The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-06-07
Missing
By JONATHAN c. MURRAY
Copyright by American Press Assoc
ciation 1911.

sees the American flag AT the peak of
an ocean vessel. just before the civil
war we We're fast absorbing the carry
ing trade OF the world. Steam hadn't
then displaced sails as it has almost
entirely done today, and our clipper
sailing ships We're the finest and fast
est gu the seas
In 1854 | was third mate on one of
kong al the time of which | am speak
ing having sailed from New York
There was no Suez canal in those DAYS,
and we were obliged to go around the
Cape Of Good Hope. We were APP
preaching the South African coast
when we overhaued derelict
A derelict is always an interesting
object plunging helplessly about among
the waves with no hand TO even at
tempt to guide her Then ones curl
osity ii always excited rs to why and
how she was left by those who were
on her, and the Imagination gets to
and said to me:
MT Morton. take a boat, go aboard
Of her and investigate Take tools to
scuttle her aud powder to blow her up,
as the case may require
| was much pleased at the order,
and 1t was not long before | was
aboard the derelict. / found a good
deal Of damage done on deck, evident
ly by storm A number Of the lights
had been broken, and the seas had
drenched the cabin. Everything was
In confusion as IL those on board had
been under great excitement In one
of the staterooms hanging against the
wood partition was daguerreotype OF
girl evidently seventeen or eighteen
years old. The happy young face was
o great contrast with the wrecked con-
diton of things about. / took it from
its hook and put it in the pocket of my
pea Jacket.
| couldn't make out anything about
the identity OF the craft. Some Of the
boards Of the stern where the name
parenty by the waves. while other let
ters were illegible. The letters left
We're:
RI A S | G O
made copy Of them, giving the
proportionate spaces between them.
But there was nothing else aboard to
identify the ship. she had been knock
ed about by wind and waves so long
that her inside was pretty well wash
ed out. | put fifty pounds of powder
in her, attached fuse lighted it and
pulled away from her. Before we
reached the ship there was an explo-
sion and she sank
AS soon rs | went off duty, choosing
a secluded spot, | took the daguerreoF
type ont Of my pocket 20 have another
look There's nothing remarkable in ii
young sailor ont at sea on 4 long vow
age making a companion of girls
picture and falling in love with it. At
any rate, this is what did
On our way back | determined to
hunt through the whole of North
America TO find the flesh and blood
that correspondent with my likeness.
We had quick voyage. but not quick
enough for me. though hunt for her
would be like looking for a needle in
a haystack. Nevertheless as soon as
we reached our home port ! went to
work, overhauIing the records of all
the ships reported lost But I found
so many of them that / despalred OF
hitting on the right one. If | could
supply the missing letters TO the ship's
name J might get into communica tion ,
with some one who could tell me about !
my girl But this seemed impossible. |
/ made a list of all ships reported |
missing and compared nv letters with |
their names but ! must have been |
very stupid. for | couldn't make them
fit with any of the names on nv list. |
Two years later, while on the New
England coast, | went ashore with |
some OF nay mates 10 enjoy ourselves
In summer garden. We had hardly |
got seated when | saw at neighbor-
Ing table the original of my picture.
She looked up ard. seeing me staring
at her with a singular expression. look.
ed embarrassed; but when arose took |
the daguerreotype from my pocket |
always carried 1t with me and handed |
her her own picture I thought she
would faint
Where did you get that?" she asked.
flushing and turning pale alternately.
is il your likenessy I asked.
Yes
Are you sure"
II know it by the dress and bv the
artists name stamped upon the casing
1t was taken four years ago. gave
it to my brother Just before he sailed
on his last voyage"
I'm what ship?'
"The Martha Washington"
| took out my pocketlRok and drew
from 1t the original memorandum of
the letters left on the derelicts stern.
They fitted In exactly with the name
the girl had given me,
What became OF herr" | asked.
She was never heard from"
| told her of the derelict had visit
ed and Of the finding Of the daguerreo-
type In stateroom that had doubt.
less been her brothers
| was the means of puhltahinc the !