Voyage of "The two sisters," a cabin boy's story

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Voyage of ti-

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I My Home and Its Surroundings - " - - 11

II Hopes and Fears - 24

Chapter I. ^V ^ome and 110 &uttountiina:0

Our home circle consisted of my mother, two younger sistci^s, and a brother, three years my senior. My father was absent from home, far away in the gold fields of California. Our home, a humble, yet neat and comfortable dwelling, was situated on the main road running east and west, halfvv'ay between two villages, located at the extreme end of a beautiful and picturesque bay, adjacent to Long Island Sound. It was a story and a-half high, painted white, with a red roof, making it quite conspicuous for some distance around.

The thoroughfare east and west of us was lined on either side with hedg"erows, which we children had occasion to explore frequentl)^ in search of balls, arrows, and other things belonging to a boy's and g'irl's stock of playthings ; also for hens' nests. Back of these hedgerows were grain fields, gardens or pasture lands. During the suminer months the highway was very picturesque ; in the rear, yellow grain, g'reen gardens or cattle grazing quietly. On either side were fragrant and beautifully tinted blossoms without number, yellow and variegated l:)Utterflies darting hither and thither, busy bees and other insects with their activit}^ and continual hum, and many birds of different species, filling the air with their melody, "without money and without price."

On our side of the hedgerow, a well kept vegetable garden could be seen. My mother took the most prominent part in planting and caring for it, with the help of brother and myself after school hours and on Saturdays. My brother became a valuable helper, but I never had much success in gardening. I acted as salesman, however, going before school hours into the village east of us, with a basket filled with lettuce, radishes, cucumbers and other vegetables in their season. The proceeds of my sales defrayed the expense of preparing the ground and buying the seeds.

We also kept chickens, turkeys, pigs and sometimes a cow, which made it necessary for us to have a field of corn which, after having the ground prepared and some assistance in planting, we would then 'tend and, in due time, gather. My brother and I, for our own amusement, would sometimes keep rabbits, of which, alas, the cats made too frequently sad havoc. The woodpile was especially under our immediate supervision, which duty I evaded as often as possible, though the opportunity seldom, if ever, occurred. My little sisters had their duties to perform in household affairs, and took delight in their flower gardens. My brother and I were always detailed at the proper time to assist them in preparing the ground, by turning up the soil with a spade. My mother, too, was fond of flowers, she always showed a lively interest in all the innocent amusements of her children; while at the same time, she lovingly watched over them and cared for them in sickness and in health, so far as possible with the means at her command, and well did she, with heart and mind and strength, perform her duty in the fear of God.

Of course, boys and girls must, necessarily, have time for play as well as for work, which fact our mother never failed to recognize. A short distance on either side of our home were neighbors who had their full quota of children of about the same ages. We visited one another often, but not quite so frequently, perhaps, as we might have desired, especially during the vacation season.

The seat of learning for this vicinity was situated about a mile distant, to the west of us. Some part of the way was quite lonesome, but we generally had company to and from school, a little too much, sometimes, to enable us to make the best time on our way home, especially during the season of playing ball and marbles. The district fathers were careful to engage competent instructors, every parent paying a small fee for each child. Can it be possible that one should ever forget the little red school-house with the woodshed on the east end, the faithful and patient teacher, the boys and the girls? "There the orchard yonder, here the deep old fashioned well with its green moss-covered bucket." The memory of these, even to this day, thrills me as no tongue can tell.

I had an eventful experience one day at the old well. The good fathers, in committee assembled, resolved that the children should no longer drink from the "old moss-covered bucket" or from the trough "like dumb driven cattle." but that a tin dipper should be provided.

In due time the new dipper was installed, not fastened with a small chain to the well curb, but simply hung up on a nail. In those days it was not deemed possible that a child would be so careless as to run off with the dipper or let the dipper run away from him. But one day I ran to the old well to slack my thirst, pulled up the "moss-covered bucket," filled to the brim, and eagerly seized from ofif its nail the new dipper, when lo ; through some unforeseen cause, that bright, new, tin dipper escaped from my hands and proceeded, ding! dong! ding! dong! down the well. It filled and sank to the bottom. .\las, for me, my hopes and ambitions went down also, and even to this day, I can seem to hear the echo of that sound, "ding! dong!'' as that tin dipper went down the well. Of course, this great calamit}^ was forthAvith communicated to the teacher, by some of the boys and girls, who, by the way, had a peculiar method of their own, though strictly in accord with human nature, of expressing their sympathy for a playmate who may have "fallen in life's battle." To be sure just such tale-bearers have lived and died in all ages, as well as the present.

