The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-02-20
Missing
By JONATHAN c. MURRAY
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

SeeN wv AAhci SaH mug at the peak Oh
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 clipner
> sailing ships were the finest and fast,
est on the seas.
In 1854 was third mate on one OF
; these ships. We We're bound for HONG.
kong at the time of which am sneak.
ing. having sailed from New York
/. There was no Suez canal In those DAYS.
and we We're obliged to go around the
Cape Of Good Hope. We were ar.
preaching the South African coast
when we overhauled 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.
I osity 1t always excited as to why and
how she was left by those who were
on her, and the Imagination gets to
work at once. Our captain hove to
and said to me:
AIR. Morton. take boat, 20 aboard
OF her and investigate. Take tools to
scuttle her and powder to blow her m. |
as the case may require"
! was much pleased at the order.
and 1t was not long before was
aboard the derelict. | found d GOOD
deal of damage done on deck, evident
~ 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. III one
or the staterooms hanging against the
wood partition was a daeuerreotyrc Of
a girl evidently seventeen or 'eiahtcen
years old. The happy young face was
: great contrast with the wrecked cen
ditlon of things about. / toolssi, from
ts hook and put 1t in the pocket or nv
pea jacket
! couldn't make out anything about
he identity Of the craft. Some Of the
boards or the stern where the name
vas painted had been knocked off an.
by the waves, while other lct- q
ers were illegiblc The letters loft c
we're: +
RT A SIG o @
! made copy of them, giving the Y
roportionate spaces between them. B
'ut there was nothing else aboard 4, g
ientify the ship. She had been knock 4
q about by wind and waves 70 long
lat her inside was pretty we'll wash.
out put fifty pounds o. powder
her, attached fuse. lighted 1t and u
uled away from her. Before we u
'aehed the ship there was IN cxplo- u
on and she sank. 81
AS soon rs went off duty. choosing -
secluded spot. took the dagucrTeo. =.
pc out OF my pocket to have another ~
Ok There's nothing remarkable in ~ ~
,ung sailor out ut sea on long voy.
se making companion of a eirps -,
eture and falling In love with It. Ar ~,
~ rate, this Is what did.
On our way back / determined I,
nut through the whole of North
merica to find the flesh and blood
at correspondent with my likeness ~. ="
e had quick voyage, but not cuick .
ough fer me. though hunt for her o.,
ouid be like looking for needle IN
haystack. Nevertheless as soon os =.
reached our home port went tn ~,
'fh, oVerhauling the records Of all
ships reported lost. But | found
many OF them that despalred OF
tlng on the right one. If / corld r,a
pply the missing letters to the shin. faa
me might get into communication s,ti
ID some one who could tell me abont ho
9iri' But this seemed impossible Tit
nnaue list OF all ships reported
ssihe and compared my lctto"z Win
'ir names, but I must bavc bcep "
y stupid, for / couldn't naka tbor, <or
WIN any OF the names on my list "
"o years later, while on tho Nov, mo
giahd coast, went ashore with fiar
ne Oh my mates to enjoy Ourselves
summer garden. We had hardly
seated when saw at n ne;e,,,,oy. .r
table the original of nv picturo -,
looked up and, seeing mo staring q,
ler with a singular expression. look. at,
but when arose tool, cra,
aaguerreotype from my pocket
avs carried 1t with me--cnd banded
her own picture I thought she mi.
I'D faint. CUT
Where did you get that 2" she asked =,
hlng and turning pale alternately. a,a
. it your likeness?" / asked.
Yes "
re you sureY' ~
know 1t by the dress and by the -.
sts name stamped upon the casing. ~" -.
vas taken four years ago. i rave ~
my brother just before he sslled :. =.
lie last voyage" M
II what ship" you
he Martha wosh,n, no
took out my pocketbook ana drew 0iao
it the original memorandum or
letters left on the derelicts stern
fitted In exactly with the name
girl had given me. surg
9hat became of her?' asked. uhe
be was never heard from" ehe
old her OF the derelict 7 had viJi.- "a "a
nd or the finding Of the dlGuerreo
In stateroom that hsd to;1bt the
been her brothers ~ '" .tage
vas the means Of publishing tHa Ing