The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-11-03

beneath white sheets, were silently
borne forth from cabin and forecastIO
and placed reverently upon planks
balanced across the rail.
I should greatly have preferred
| Lady Darlington to remain below dur
ing the ceremonies. There is much de-
preston about such burial scenes at
| sea, especially so in our circumstances
and surroundings. But she insisted
upon being present, and so at the last
moment l returned to the cabin and
escorted both her and Celeste to the
deck. 1t was a dismal, melancholy
scene, and l did not wonder at the
slight shiver with which her ladyship
glanced about. The swiftly descending
snow, the whitened decks, trampled
beneath the feet of the men, the bare
spars overhead; the low-fying, dun
colored clouds; the gray, tumbling
waters; the low growl of the ice as
the waves battered IFS front; the ST.
lent semicircle of men standing mo.
tionless except for their shufling feet;
and those two white-draped figures ly-
ing extended across the rail-all COM
bined to form a grim sea-picture the
memory of which can never dissolve.
Protected somewhat from the sharp
wind by the cabin the men had flung
aside their mufIlers, SO that their
weather-beaten faces, most Of them
heavily bearded, were plainly revealed.
could not but be impressed with the
motley crowd, as the lineaments Of
negro, Kanaka, and every variety of
white degenerate were thus exposed.
Their uneasy, shutting feet, and the
impatience depicted on their faces, |
aroused me to the requirements of the
moment. / advanced to the rail, stand
ing beside the corpse of the mate.
Lads" l said, soberly, when we
bury shipmates at sea there is q
solemnity about the simple ceremony |
unknown to the land. Far away from
IGiends and home we give the body vi |
to the great ocean to keep for eterni |
ty. Yet we are sailors, long acCus |
toned to the yicissitudes and perils OF |
the Deep we have parted with ship |
mates before in many seas, and not a
few among you look forward to the |
time when comrades will be called |
upon to perform similar service Ol
respect over your bodies. Even now
we sail forward into great danger.
and none among us can prophesy what
The morrow may bring of either life
or death. Yet the sea is the sailors
5epulcher, the roar of the great waves
his requiem. l am no sea preacher,
able to address you upon the he
after, or fitted to eulogize the spiri
Of those whose bodies we are about
bury. You desire nothing of the kim.
Neither can l read over these forms
he usual burial service, for | can find
40 book containing it on board. Is
here any one among you, mates, who
Will voice prayer before we drop
hese bodies overboard%
| looked along the semi-circle of
aces, expecting nothing from the
members Of the crew, yet family hope
ul that some one or two might be led
o respond. No one stirred, however,
he only sound on board the wind
through the rigging and the
leayy breathing of the men.
well, then" ] added, regretfully,
nothing remains but to commit their
'odies to the deep, and may God have
mercy on their souls"
lifted my hand in signal, but even
IS / did so Lady Darlington spoke, the
nen who were about to tilt the planlls
ausing In wonderment
Nv ait, Mr.. Stephens; not without
ne word of prayer. Let me speak it, if {
10 one else will"
She came forward, throwing back {
ier veil and grasping my sleeve to {
etain steady footing on tho heaving