NoAv, the actual cost to the school district for the useful source through which flowed all the water power necessary to run the institution, both for students and faculty, was exactly six cents, and the nail was its only security. Immediately after school was called for the afternoon session, court was convened and I, John Smith, was brought to trial. The charge against me was that, carelessly or purposely, I had permitted the new tin dipper to fall out of my hand into the well. I pleaded guilty to the first charge, carelessness, but firmly defended myself against the second charge, purposely. The witnesses were about evenly divided, but the teacher. Miss Alida L. Brown, whose duty it was to act as both judge and jury, sustained the whole charge and maintained that the defendant was purposely careless. In vain I protested that the act was not intentional and pleaded earnestly that the case be dismissed on the ground that the offense committed was purely accidental. My motion was denied, inasmuch as the "laws of the Medes and Persians" (the decision of the school-teacher), "could not be altered." The teacher proceeded at once to pronounce sentence, as follows : I, John Smith, promise, here and now, that on the following morning I would bring to the teacher either a new tin dipper or six cents in cash, and, in default of such promise, I must remain that xery afternoon after school and be punished. I earnestly appealed from the decision, as I had not any bank account, and I knew also that six cents would be a serious draft on our family treasury; / zuas zvilling to promise almost anything, but how to perform, I knew not. My appeal, however, was denied, and I was" doomed to accept the inevitable. I was sent to my seat, court adjourned and the students resumed their regular studies, but I meditated all that afternoon, my head filled with tin dippers, the old well, six cents and PUNISH- MENT.

As the hours went slowly by I imagined that I could feel a strange, peculiar sensation in the extremitv of mv forearm (for the information of my young readers I will state that I was born and brought up during the ferrule age). The long afternoon came to an end at last. After the school was dismissed, I was called up to the front. While ray sentence was not commuted, I believe e^•en to this day that my punishment was much mitigated. No questions were asked, however, or advanced, but as the faithful teacher proceeded to administer justice, I had an inkling that she was sharing with me a portion of mv burden. After it was all over, and as T now had the matter fully in hand, T was set at liberty and my nu'nd soon resumed its normal condition.

I want to tell you, boys and girls, that children in those days were not little angels, anymore than they are now, but it was not thought necessary to have officers of the law to look after us, for a case of "playing hookey" seldom occurred ; yet, I, one day, did commit the deed. It came about in this way. I had the misfortune to be born with an affliction which has followed me, more or less, all mv life up to the present moment. Of course, I was in no wise responsible for it, yet it was always a source of mortification to me, especially in my childhood days. Boys and girls, like those who so eagerly testified against me in the dipper case, seldom lost an opportunity of informing me of the fact, which information was not at all necessary, for the realization of it was ever before me. It was the custom in the schools of those days, at the opening of the morning session, to read from God's word. We would all stand opposite our seats, facing each other, forming a hollow square, the teacher standing in the center of the space at the bottom, and the primary department sitting on their little low benches in the same order, directly in front of us. Each one standing would read in turn their respective verses, the boj'-s on the south side and west end and the girls on the north side. There was a continuous desk running around the south, west and north sides of the room and our seats were long benches without backs. I sat generally near the southeast corner opposite a window, a few feet from the inside door. Those in the primary department were more fortunate; their benches were fitted with backs.

One cloudy morning, which seemed especially dark, to me, knowing that I could not possibly see to read my verse from the little black testament that we used, I dreaded to make the attempt. It did not occur to me that

A Cabin Boy's Story.

I might have been excused, but the old feeHng was revived in me that somehow I was to blame for it all, so I determined to pass the school by, which I did. I went down to the stores around the shore, and wandered about until the noon hour, and then slowly came to the school grounds and joined myself to the boys there at play. That afternon I attended school, as usual. No one ever called me to account for this misdemeanor, although my mother, brother and sisters knew that I had been absent from school that morning. The teacher and students also knew that I was not there; perhaps all of them guessed the reason why.

