CLARA BELLE LEE.
A ROMANCE OF THE SEA.
Written for The Scoix, hy C. P. Hinckley.
CHAlTKlt V.
'HE noise that I made, in my ex
citement, startled her, and she
glanced around and perceived
me. The look she gave me of joy, re
membrance, relief and love I shall
never forget. With a joyful cry the
threw herself into my arms, crying:
"Tom, Tom Chase, dear Tom, is it
really you. Thank God, I am saved,"
and went to hugging and kissing me,
and I, her, for that matter, in our joy
and excitement, before all of the men.
Mr. Swain appeared to have lost his
power of speech and was as bashful as
a young girl, before the woman he
loved.
"Hut, Clara," I exclaimed, "for God's
sake, calm yourself; my dear, you are
safe now. Tell us, in the name of all
that is wonderful, how you came here.
What ship is this? Are you alone on
board?"
To all my questions she would make
me no reply; she only clung the clos
er to me, and sobbed and laughed and
kissed me, entreating me not to leave
her. It was a long time before I could
comfort her; the strain on her nerves
had been fearful for the last live or six j
days, since that tidal wave caused
such awful disaster. She
had borne
up bravely until rescued.
Put now
the relief was so great that it had com
pletely prostrated her for the time bo-
ing. I carried her to our boat and
hold her in my arms, trying to com
fort and console her.
As wo lifted her on board her name
sake, Captain Coffin came hurrying to
the gangway, and exclaimed :
"Great God! Miss Leo, Clara Lee,
my owner's daughter. What riddle of
the sea is this?"
"Poor hther is dead ; washed over
board from that ship," she sobbed.
Our entire ship's crew stoo I around
in dumb silence. Somehow, boy that
I was, I had more presence of mind
than the officers, on this occasion.
"Captain Collin, we had better take
my cousin down in tho cabin," 1 said
quite sharply, for ho appeared dazed.
"Yes, yes; do so at once, Chase," he
exclaimed, recovering himself with an
effort.
I led her by the hand down into the
cabin and, by the way, the had never
relinquished my hand since she first
discovered me on board tho "Potomac"
and seating her by my side, on the
sofa in tho main cabin, I awaited pa
tiently her story. Sho soon recovered
command of herself sufficiently to re
late her story, and wo listened with
breathless interest to her tale. It was
some time after the wave had bwept
tho people overboard before she real
ized the fact. It seemed as though
tho hurrieano know that it could do
no more mischief, for the sea and wind
gradually went down, and when the
sun roso in the morning it was good
weather again.
Tho poor girl had suffered terribly in
her mind during tho time she had
been alone on the wreck, but those
Nantucket girls are used to tho sea,
and sho stood it better than a country
,girl would havo done. Fortunately
tho cook's galley, being bolted to the
deck, had not washed away, and hho
was able to cook all tho food she wan
ted. During tho time- she was on tho
wreck sho had seen ships in tho dis
tance several times, but owing, prob
ably, to tho "Potomac" being dismas
ted and lying low on the water, they
had sailed by without noticing the
wreck.
"For a wonder I had not obsorved
your ship, and the first knowledge I
had of help being near was when I
looked up from tho stove and saw you,
dear Tom," said Clara, and sho squeezed
my hand warmly.
Wo laid that night hove aback, close
to tho "Potomac," Mr. Chadwick with
his boat's crew being on board that
ship, with a light hoisted on the stump
of her foremast.
Captain Collin had a long conversa
tion with Miss Leo in regard to her
wishes and plans, for tho poor girl was
now an orphan, and owner of both
ships and great wealth.
Bright and ploasant was tho sky,
balmy tho air and boautiful was tho
sea, as tho htm roso in its splendor,
throwing its bright and shining light
on tho two ships, on the morning fol
lowing tho rescue of Clam Bullu Lee.
