Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-07-28

/ Captain Nixon. who was spending his
last and best days in charge of that
/ hOspitable port for sailors on shore.
On this Friday night the sailors songs
had been more noisy than melodcaIS.
the fiddler had played ont or tune.
and the new visitors from town were
evidently embarrassed by their audi
ence. Their songs and piano solos
seemed spiritless and artificial.
Captain Nixon was glad when the
program WAS ended. and he could call
for some old hymns. which were sure
to go we'll The men roarcd out.
breast the wave. Christian. Pull
for the Shore and finally
Awake. my soul. stretch every nerve.
And press with vigor on
\ heavenly race demands thy zeal.
And an immortal crown.
Then Captain Nixon babe good night
TO his guests. feeling that he had but
halfsucceeded in rescuing the even
ing from gloom.
There was box at the door of the
Haven to receive contributions for the
new building. which was a pressing
need of the mission. Captain Nixon
but of late he had been discouraged
at the results Of his appeals Forty
thousand dollars had been pledged. on
condition that ten thousand more
should he raised At that last ten thou
sand dollars the work came to a stand
still.
On this Friday evening the captain
opened the box mechanically, expect
ing to find a handful. of nickes and
pennies from the men. They We're
fewer even that usual. But in the
corner of the box was Il gentleman's
card. with II few pencued words: Call
at my Office ut your convenience for
a check for fifteen thousand dollars
for the Haven Charles Cartwright"
1t was the name of n young mil
liOnaire. noted more for his social
graces and his financial success than
for his charities. He must have been
among the visitors from the city. But
what strange impulse had led him to
this magnificent generosity! What
secret spring of conduct had been
touched: What word or tone had
found It's way to his heart: And at
the concert that had been ~ failure"
too!
Th" next morning Captain Nixon
was early at Cartwright's office The
confidential clerk was ready to honor
the card with a check for fifteen thou
sand dollars. But the old captain
waited until Cartwright himself ar
rived in his automobile. looking the
embodiment of health, wealth and
this worldliness'
MIR. Cartwright | want to thank
you for this splendid gift. 1t has made
a new man Of me. and | believe it
will help make men of hundreds of
sailor boys in years to come | may
be II curious old fellow. Mr.. Cart
wright. but want 70 know how YOU
happened to do the thing. Is that an
impairment question:
NO. Captain Nixon. but didn't
have much of reason. rs reasons GO
That last hymn your men sang
Awake, my soul. stretch every nerve
WAS what made me do il. My grand
mother used to sing that when was
Il boy and visited her at the old farm
house. She would go round the house
hummng II in her thin voice-a little
cracked. She sang ii as if she be-
lieved more in her soul than she did
in her body. She was a frai little
l,,,t 70,
night. when the men struck into the
tune hadn't heard for twenty-five
years it flashed over me that my soul
needed waking up worse than Rim Van
Winkle-if really had a soul |
wrote that card before had time to
story. You've got your fifteen thou
sand dollars and grandmother's hymn
did It,"
At the opening Of the new Haven.
two years later. Captain Nixon an
nOunced that for reason known to
himself he proposed to sing awake.
my soul stretch every nerve" each
Friday and Sunday night as long as
he presided at the Haven. You may
hear 1t there still. and the sailors have
never tired of its stirring phrases.
In the fnraway rest for Gods toll
ers. where their works do follow
them" one JOY to many a soul will be
the harvest Of unnoticedr seed Every
accident that inspired and sanctitied
a deed will be a song.-YOuth's Com
panion.
Except the Lord Build the House,"
BLOW, o winds! Rise. O ocean!
Break forth, We elements. and try my
work. Such was the boastful inscr1p
tionupon the first Eddystone lighthouse
built by the eccentric Winstanley, says
writer In Wellspring. His challenge
was accepted. and one fearful night
the sea swallowed up the tower and its
builder. The next one met a similar