The Republican journal., 1914-07-30
A PERSONAL REMINlSCENCE.
How One Misfortune After Another Brought
Privation and Sorrow Within the Year.

Privation and Sorrow Within the Year.
[Capt George L. Norton in The MarineJournall
In the late forties New England poss ssed a
large fleet of hermaphrodite briggs in which
it carried on its export and import trade to the
West Indies, South America, and the Mediter
ranean This rig of vessel was handy, in that
they could take in their fore and aft sails when
the wind fair. and if it increased, stow the
lighter square sail, and under reefed foresal
wear out an ordinary gale. In those days the
writer's father, Capt George D. Norton, was
master of square-rigged brig named the Ton
quin, belonging to Belfast, Maine, from which
he sailed, and where my mother, brother. sister
an myself resided In 1850 he took charge of
the hermaphrodite brig Adelne of New York.
owned by a Spanish house, Escoriaza & Co,
moving his family to this city at the time,
locating in a sea captains boarding house
on Pike Street. near the East River and here
was where misfortune for that winter
began.
Everything that could not be brought from
Belfast in our trunks shipped lime
loaded Rockland. Me-, schooner which blew her
sails away in an easterly gale, drifted ashore
on Cape COD, and became d total loss In the
meantime after the Adeline had undergone
extensive repairs at the foot of Market street.
by those well known shipwrights, C. & R.
Poillon, she began loading for Charleston, S.
c with general cargo. No on board
but the mate, receiving cargo, and who for
some cause left afternoon, father detairg
me, lad of Ia. to take count of cargo" and
keep ship. Quite a contract, but ! undertook
it and was given order on Vandyke's din
ing saloon on G ltharine street, block away,
for my meas.
AS | sat down to supper of the draymen
who had been carting beef 10 the brig came in
noticed me, and took seat at the same table.
The bal of fare looked good to me and as was
trying to agree on something Mrs. Garrison's
modest table did not provide, the drayman said
"Now, young fellow, this is the chance of your
life Order beefsteak and onions, fried pota
toes, coffee. apple dUmplings, and top out"
with ice cream, and l Will help you eat such
supper as neither OF US were ever able to get
before, and the ship pays for it" His advice
went, as had already learned to obey the orders
of my elders What supper! Little wonder that
the clerk at the counter tone of Mr.. Vandyke's
sons, who joked me about it many times in af-
ter years. smiled, when on leaving the saloon, /
said, charge it to the brig AGelne." When
got back on board it was dark, and although
monarch of all surveyed, didn't enjoy the re-
sponsibiilty or the loneliness. | wanted to go
home. yearned for my mother. had never
slept away from her | swallowed the lump in
my throat, made a desperate attempt to be
brave, and turned in to the captains berth and
slept till about midnight, when my poor out
ragged stomach would stand 1t no longer. Oh,
how sick | was.
l dressed myself as best l could and started
for nome. stopping only to leave part of my
undigested supper at intervals till l reached
our boarding house The scoldiug that my
shipmaster parent gave me, and the retort
that mother gave him for daring to leave that
dear child on board that vessel alone"
vivid memories yet. Father couldn't look at
me with any degree of patience for days alter
that, for to add to misfortunes, dock
thieves had broken into his cabin that night
after left and stole all his nautical instru-
ments. charts, and clothing That was for
g.tten, however, his day of sailing drew
near, so that |, with the rest of the family,
came in for my share of a mariners affection
ate good bye the day the Adeline was tow
ed to sea, and which | remember distinctly
as if it was but yesterday.
That was the last time saw our be-
loved parent The Adeline never after
heard from. She foundered with all on board.
That this little family outlived the privations
suffered through the loss of bread winner
that winter always surprised me, but proved
the truth of the old proverb that where
there's will there's way