Year: 1862

I'm few minutes alter they were landed
Ned's wife came. We had sent a boy for spir-
its and things, and he, youngster-like, told what
Ned was about. None who were there will ev-
er forget that fair young thing as she fell on her
knees by her husbands side, and swooned away
with her head on his breast.


''Ah, the man that had just braved such dam
ger, wept like o child as he smoothed the golden
hair of his wife.


GAS weak as child he was, too, from loss of
blood. Well, other women came soon after,
and bound up their wounds, and then we got a
cart and brought them down to my house.


''Eleven men and three boys were the crew OF
the Hesperus, as the ship was called, and only
that one man saved lie lay for days-very
quiet at last-and scarce spoke word. What
he did say was about his mother, and the name
of some young woman. When we stripped him
by the doctors orders-we found little pack
ct hung around his neck by black riband, and
as it was wet with the salt water, we took it a
way to dry. My wife who tended him more
than the rest, said he seemed to keep cropping
for something in his bosom, SO she put it back
again: and when he found it there all right, he
never strove to rise and call out as he did before
1t is not for me to say, but my old woman al
ways considered that packet to hold some true
love token. She often said she wished she knew,
for she thought how glad his mother and sweet
heart would be to know he was alive.


'.Well, he went on in that strange way nigh
on three weeks, and we did not know 50 much
as the name of the sick man. Just as Ned was
going about again all WE'LL we thought the sight
of him might bring the sailor to his recollectons.
So Ned went and sat by the bedside till he a
woke. 1t was getting near Christmas, and he
wanted the poor man to be well enough to en-
Joy the time with us. When he opened his eyes,
Ned held out his hand, and says he:


''Give you joy, comrade. Ay | sec you'll be
more than a match for me next turn we have,
particularly when it's grass we stand on"


''With that the tears came into his poor, dim
eyes, and catching Neds hand, he said


81 remember now. Were none saved but me?'


''Ned was fearful to tell the truth, in case it
might make him worse, SO he Just laughed and
said:


''You've been so long sleeping off the effects
of your wettng, that they've gone and left you.
But It's time we knew your name, stranger, #
it please you to tell" :


'sGascoigne," he said-"Richard Gascoigne.
Has no one written to my mother2''


'IIow could wc," says Ned, Gas we did not
know where she lved?"


"With that he got up to come away, for he
was afraid if he stayed he'd tell himself about
his shipmates, only three of whose bodies were
ever found.


s'IIe'd Just got to the door when the poor man
wanted him to come back, but before he could
turn about the parson came into the room, and
Ned got away.


1--WE never knew the particulars for certain,
but always believe, to this day, the young man
was no common sailor.


'.I'he parson used to come and sit with him
hours together, and a fine lot of letters they
wrote between them. But we were never the
wiser for any of their scholarship doings, but in
one thing, and that won't be forgot round here
for manys long day,


t'Ihe Christmas day we were all standing a.
bout the church door, shaking hands, and wish
ing each other q merry Christmas and a happy
New Year, when the htte gate that led from
the parsonage lawn into the church-yard opened,
and a lady came among us, so beautifully dress
ed and so beautiful herself that we all stopped
talking to look at her.


'1m before my story, though, for should
have told you the stranger had gone to the par
sonage as soon as he could be moved.


''Well, the lady came forward into the midst
of the crowd, and she said:


(Which of all you brave kind men is Edward
Smeeth 2"


"Ned was Just behind me, and seemed ready
to slnk away, but pushed him fore, and said
II:


"Is it please your ladyship, that's him.


:'Well, Ned knowed manners too well to run
away them so there he stood, blushing like a
girl.


''I'he lady took his hand, and seemed going
to make speech; but she had only just begun
her thanks when her heart rose her throat, and
the tears stood in her eyes, and she only said,
God bless you and put little box into Neds
hand, and then kissed his great rough hand as if
had been baby's face Ned seemed struck all
of heap. He looked at the things she had Civ
en- .him, and turned his hands as if he expected
to sec mark where her beautiful lips had touch
ed.


ssWell, as the lady could not speak for her.
self, the person up and told us all the sense oft
How that there was grand place up to Lon
don, with great many grand people, who sub
scrbed among them to reward them that saved
life.


"And proud" says the parson, proud I am
that such token has come into my parish


He said many kind and good words, and then
told Ned to open the little box and show what
was in it. There, sure enough, was beautiful
medalwith Neds name, and the name Of the man
saved, and some Latin words, which the par
son said was that we should never give up trying
to save life, for perhaps little spark of hope
might yet remain, though all seemed gone.


"Ah! here comes Ned, he'll beproud to show
your honor the medal"


So we walked into Ned's cottage hardly, and
were delighted to find that, though seven long