Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-11-11
WRECK OF THE
CASCA BELLE

was only spendthrift sailor. and they
took no stock in the fancy yarns he
was wont to spin for their benefit. But
to the little boy who had just seen his
sixth birthday Joe Greeley was every
thing that was good and wonderful,
and he never stopped to question the
truth of the extraordinary tales of the
sea which his father took delight in
telling him on the rare occasions that
he was home. AS for Joe, he worship
ped his boy. Nothing was too good
for him, and he brought him toys and
curiosities from every foreign port
that he visited.
Mrs. Keller often said that he had
better save his money. It would be
far wiser to look out little for the
future. II anything happened to him,
what would become of Kenneth? She
would sometimes put this question to
Joe, but he would only laugh in his
good-natured way and say that there
wasn't anything going to happen to
him for long while yet
Kenneth's mother died three years
before, and Joe had Immediately TAX
en- the child to Mrs. Keller, who had
cared for him ever since. This wom-
an was widow, and had two small
children of her own. Joe Greeley was
supposed to pay her certain amount
every time he came home for her
care of the boy, but during the last
year he had become more OF a spend
thrift than ever, and on his last leave
of absence he had paid her nothing.
But he had bought small dory for
his son and had spared no expense
in making it beautiful to please the
boy. He named it the Casca Belle,
after his own ship, and while he was
home he would go out in it with Ken
meth every day. The child was de-
lighted with it, and when his father
had gone away he would often coax
Mrs. Keller to take him out in his
dory She would sometimes grant his
request, but she always kept near the
shore, and every time she would warn
him never to touch the boat when she
was not with him.
Time passed until the autumn came.
Then one day this coast was visited
by the severest storm for years. Those
who had relatives and friends at sea
were wild with anxiety that night.
All the next day the storm ragged and
it was late evening before it abated.
Tie villagers waited apprehensively
for news of the ships that they knew
had been obliged to face the gale. 1t
was not long before their worst fears
were realized, and the tidings came
that the Casca Belle had been wreck
ed off the coast of Spain. 1t had gone
down with all its crew.
Mrs. Keller heard this with a sor-
rowful heart What would become of
Kenneth now? Joe had not paid her
for the child's board, and she was too
poor to keep on caring for the boy.
She had had hard time to look out
for her own children since her hus-
band had been lost at sea five years
before. There were only two places
for the child. One was the Orphans
Home and the other was the county
farm. There was no one who would
take him, for he did not nave a single
living relative. This Mrs. Keller
talked over with Mrs. Murray the
morning that the tidings reached the
village She did not dream that Ken
meth was standing near and that he
heard ALL Although the child did not
realize what it ali meant, he vaguely
understood that something terrible
had happened to his dear father. as
he had always called him, and that
they were intending to send him to
some dreadful place. He made' up his
mind instantly that he would not 60
The comforting thought had come to
the boys mind that his father, who
had been shipwrecked so many times
before, according to the tales he had
heard him tell, might be rescued, as
he had always been, and that he
would come home again. But when
week had passed and he had not come
the child decided that he would go to
find him. That day he had heard
Mrs Keller say that she was going to
take him to the home the following
morning. She did not know that his
little heart was bursting with grief
and that he had no notion of going to
any place other than where his father
was.
The woman did not see the tiny
figure stealing down to the sea, now
lying calm and blue in the morning
sunshine, as if it could never be cruel
and tire scherous. She did not think
of him until about two hours after
ward, when her own children came in
to dinner. Then she suddenly remem-
bered with dismay that she had seen
him but once that forenoon.
"Where can he have gone to-" she
cried. tCan he"
She did not wait to finish the sem
tence. but snatching up shawl. she
threw 1t over her head and went swift
ly down the path to the sea, followed
by her children Several villagers
saw her running and to them she
shouted her fears. They were men
and they went with her IN case they
should be needed. 1t was even as
they had feared. The dory was gone
from its moorings.
t.o,,r,c caorah oY1f oD S0rpo