Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-30
THE WHITE SHIP

Many, many years ago there nved
king of England named Henry the
First. He had only one son, young
man of about eighteen years, called
Prince William.
At this time the kings Of England
ruled over all Normandy, country
in the northern part of France. since
William would be the ruler OF NOR.
mandy some day, his father wished
him to know something of the coun-
try and it's people.
So King Henry and Prince William
! went across the English Channel with
gay company of ladies and noble
men. All passed very happy days IN
France, and on the twenty-fifth OF
November, in the year one thousand
one hundred and twenty the whole
routine prepared to embark at the
Port of Barfleur for the voyage home.
On that day and at that place there
came to the king. Fitz-Stephen, sea
captain, and said
my liege, my father served your
father all his life, upon the sea- he
steered the ship with the golden boy
upon the prov, in which your father
sailed to conquer England. beseech
you to grant me the same office. |
have fair vessel in the harbor here,
called the White Ship, manned by fifty
sailors of renown. I pray you sire,
to let your servant have the honor OF
steering you in the White Ship to
Englan.!"
81 am sorry, friend" replied the
king, chat my ship is already chosen
and that 1 cannot sail with the son OF
the man who served my father, but
the prince and all his company shall
go along with you, in the fair White
Ship, manned by fifty sailors OF re-
nown."
An hour or two afterwards the king
set sail in the vessel he had chosen,
accompanied Shy other vessels, and,
sailing all night with fair and gentle
wind, arrived upon the coast of Eng,
land in the morning. While 1t was
yet night, the people in some OF those
ships heard a faint, wild cry come
over the sea, and wondered what it
was.
Now, the prince went aboard the
! White Ship with one hundred and
forty youthful mobiles like himself
among whom We're eighteen noble
ladies of the highest rank. All this
gay company, with their servants and
fifty sailors. made three hundred souls
aboard the fair White Ship.
Give three casks of wine, F1tz
Stephen said the prince "to the fifty
sailors of renown! My father, the
king, has sailed out of the harbor
What time is there to make merry
here and yet reach England with the
| rest?"
prince" said Fitz-Stephen. "before
morning, my fifty and the White SHIP
shall overtake the swiftest ship In
attendance upon your father, the KING
! If we sail at midnight!
The prince commanded to make
merry. and the sailors drank from
the three casks of vine; and the
prince and all the noble company
danced in the moonlight on the deck
of the White Ship.
| When. at last. she shot out OF the
harbor of Barfeur, there was not q
sober seaman on board. But the sails
| were all set, and the oars all going
| merrily. Fitz-Stephen had the helm
The gay young mobiles and the beautl
full ladies', wrapped in nantes Of var
ious bright colors to protect them
from the cold, talked, laughed anc
sang. The prince encouraged the
sailors to row harder yet. for the
honor of the White Ship.
Crash. A terrific cry broke from
three hundred hearts. 1t was the cry
| the people in the distant vessels o.
the king heard family on the water
| The White Ship had struck upon
rock-was filling-going down!
Fitz-Stephen hurried the prince int
a boat, with some few mobiles. .Pusf
Off" he whispered, and row to the