I have stated before that my father was in California. We received letters from him, from time to time, indeed, he had provided the comfortable new home in which we were living since his absence from us. I was always looking for him, and never came from school but what I hoped to find him at home. He did come; but not until many ^^ears had come and gone. I little thought then that when I had grown to be a man, and was on my way around the world for the second time, I would meet him in his little cabin home, in the gold fields of California. But so it happened. One afternoon we came home from school, as usual, and found that a friend of our father, direct from California, and from the very camp where he was working, had called during the day. Father had sent by him a present for each of us. My brother and I each received a gold pen and pencil in a beautiful gold case. My sisters each a gold ring and twenty-five cent pieces, coined in gold. Mother was remembered more substantially. He also sent us bits of free gold, diagrams of some mines, and sketches of implements and machinery used in mining. That day was a high day with us all.

Voyage of "The Two Sisters."

It is needless to say that after all my Avanderings I still have iny gold cased pen and pencil. My father also promised that vdien he came home he would bring me a real Indian bow and arrow. Well, the bow and arrow never came, because I went to him ; however, the anticipation of receiving it Avas as much pleasure as the actual possession would have been. Yet, after all that is said and done, boys then, as boys now, liked to possess things once in a while,

A great change has taken place around about us, no more humming or buzzing- of the insect life and activities in the hedgerows; no more green foliage and fragrant blossoms ; no more yellow or variegated winged butterflies, flitting hither and thither ; no birds on the bough or on the wing, making the air ring with their melodies ; no grain waving in the fields. All about was cold, barren and apparently dead, but we children were generally contented. Therefore, "December was as pleasant as May" for us, especially about Christmas time, for of all the days, the day most blest was Christmas day. Why is it, boys and girls, that all over the Christian world it is considered to be the best, the most gladsome day in all the year ? Is it not because of God's great gift of His Son to all nations, peoples and tongues? If there are any of the millions of boys and girls in this wide world to whom Christmas is not a gladsome day, it is because they do not know that a Savior has been born. The meaning of it all was explained to us in language as simple as a mother's love could make it. With what eagerness and earnest expectation we would hang up, near the fireplace, one of our very best stockings with a determined purpose to watch for old Santa the whole night long, if necessary, so that we might

A Cabin Bov's Story. 19

be sure to see him when he came. But somehow, he always managed to come and go, just when we were dreaming. Perhaps his sleigh was not as large as it is in these days and could not bring as many things, yet he was just as good and kind, and just as generous with what he had then, and he brought as much happiness as he does now.

In addition to the holiday pleasures, we had our coasting and skating, snow forts to build and snow balling to do. During these winter months, it was mostly all play and very little work, with the exception of going on errands, and the wood pile, which was always in evidence, as I have previously stated.

It was a delight to attend school during this season of the year, and the old, long, box-shaped stove, which stood in the center of the school room, was especially attractive to us. School being called, we Avould come in, after handling the snow freely, and the nearer we got to the old stove, the more our fingers would ache. Many were the discussions that were held among the boys in the old wood-house which was attached to the school building.

The evenings were usually spent at home, and from time to time we would crack walnuts, pop corn and make candy. M^other would frequently read for us, after which we generally had lessons to look after. Sabbath evenings, we attended church, occasionally, especially if "protracted meetings" were being held. The church was a mile distant to the east from our home. On the opposite side of the street, just back of the hedgerow a miniature lake was formed in the fall of the year because of the heavy rains. Of course, this little lake was frozen over during the winter. It was about thirty by three hundred feet, and many were the happy hours which my brother and I spent upon it. We had a back fitted on one of our sleds. One would get on, with plenty of wraps to make himself comfortable, while the other would furnish the motive power and, taking turns, go from end to end of the pond, back and forth, time and time again.

I must tell you how each of us became the owner of a store sled. I have stated before that we sometimes raised a field of corn. The first part of the winter in question corn was worth a dollar a bushel and sleds were being sold for a dollar each. One Saturday, mother told us that we could shell two bushels of corn and take it and buy each of us a sled. We had to shell it by hand, so we got a spade and a shovel and went to work with a will. It is needless to say that the corn was at the store in good time, rhe sleds were there, too, all painted brightly, each with its name on in fancy letters. But, alas ! it happened that mother had an account at the store. The clerk said to us, "Tell your mother we give her credit for two dollars." That Credit business rather staggered my brother and me. However, we retired in good order and consulted with each other, and thus reasoned : "All honest bills should be paid as soon as possible." But mother had said that we might buy sleds with that corn and that was law for us. Then we took courage and went again to the store and said to the clerk: "We don't want credit for that corn, we want sleds." The kind old storekeeper was consulted and said: "Well, my boys, sleds you shall have," and sleds we received. The name of m)^ sled was "Speed," and the name of my brother's, "Victor." Our hearts were full of joy and gladness as we 'took them home, envied by every boy and girl we met. Our sisters were promised the free use of them occasionally. That was a great day for my brother and me, never to be for- Sfotten.

