The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1911-09-13
My
Grandfather'S
Story
From the Kindness of His Heart
He Fell Into a Trap
By EDNA L. TROOP
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

Ny grandfather, who was seafar-
ing man almost from the time he was
born till he was sixty. told me this
story when | was boy. There were
certain incidents and pictures in his
narrative that made a lasting impress
sion ON my childish mind. cannot
give them as infinitely as he who was
the central figure of the story nor de
scribe the tropical scenery as he saw
1t. lighted 10y full moon. 1 can only
mention the salient points as | remem
Der them after an interval of many
years.
81 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
q dance at one of the plantations. and
the captain had gone in the same
boat with them to attend to some bust
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
ahu Ntht tPiht 'ooeht An'
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 a 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 a pc,
culiarly weird effect. There was not
q 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
q song from n negro hut near the river
bank
81 was enjoying the simmer of
the moonlight on the water when
discovered a black speck In 1t.
The water was comparatively smooth.
20 that could keep the speck al
ways In view II soon grew more
distinct. and could distinguish what
looked like n couple OF paddles. one on
each side. flashing alternately In the
moonlight. As the spot drew nearer
I 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. n man.
approached the ship. | leaned over
wanted.
"'Please. cap'n.' he said. let me
come aboard and I'll tell you
II ordered a rope ladder lowered.
and the man came up. He was not
much above the poor white trash or
der. He said he owned n small plan
tation fronting on the river bank just
below us. with a few negroes. He had
learned that they were that night in
tending to murder him and all his
family and take possession OF his plan
tation. He had come to US for assist
ance.
According TO the mans story-and
he seemed very much affected unless
1 sent force to guard him and his
family I would permit their death. II
! sent only "A part OF my men they
might also be killed II | sent them
all 1t would leave the ship unprotect-
ed. A man begging for the life OF his
wife and children IL pretty hard to re
sist. I would be disobcying the cap
tain's orders and putting the ship in
jeopardy II l yielded to his solicita
lions and would permit murder n =
refused him.
II never ked doing things by halves.
Having decided to send n force to the
imperiled family's assistance. deter
mined to send every man had This
would give them the greatest strength
in face OF danger and throw all the
responsibility for the safety Of the ship
upon me IL she were attacked during
their absence would be killed
didn't wish any one killed with me
preferred to take all the risk or none.
81 ordered a boat lowered and every
man on board in it. The planter got
into the stern with the coxswain in
order to direct the course. put the
party under the command OF an old
salt named O'Neill and told him that
II he saw anything to cause him to
suspect treachery to tumble the plant
er overheard and return at once. The
men pulled out. and l watched them
in the simmer till they were lost I'M
Nar tho hank