
Town. She sails 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 glrl's voice arose to q scream.
'Oh, mother! On your hand, on
your handv
The mother looked and grew pale
as death. There on her plump,
white hand was drop of rudy
blood. She murmured, Maybe
pricked myself with the fork And
with q shudder she wiped away the
dread token. But there was nc
wound, the skin being unbroken.
There, there, it has come again.
Oh. mother, let's pray! Ny dear
father and Sam are in peril.
know it. feel it.
And they knelt and with head:
bowed down prayed to Him who
rules the winds and tempsets tc
spare their loved ones on the sea
The Governor Clinton vas an old