The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1900-09-27
THE SCHOONER THAT TURNED
AQuAIJEk.

Lssrins sfas lifted The schooner Raves
high 90 its beach ose pisht shsn sspriss
gale sbsruea Lake Mlchissn. The Raves
ve osned, nssisstcd snd GOV. IN ih'
asssr Of bsr sailing dsys. bescbed by Csr
ts,o Ebea,xr . RsselI. Csps Cod uss lh'
place OF the Captains ustiviiy, sni b
bad ssiled all seris snd conditions ci usi
srs irom The Erie canal 10 the Arctic
ocesn
lie asserted, houtTer. With shlv oier
plotive lsngnsse that ". csrtsinly nc
part Of his Pniilsn inheritance, that ht
never ran ib,o qate 20 mach 'dift" sty
where elae ss when there was 9 norther
screening down this long lake, breaking
the water into foam from skillisslee TO
Crosse point. Nov the indignant lake re
paid bis isrfy epitbeis by Ringing bin
further up on The lsrd than sny boat ever
wept before.
Captain Rowell had characters tics that
ntrked him AZ man spart. His long
mustsehe droopea and mingled With 3
short beard well sho. With gray, and when
be wore bis diBgy sou'Hester be looked
liEe very middle aged walr1s. The esp
tain had wooden leg, bound at the bot
tum with triple bands Of brass. 01e o.
Fsrssuts surgeons took charge OF the
leg OF n ,sh for which this wooden substi
tote did duty after the battle Of Mobile
Bay
The skipper Of the Raven also bad a
pipe that vas not without celebrity. 1t
was burned to ebony blacAness. aud, upon
the word OF reliable mariners. was de
elsred TO emit such penetrating fumes
that the Raven could not clear from Wis
consin port without the fact Immediately
becoming known in Michigan, il the wind
we're right!
But now the Raven. her cummsnder.
wooden leg, pipe and all, we're cast up on
the beach. Csptsin Rowell bad been try
iug TO make port and bad missed the bar
Dor entrance "A narrow passage between
two piers. ss easy to sail into 10 storm
as the neck OF bottle AS his boat went
| flying 10 through the breakers the captain
ragged and beat tattoo on the deck With
bis wooden leg, having no gratitude 10
bis heart for the wind and waves that
were landing him ou soft sand instead OF
banging the Raven against the rocks that
were equally handy. Tho schooner settled |
easily upon the beach. with the skipper |
cinging to the tsfirsil and the two Scsndi
nsyians who constituted the crew gripping |
at the shrouds.
Morning showed the seriousness OF the |
case. The Raven lay at the innermost
point OF coy blight. with couple oil hnn
dred yards Of sand between her and the
bluffs that trimmed the bay. A little way
to the north long breakwster was thrust
into the lake, the visible evidence OF bar
Dor work in which government engineers
were engaged. One effect Of the building
OF this breskwster had been 10 arrest Ger
tain lake currents and make them deposit
great quantities Of sand along that part of
the shore on which the Raven stranded.
10 consequence. new land was forming rap
idly at that point. and the people OF the
town we're beginning to speculate as 10
the use to which il should be put.
II was q singularly ffectusl rush OF the
water that carried the schooner to this
resting place. and Captain Rowell knew
very we'll that to get her back into the wat
er would be expensive and difficult. He
was the more disgusted with fate because
be had been csst away on the shore Of bis
home port, where neishbors would want
to know the why and wherefore OF this eI
traordinary navigation.
Ooe OF those who came next day TO look
ut the schooner, so far removed from her
ordinary element, was o lawyer acquaint
ancs Of the captain, In speaking about
the. In speaking about the changes that
wera going on 10 tha, part OF the coast, be
referred TO the rspidity with which the !;
land was encrosching on the lake t.ere
and gave it as bis opinion that there was
doubt about the right OF owners Of proper
iy on the bluff. - between which an lake
4 rsilrosd right oil way ioteryened--to
claim the sccretion.
In fact, said Lawyer Flanders, believe
this 10 government land, and any body who 8
,quats on /. will have a lighting chance.
), least. to establish title to the whole 0
"trip. Wherenpon Captain Ebenezer Row u
I'll pricked up bis Yankee ears and sdroit
y cross qnestioaei the lawyer until be
bad fair notion Of the legal conditions
ffecliug this stretch OF weed tnfted sand,
1ot lovely 10 look upon, but destined to
be very valuable. He announced that
,isht that be intended to defer prepsra :
ions for fo,tiDg the Raven. Y
The next day be brought Marie, bis
wife. down from their cottage snd, having =
rotten the Raven properly braced on 40
sven keel, installed Mrs. RoEell 10 the v
,sbin. Well live here awhile. Msrisr,
'sld the captain. And Maria, who had :
'siled under Etenezel's orders for 40 v
Iesre, thought this no time 10 ask ques
ions, but beasn 10 set things 10 order. "
The sehooner Raven bad sqast.ed 90 10 0
,lsimed land. v
Now, 10 the courss Of time the duellers u
~ The bluff. inhabitants Of stone houses
e, 10 terncsd lawns, looked down upon il
be marine fqaalter and we're di,plessed. q
they paid little attention II ars,, but the Il
tesdy Issue OF smoke from the Ravens I
~, .,nva and the scnn q. uiatiou uf Ms ir