Everything that a bo}'- has is hable to meet with some accident, and so it happened with my sled. One day during the following winter it broke down. I repaired it in part, so that it was not put entirely out of commission. It happened that one of our neighbors was a carpenter and had a shop down in the village to the east of us. On a certain Saturday I took my sled down to his shop to get an estimate of the cost of getting it repaired. I had not the slightest idea, however, of having the work done; as I had only three cents. But, with this amount of capital in my possession, I thought I was justified in making the inquiry at least. The old man looked the sled over and said: "Well — some very bad breaks." "Yes, sir. How — how much will it cost to fix it?" I stammered. "Well," said he, "I think I can fix it up all right for you," and without answering my question, he actually began the work, and as he worked, hummed an old church hymn.

I mused within myself, thus : "I wanted my sled repaired very much, and I did not have nearly enough money to pay for it ; my only three cents was in evidence to this fact. Now," I said to myself, "I asked him how much it would cost, but he did not tell me, and if he had a mind to go on with the work and take the chances for his pay — well, I am sure I cannot help it." And so I waited, patiently, saying in thought, "Let the good work go on." Occasionaly he would ask me a question about school, our home or about some local affairs. After waiting and watching an hour and a half, he pronounced it finished, all complete, as strong as ever it was. I expressed myself as being much pleased and with as much assurance as possible, I said : "Mr. Jones, how much is it?" He took off his glasses and quietly laid them down on his bench, then turning he looked on me a moment and said :

'T guess about three cents will pay for the screws I put in it, that will be all." Of course, I was much surprised, and as soon as I had recovered from my astonishment, I got my three cents together and stepped up and paid him like a man. Perhaps he knew something about my circumstances and charged me accordingly. The dear old man has long- since passed into his eternal home, but I cannot forget his kindness to me that day.

How eagerly we watched for the first fall of snow. We were a happy lot of children and, as I have said before, the winter, as well as the summer, brought to us many pleasures. "Consider the power and the weakness of the snow; can anything be gentler? A child's hand catches and subdues it ; ere he can see it, it is gone. The babe can master that which masters mankind. Boys gather it, it is submissive. All things seem stronger than the snow, new born. Yet, one night weaving, it covers the earth through wide latitude and longitude with a garment that all the looms of earth could not have furnished. One day more and it sinks the fences underneath, obliterates all roads, and levels up the whole landscape as spade and plow, and ten thousand time ten thousand engineers and workmen could not do. It lays its hand upon the mighty engine and stops its wheels. It stands before our harbors and lets doAvn a white darkness that baffles the pilot and checks the returning ship. It mounts the hills and mountains and gathers its army without the sound of a drum or trumpet, until the day' comes when it charges down, and who can withstand its coming in battle array? What power is this in the host of weakness ! So the thoughts of good men, though small and silent, gather slowly and at last become masters of time and of the ages. If such be the power of God's weakness, what must be the almightiness of God, the thunderings of his power. Consider that the descent of snow has relations not alone thus to fancy, but it is also a worker. It has become a proverb that the snow, fresh and newly fallen, is the poor man's fertilizer. It gathers again the waste material of earth and spreads it with equal distribution over the land and brings back to them their richness without the stroke of hammer or the sound of turning wheel. There is more going on under the silent snow than in all the smithies, all the factories upon the earth. The power of God upon the natural earth is silently underworking. Not simply cold and chill, and waste and barrenness, but all forms of beauty, all promise of strength and all hope for the coming summer. So may our winter of trouble be to us."

