Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1911-08-04
ROCKVILLE MARYLAND. FRIDAY MORNING. AUGUST 4 1911
My
Grandfather'S
Story
From the Kindness of His Heart
He Fell Into Trap
by EDNA l.. TROOP
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911
by EDNA L. TROOP

ClhtiOus ADA
SSSssOSsssssSssOssOOssSOsS
My grandfather, who was seafar-
ing man almost from the time he was
born till he was sixty, told me this
story when l was boy. There were
certain incidents and pictures in his
narrative that made lasting impress
sion on my childish mind cannot
give them as minutely as he who was
the central figure of the story nor de-
scribe the tropical scenery as he saw
1t, lighted by full moon. can only
mention the salient points as | remem-
Der them after an interval of many
years.
II was first mate" he said, "of the
bark Ann Eliza. We were lying one
night In the mouth Of st. Johns river,
Florida. The crew had gone ashore to
a dance at one Of the plantations, and
the captain had gone in the same
boat with them to attend to some busi-
ness. was left aboard in command
Of ten men. The captain had heard
that there was a good deal of insubor-
dination among the negro slaves In
that region and that bands OF ne
groes had cut loose from their masters
and We're going about looting what
ever Of value they could find. He
charged me, therefore, to keep a sharp
lookout for boats approaching the ship
and not permit them to come too near.
II was sitting on the quarterback
with minimum Of clothing on me,
for the weather was hot, smoking a
cigar The full moon was about an
hour high and lit up the palms on the
shores and the moss hanging on the
forest trees, giving the scenery u Pc
cullarly weird effect. There was not
a cloud in the sky and no sound ex-
cept the waves rolling in on the beach
about a mile away, the monotonous
rustling being occasionally broken by
a song from negro hut near the river
bank.
II was enjoying the simmer OF
the moonlight on the water when
l discovered black speck In It
The water was comparatively smooth
90 that could keen the sneck nj
WAYS in view. Il soon grew more
distinct, and could distinguish what
looked like couple of paddles. one on
each side, flashing alternately I'm the
moonlight As the spet drew nearer
saw that these were not paddles. but
the arms of some one swimming hand
over hand. the spot being the swim
mer,s head
"Pretty soon the swimmer a man
approacbed the shin. leaned oyel
the tafrrail and asked him what he
wanted
"plaose can'n, be said LET me
come oboard and ri fell vou.'
81 ordered n rome ladder lowered
and the man came I'D. He was not
much above the moor white trash or.
der He said he owned n amalI plan.
taton frontIn0 ON the river hank inst
below us with n few negroes. He had
learned that tbev wore that ni0ht I'm.
tondIpg m m,,rder him and all his
family and fake nossessIon of bis nlan.
tation He had come 70 ma for assist
once
...aa.a,, b. Tho mani, .,or, aud
H. a,,s,,,s., -, ,,,,,o,, arao,ad ,nIo,s
80. 49, .. 800 49,, ond hIs
81. o,,,S 49,. .ho,r aooth r,
y 80" 20. - w 49,,
-. T' L p re- annt 49,,
IN =. '',s Ioa,,n r. lit ,a.atnn,
$50, o.. ~ u.a % ~.
eu' "n u.ssus ~. .no nv " ni'
W. VIZ anu 1'n1 s ~ =. S,InS, n", ~ :" 80
'ls,' "ou'u =, u,soDey ns 'ne CUP
.uin v'uesS "nu pus'ius 'ne snip ~
!.op"'uy y,e'ueu " nia so'',,'"
.iohs snu "o''' pe'"i' '"u'ue'
reiuseu uiln,
never nkeu uoihs 'n'hss py naiVes'
ha''ng ueciueu 10 sehu iorce u Tue
imperiied Iamiys asSistance' deler
miheu 10 SEM every nah ! nau' Inns
would give them inc greatest strength
In race OF danger ana throw all inc
responsibility Tor the safety OF the snip
upon me. II sbe were attacked during
their absence would De killed.
didnt wish any one killed win me !
preferred to take all the risk or none.
Il ordered boat lowered ana every
man on board In II. The planter got
Into the stern with the coxswain In
order to direct the course. put the
party under the command or an OLD
SAT- named ONelll ana toid MIN That
IL ne saw anything 10 cause MIN 10