The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1898-03-05
The Broken Vow.

DuJ ob' LOuio' iLoi tupldiu Wd
an exiled son Of France and saii
to be of noble lineage. Man,
wondered why he accepted posi-
ton which seemed so far beneath
his supposed high standing in life
but whether from caprice, neces
sity, or great love for the sef
induced him to seek employment
as sea man was never known
Perhaps the spirit Of an adventur
GUS ancestor was strong within
him, and caused him to seek the
restless seas to satisfy rowing
disposition.
Captain De Stacy, as we shall
call him, was universally liked by
all who knew hun. His sailors
thought him n vcritable god of
the sea, and worshipped him ac-
cordingly. One autumn, much to
the captains surprise he was or
dered off to the Louisiana Marsh
es To fish a load of oysters for a
New Orleans dealer. Never hav-
ing been on an oyster expedition,
he was delighted with the pros
pect of novelty as the runs hack
and forth between New Orleans
and the Bay were becoming mon
otonous. Accordingly he hasten
ed TO execute the orders from
headquarters. After pleasant
voyage to the Marshes, the great
claft entered the net work of
small, bayous. lying about among
the grassy prairles, her crew new
er dreaming of any danger threat
ening them. The captain order
ed even the deck of his craft to
be filed with oysters. He wished
to carry as large a cargo as posi-
bbles For days the men labored
until La Rene was down until
the very waters edge. Then the
sails were hoisted and the boat
prepared to put out to open sea,
but she refused to move, and to
the crews CONSERVATION was
found to be aground.
For three days and nights they
waited for wind and tide to bear
them off, but as water had given
out and provisions were becom-
ing scarce they thought best to un-
load, but after the oysters were
overheard, La Refine seemed as
hard and fast in the ground as be-
fore, with thirst and hunger star
ing her crew in the face. For
two more days they existed on
little or nothing, but on the sixth
day thirst became unbearable.
Some OF the men fell upon their
knees and prayed for rain while
Captain De Stacy cursed himself
for ever entering a place he did
not possess sufficient knowledge
of how to avoid such dangers.
Suddenly his eyes fell upon the
Indian Mounds. The Indian
Mounds are banks of shells sup
posed to have been thrown up by
Ithe Indians of a century or more
ago. Why shoule be not find wa
ter there, thought the captain,
then ordering some of the men to
follow him with spades, he jumped
into skiff and was rowed to the
she'll banks.
Here they began to work with
a will to dig a we'll, some praying
Others cursing in the attempt to
reach vein of water. In the
eager quest for it an old iron box
was unearthed, but so anxious
were the den for water they kick
ed it aside and continued digging.
At last, after great labor, water
was fouud-not the sweet, clear
water hoped and prayed for, but
water which satisfied the awful
thirst which threatened death.
| Still not noticing the musty box
the crew was preparing to leaye
the scene when the captains foot
caught in the lid, and with a loud
oath, he fell upon the ground.
tearing off the box cover in his
fall. When he had struggled to
his feet he gave a cry of surprise
and joy which attracted the sal
lors' attention to the now opened
box which contained glittering
mass or gold and jewels. Upon
examination the box was found
to be full Of Spanish coin and
ljeweled crosses of great value.
In the excitement of the discov-
cred treasures the captain an crew
for time forgot their priyations
and the great horrible death by
starvation before them. After
carrying the box aboard, and re-
turning to the realization of their
condition, their misery was terri
tle. For many years poor sea-
men, and now that fortune had
smiled upon them they could not
reach home to enjoy their newly
acquired wealth.
At night, after the sailors had
retired, suffering from hunger and
suspense, the captain walked the
deck in despair. He could see
they we've doomed. Why hadn't I
some good man built a cistern to
catch rain water and stocked q
cabin of some kind upon the shell
banks with provisions for poor
sailors caught upon the muddy