Mr. Swain, after a few momenta con
versation with Cuj.t-uin Collin, came
kurryiiiR 'o the brouk of the
quarter deck, and ordtmul all huudtt to
lay uft to (hi iiiuiiiniuht. When all
hand wtm Kullivrwl in iltwuut, Uujv
Cdllll U td lu (lie wltfu nf the
(piurlcr U Hll'l tiill-l Him IiI'(
CQinpiuiy n dm following word
"I have culled you aft, men, to in
form you that by Miss Loe's orders, as
j owner of this ship, anil also by my ad
vice, this voyage will bo broken up,
and as soon as we can rig up jury
masts on the 'Potomac' we will square
away for home. If wc can sail the
'Potomac.' with her valuable cargo safe
to port, the salvage for saving her,
combined with our oil, will make us a
good voyage. Miss Lee requests mo
to inform you that in the event of the
'Potomac' having to be abandoned, she
will pay you fifty dollars each for the
run home. So you see, men, you
stand to win cither way. 1 shall place
Mr. Chadwick, with two boat's crows,
in command of the 'Potomac' and I
shall expect every man to do his
duty."
. The crew seemed well pleased with
the captain's speech, and gave him
and Miss Lee three rousing chceis,
and turned to, with a will, getting the
spure yards, masts and sails on board
the "Potomac."
After three day's hard working the
"Potomac" made sail for home. We
kept in company with her for a few
days, and then, seeing that she was do
ing as well as could be expected with
her thort sail, gave Mr. Chadwick and
his crew thiec hearty cheers for luck,
crowded sail after sail on the "Clara
Belle Lee" and scudded away lrom the
"Potomac,'' as though she was at an
chor, and soon left her hull down
astern, as we buzzed through it, home-
ward bound.
In a few days Clara Lee became
cheerful and like herself again.
Mr. Swain was in paradise. Every
moment that he could spare from his
duty was devoted to her. He would
parade the quarter deck with her and
make himself her shadow. L thought
ho would gain the prize before wo ar
rived at Nantucket, for I could not see
how any woman could resist such a
handsome and manly lover. He was
very much in love. Mr. Swain caught
mo once, behind the wlieelliouse, kiss
ing Clara, and he turned pale with en
vy, and lectured me about it later.
He allowed that I should not take ad
vantage of her in her trouble; though,
to be sure, I was nothing but a mere
boy.
"Boy," I exclaimed in my anger, "I
am three weeks older than Clara, and
we have grown up together, Mr. Swain.
I havo always kissed Clara whenever 1
wanted to, and always shall. It is
none of your business. She is not your
wife yet."
"None of your impudence, young
man," said our first officer, and there
was silence between us.
Nothing worthy of recording hap
pened to us for weeks. We had fair
wind and plenty of it. The good ship
seemed to realize that her fair owner
was on board, and as for Clara, she was
never tired of watching her namesake
stjrming through the wild waves, as
she made rapid progress, day after day,
towards dear old Nantucket. Clara
watched with unwearied interest the
hundreds of tilings there was to ad
mire and wonder at. The clewing up
and furling of light sails to a passing
squall. The setting of canvas afresh
as the squall passed by. The shrilling
and roaring of tho rising sale; the loud
cries of boatsteorcrs; the wild, hoarse
shouts of tho mates; the leaping aloft
of the seamen and the posturo of their
forms as they overhung tho moving
yards, rolling up the canvas or tieing
tho reof points, with a man astraddle
of each yard arm hauling out tho cer
ings these and a thousand of like
sights supplied her with abundant en
tertainment. On the tenth day of August we raised
tho American coast and that ovening
was ofl'theontnince of Vineyard sound,
just as tho lighthouse keeper at tho
gay head light on tho island of Mar
tha's Vineyard lit tho lamp. It was
blowing a fresh breeze, which reefed
our canvas for us, and set tho ship to
dancing wildly with her yards braced
fore and aft. Wo had our onsign fly
ing for a pilot, and soon tho little pilot
boat put out from shore, and with a
feeling of relief by all on board, the
pilot was soon on board our ship, and
we had an anxious and wild night of
it, beating up Vineyard and Nantuck
et sound. Tho wind blow half a galo
that night and tho ship thrahcd
through it, boating to windward, under
doublo reefed topsails and coursers,
making short boards in that narrow
sound, with all hand on dock all tho
night long, working hard at tho bracoa
at wo constantly tackod bhip to avoid
going on shoro, or swung hor oil to
clear a Marblohoad fibbing sclioonor,
or a Philadelphia collier, that would
loom up out of tho d,irknow and Hash
by tu like a whirlwind.
