Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-09-09

Ns~~~A~~p
had been repairing and repatnt-
eng and making his craft ready for
Nogage to London and return. The
gear was 1885, and boy and man he
had been sailing for over thirty years.
Although he had owned and COM
manded the Mary Ann for ten years,
@he was by no means new craft
when he got her. In making repairs
De had found many signs Of weak
mess, and as he finished his days work
and started for home his knees were
wtiR and his back ached.
He reached his house to find his
wife, Nancy, and supper waiting for
him. and as he took his seat at the
cable 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 jack
knife or heard that your brother was
MeadT" quietly 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 'em as q boy"
''Mebbe I am" he gloomily replied.
Nancy waited for three minutes to
Gee If he had an explanation, but as
none came she briskly said:
''Now look here. Elisha, know all
about II, and I've been sort O. spectin'
this thing would happen any time.
Nou've been overhaulin' the Mary Ann
and you've found she's growing old.
You've found out the same thing Of
yourself. and you've suddenly seen 1t
Gn me. It has struck you all In
heap. and you feel glum over it."
''Then. by Josh, you've hit itl' ex-
claimed the captain, glad to have an
opportunity to talk it over"
'"'Wall, there amt no call to cry over
It," she continued. ever since you
got this charter, I've made up my
mind that 1t would be our last voy-
hge."
"But how can it be, Nancy"
''It won't be so hard. We are purity
well off fur common folks, Elisha.
That is. we've got enough money to
start you in ship chandlery, and we
own our own house and lot. No fear
but what Wen come out all right.
We must give up the sea to younger
folks"
They talked 1t over for a couple of
4,rII Ind hot
when the Mary Ann returned to Salem
her last voyage under Captain Hope
well would be ended. Perhaps an
astrOlOger might have warned them
that there would be no homecoming
for the brig which had borne them
but there was no reader of the future
at hand.
lit got to be known over Salem that
Captain Hopewell was making his last
voyage, and when the Mary Ann cast
off from the wharf there was O. big
crowd at hand to cheer her departure
and wish her a safe return. She head
ed out into the Atlantic On a sum-
mer's afternoon. and as the MaSsa-
ehusetts shores faded behind them,
Captain Elisha said to Nancy:
"By Josh, then. Nancy. but it seems
fur breakfast had got stuck in my
AhrOat"
'sIt's a sort o. weakness of our feel
nns'. Elisha" she replied as she turned
away to wipe her eyes, "but I guess
we've decided for the BEST"
Eor O thousand miles, headed to-
ward the rising sun. the Mary Ann
was driven as she had never been
driven before. There was a piping
Areeze. and 1t scarcely varied point,
and a third Of the run had been mark
nd off when there fell flat calm.
IL was noon when the wind died
out, and the man sent aloft reported
che ocean clear Of sail. AS shutdown
came the sea was like glass, and 1t
,Nyas the same state Of affairs at mid
Might when the watch was changed.
The mate went off and the captain
eame on and be had been only on deck
half All hour when Nancy appeared. She
Declared 1t to be too hot below to
sleep.
In O calm midocean at night there
are strange and uncanny sounds from
the hold Of a ship as she lazily heaves
ap ON the ground swell Boxes and
barrels down in the hold rub each
ether. bulkheads creak and timbers
GrOan, and now and then there are
@hrilI sQueaks from the lighting rats.
Men VINO sleep during a clam breathe
msentoriously and sigh and grOan now
and then, and the wakeful ones move
about uneasily and cast apprehensive
@iaAees- over the sea.
Nancy walked aimiessly about for a
!gllile and then rested her arms on the
vail and gazed off into the darkness
and let her thoughts wander back
home, She had been silent for quar-