Chapter II. ^ope0 and ^eat0

At different points along the shores of the bays near my home were located shipyards, and in them were built some of the fastest vessels that ever wore canvas and some of the finest looking crafts in the world, not racing machines, but sea-going vessels. I will mention, as a sample, the yacht, "Wanderer," which was built about fifty years ago. One vessel especially excited my curiosity more than any other. It was being built in the yard of Mr. Bacom, at Setauket, and was nearly completed. It was easy for me, during the school days, to slip down to the yard during the noon hour and with other boys play "hide and seek" about her decks and cabins, hoping all the time that some day, I might sail in such a ship, but I was afraid that time would never come. I little thought then that within a few months my hopes would be realized, my doubts become certainties and my fears, assurance.

It was about this time that my uncle promised to take my brother and me with him on one of his trips across Long Island Sound. My turn was to come first. I made great reckoning of the event. At length the day came. Mother made cake and baked beans for me, and fitted me out in general and I embarked. The vessel was loaded with wood, and bound for New Haven, Conn. We arrived in due time, and after disposing of the wood, took a cargo of oyster shells and returned home. The whole trip occupied about a week. I enjoyed it greatly, and as I was a guest of my uncle, who was both owner and captain, on this little trip, it greatly increased my ambition for a seafaring life.

Now, it happened that one of my schoolmates, whom I will call Carl, had engaged himself to one of our local sea captains as cabin boy and had actually sailed for Genoa, Italy, far away across the Atlantic ocean and up the Mediterranean sea. Far away, sure enough, so it seemed to his playmates then, and so it was in those days. Many were the long talks we boys had together about Carl. Would he fall overboard and be devoured by sharks? Would the vessel be wrecked on some lonely island and the crew be eaten by cannibals? Again what curiosities he would see in the far away land, the mighty fortress of Gibraltar, and the great Vesuvius. In short, would he ever get back home again and tell us about all the wonders of the deep.

There was a rumor through the village of Setauket that the vessel in which Carl sailed had arrived at the port of New York. Of course, we boys were very anxious to meet him and see what sort of a looking chap he was after being a sailor boy for over five months on a voyage to the old world and back. On the following Saturday after Carl's arrival in New York, I was sent to the village to buy some groceries. As I drew near to the stores I noticed a crowd of men and boys standing around, and I knew something must be up. As I came up I beheld Carl, standing in the midst of a circle of inquiring friends. To us, boys, he looked every inch a hero. After expressing my delight in seeing him home again, I said: "Did you see any whales ?" "Yes," he said, 'T have seen schools of them." As I withdrew from the crowd I overheard an old man, who was standing there looking at Carl, say: "Well, he looks like a boy that's seen foreign parts." As

I returned home that afternoon with my basket of groceries, I repeated to myself, "He looks like a boy that's seen foreign parts." Of course, I told them all at home whom I had seen, what was said and what I was thinking about : — that I might, ere long, go away on some ship as cabin boy. My sisters looked grave and said : "Carl is three years older than you are." Mother observed, as she went about quietly preparing the supper, "Well, my son, I do not know what is in store for you yet." My brother, who was about the same age as Carl, encourag^ed me and said to us all : "If he can get a good chance to go on a voyage, and if he does not like it, he will be contented to remain at home and go to school."

Carl continued to be THE BOY of the village for a long time. To us boys, the following quotation seemed fitted to him : "If any man can preach a sermon, or write a book or make a mouse trap better than his neighbor, though he build his house in the v^oods, the world will make a beaten path to his door." And many were the boys that called on him, whom he received on his front fence or around in his woodshed. Of course, all these things increased the longing desire which had gotten hold upon me to see foreign parts.

The vessel in wliich, while building, I was especially interested had been completed, launched and towed to New York to be rigged. I had made great reckoning of seeing her with masts, yards and sails, in fact with all her rigging on complete, but 1 was at this time disappointed. She was named the "Two Sisters." I Avas determined to know more about her or about some other vessel in the near future.

The "Two Sisters" was now on her first voyage bound for Mobile, Alabama, and back to New York. The captain, on his last voyage up the Mediterranean Sea to Italy, had engaged an Italian lad as cabin boy, of wdiom he became very fond. His name was Keiff. Of course Keiff was duly installed as cabin and sailor boy in general on board the "Two Sisters." I thought perhaps that Keiff would soon graduate into a real sailor before the mast, and that then I might be fortunate enough to secure his position as cabin boy on board the "Two Sisters," as I had met him before and both of us being 5^oung we would be company for each other. So I reckoned within myself and planned. But "man proposes and God disposes." And so it came to pass, not in my way, however, but in God's way.