The Opelousas courier., 1899-11-11
STORY OF "OCEAN NARY"
eA6Y MASCOT OF THE SEA WON THE
HEART OF A. PIRATE.

ceW-ChiId Grew to Womanhood an.
Her Wedding Gown Was Made From
the Pirate. Silk Brocade.
Inthe village lurying-ground at Hen
mixer, n. H., may be seen standing
among a dozen slabs Of like design
small slate stone, whose inscription,
III common with the others, in nc
manner suggests that the story of the
one IN whose memory it was set was
different from the ordinary affairs o.
the hillside pioneer.
1t is the grave of Ocean Mary. II
was years and years age that the
baby mascot Of the sea won a pirate's
heart.
Previous to 1920, the year in which
the principal events of this narrative
occurred, many families Of Scotch
peasantry C ossel the north channel
and found for a time homes in the
larger towns on or near the coast OF
Ireland. Thus Londonderry became
the residence of a large number of
Scotch yeomanry.
In those oil times Of slow ships and
many reriIs CT the sea, it was d far
cry from Londonderry in Ireland to
Londonderry in the granite state;
still. Scotland and the Emerald Isle
had already sent sturdy pioneers to
the world on the Merrimac.
Tradition, often the truer part Of
history, has failed to save from OBJ
livion the name of the ship which
sailed from Londonderry for Boston
in July, 1920, but she is said to have
been'ln many respect vastly superior
to others Of her C ass il those times.
At any rate, long before she dropped
anchor off the Picturesque coast. many
well-to-do families hal prepared for
the long voyage. Of those VIII, from
the deck of the departing ship
watched the green shcr>s of Ireland
fade from view a large proportion
were not only strong of limb, but
thrifty and provident.
Out through Lou III Foy,e, past In
nishowen hea and far beyond Giants
Causeway, with favoring winds, sailed
the fated shir.
Among the passengers were James
Wilson and his young wife. A year
before Wilson married Elizabeth Full
ton. and they were now on their way
to Londonderry, n. H., where land
had been laid ont to James Wilson as
one of the grantees of that town.
In the small valley settlement to
which Wilson and his wife were tray-
cling were friends under whose hands
prof able harvests were sure, and a
generation WAS sprinsing up whose
influence was to be felt long years
afte".
Concerning the earlier part of the
voyage of the emigrant ship tradition
is nearly silent although certain frag-
mentary accounts hint of a ]prot-acted
calm and following storm of such vio-
lence that the vessel wa; driven FROM
her course. However that may be,
it is reasonably certain that the pas
sage was about one-third accomplished
when events transpired that made the
voyage memorable in the lives Of all
on loard.
One sultry evening the lookout saw
or the horizon a sail standing like a
gray silhouette against the early-ris-
ing moon. All through the hot sum-
mer night the strange craft wore
carer and nearer, and when morning
came her low hull could be seer likes
black shadow under her full set of
canvas.
The pirate was within gunshot of
the emigrant ship. To fight. or run
away was not to be thought of. The
slow ship had not a dozen muskets.
They simply waited. They had not
long to wait, for boats were soon
and swarming upon the
deck, the robbers fell to work as men
who knew how to plumber and kill.
Crew and passengers were bound and
some were left lying whore they were
captured. and some rolled into cor
ners, just as suited a momentaryfrea
Of the invaders.
None were killed. Valuables were
gathered into parcels convenient to
be transferred to the pirate ship. The
captain going below to search
the. officers quarters, threw open
the after cabin door with a rough
hand, but seeing a woman lying in
the berth, stopped.
"Why are you there?' demanded
The rufian.
"see." The terrified woman un-
covered a baby's face.
"a girl"
ssvs, L..n
'No."
The pirate went to the cabin door
and commanded that no man stir until
orders. Then, returning, he
went close to the berth where the
lay, and said gently, eff I
may name that baby, that little girl, I
will unbind your men and leave your
ship unframed. May I name the girl?"
eyes"
Then the rough old robber came
nearer still and took up the tiny, un-
'esisting hand Of the baby. "Mary'
vas the name the woman heard him
peak. There were other words, but
so low she could not hear.
)nly his Maker and his own heart
NEW, but when the child drew its
,and away the mother saw a tear on
he pink fingers.
There have been other knights than
Here was
As good as his word, the pirate
ordered all captives unbound
nd goods and valuables restored to
he places from which they had been