Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-16

Captain Elisha Hopewell of the brig
Mary Ann of Salem had been repairing
and repainting and making his craft reaoy
for a voyage to London and return. Inc
year was 1856 and boy and man ne mao
been sailing for over thirty years. Although
he had owned and commanded the Mary
Ann for ten years. she was by no means
a new craft when he got her. In making
repairs he had found many signs OF weak
ness and as he finished his days work anu
started for home his knees were stin anu
his neck ached. He reached his house 10
find his wife, Nancy. and supper Waluns
for him. and as he took his seat at the
table he looked at her critically and for
the first time noticed that there were gray
hairs among the brown on her head
Elisha, have you lost your jackknife or
heard that your brother was dead?' quiet
ly asked Nancy after awhile.
NO" he answered, and followed the
word with a sigh.
"Mebbe We are comm down with measles.
Your mother says ye never had EN- as d
boy
''Mebbe am" he gloomily replied
Nancy waited for three minutes to see
If he had an explanation, but as none came
she briskly said:
Now look here, Elisha, know all about
it. and I've bin sort O. 'spectin this thing
would happen any time. You've bin over
haulin' the Mary Ann, and you We 1ouno
she's growing old You've found out the
same thing of yourself. and you've sudden
1y seen IL in me. 1t has struck you all In a
heap. and you feel glum over 1t.
Then by Josh you've hit it!' exclaimed
the captain, glad to have an opportunity 10
talk II over.
We'll. there amt no call to cry over 1t,
she continued. Ever since you got tins
charter I've made up my mind that II
would be our last voyage"
But how can 1t be, Nancy?"
ut won't be so hard. We are pretty well
off fur common folks. Elisha. That 1s
we've got enough money to start you in
ship chandlery, and we own our own house
and lot. No fear but what we'll come out
all right. We must give up the sea to
younger folks"
They talked IT over for a couple of hours,
and II was fully decided that when the
Mary Ann returned to Salem her last voy-
age under Captain Hopewell would be end
ed. Perhaps an astrologist might have
warned them that there would be no home
coming for the brig which had borne them
safely over so many leagues of ocean, but
there was no reader of the future at hand.
1t got to be known over Salem that Captain
HopeweI was making his last voyage, and
when the Mary Ann cast off from the
wharf there was a big crowd at hand to
cheer her departure and wish her a safe
return. She headed out into the Atlantic
on summers afternoon, and as the Mas
tain Elisha said to Nancy:
by JOSH then. Nancy. but 1t seems as If
a piece of that beef we had for breakfast
had got stuck in my throat
It's sort O. weakness of our feelin's,
Elisha" she replied as she turned away to
wipe her eyes. but l guess we've decided
fur the best"
For a thousand leagues headed toward
the rising sun, the Mary Ann was driven
as she had never been driven before There
was a piping breeze. and it scarcely varied
a point, and third of the run had been
marked off when there fell fiat calm. 1t
was noon when the wind died out. and the
man aloft reported the ocean clear of sail
AS shutdown came the sea was like glass
and IL was the same state of affairs at mid
night when the watch was changed. The
mate went off and the captain came on, and
he had been on deck only half an hour
when Nancy appeared. She declared 1t to
be too hot below to sleep. In calm in
midocean at night there are strange and
uncanny sounds from the hold of a ship as
she lazily heaves up on the ground swell.
Boxes and barrels down In the hold rub
each other, bulkheads creak and timbers
groan. and now and then there are shrill
squeaks from the fighting rats. Men who
sleep during a calm breathe stentoriously
and sigh and groan now and then, and the
wakeful ones move about uneasily and cast
apprehensive glances over the sea.
Nancy walked aimlessly about for awhile
and then rested her arms on the rail and
gaZed off into the darkness and let her
thoughts wander back home. She had
been silent for quarter of an hour when