W'u had our diip' lights out and ull
huudi looking out to kuep from run
ning Into mjiiikIIiIiiKi for liiuiiiuiuU of
khiM nf hII ilHU'iipiiuit through
Nulillli li t tllld mi )ll hih Oil-1'
Mi I lis liinl wtclt V)U WMu UilIul by
a large ship right athwart our jibboom.
The long black hull rushed past us, so
near that her main yard almost struck
our Hying jib stay, and she was gone,
like an ocean spirit, leaving a foaming
line astern.
We were only a few fathoms from
death, for such a ship coming upon us
in that gale would have sent us whiil
ing to the bottom. At threo o'clock
in the morning wp weie off Nantucket
bar, with Bryant Point light Hashing
at us, fiom out of the scud and spray,
to leeward ..as if to warn us to look out
and keep well oil of that dangerous lee
shore.
But it was all wo could do to hold
our own; tho gale had become terrific,
and at every tack we could see that we
were losing and slowly drifting ashoie.
It lacked one hour of being Hood tide,
and we dare not vinture in over the
bar until then. Our pilot was only a
sound pilot and was nut acquainted
with the channel into Nantucket har
bor, and there was no one on the ship
but myself that knew tho channel.
My grandfather was a Nantucket pilot,
and in my numerous trips with him
in his pilot boat, piloting in ships, 1
had thoroughly learned the channel,
and 1 informod Captain Collin that I
could take her in, providing she did
not draw too much water, for, if she
got stuck on the bar, it would be all
dav with us. At davbreak we were on
our last tack off shore, and the next
time wo tacked ship we would have to
try the forlorn hope of getting over the
bar or go ashore. The old town never
looked so dear to us as it did then.
Sitting on its throne, down there to
leeward, looking out on us lovingly as
though anxious to help us, but power
loss to do so
Captain Collin was a man of decis
ion. "Theio is but one way," ho shout
ed, through the storm. "We shall be
lost as wo are. 1 will try it. Tom
Chase, pilot this ship in if you can, and
God be with you. Mr. Swain stand by
for stays."
"Aye, aye, sir," answered our first
officer, and his voice rose in a hurri
cane roar as he ordered the crew to
"man the weather head braces, weath
er main brace, weather main topsail
brace, lee cross jack braces. Hard
down there with your wheel, anil as
our noble ship obeyed her helm, and
came slowly around in stays, in tho
face of that awful gale, his voieo rose
shrill and exultantly in pride for her
magnificent performance as ho gave
tho last command to "let go and haul."
We fairly Hew before the galo and in a
very short time we were to the bell
buoy, and I pointed her straight for
Brant Point. Tho wharves and water
front were black with people, watching
us anxiously, and wondering how the
"Clara Belle Leo" cano there, instead
of being oil' the coast of Africa.
Captain Coflin had ordered the Amer
ican Hag and our ship's Hag blue,
white and blue hoisted, "for," he said,
"if we go ashoro wo will bo wrecked
with our colors Hying."
Wo struck onco very lightly on tho
bar, and that was all, and in a very
few minutes wo were in safety in the
harbor, and wc camo to tho wind ofl'
Commercial wharf, let go bot.li an
chors and our short, eventful voyago
was ended.
Ono month later tho "Potomac" ar
rived safely and our voyage was all set
tled, and wo all did well financially.
Tho crew was soon scattered to tho
ends of tho earth. Sonic of them
shipped for the Arctic ocean after bow
heads, a species of light whale, others
on Pacific, Indian and Antarctic voya
ges. Mr. ITussey is now in command of
a lino steam whale ship. I noticed,
last fall his arrival in San Francisco,
from the Aictic ocean, with a great
voyage 20,000 pounds of whalebone
and oil in proportion. Whalebono is
now worth Iff) per pound whilo in the
year ISiiO it was hardly worth saving.
Old Bill Francis married tho widow
Chase and thoy live as happily togeth
er as could bo expected, considering
their temperament. Ho is an honor
able, obstinate, truthful, high-spirited,
intonsley prejudiced, porfectly unreas
onable man, and tho widow I beg her
pardon, Mrs. William Francis is as
near like him as can bo.
About ono year after their marringo
as I was walking down Orango street,
I noticed a crowd of people, principal
ly women, standing in groups or hur
rying into tho widow's houto, and thoy
all appeared to be highly excited. Cur
iosity prompted mo to enquire of an
old follow standing on tho sidewalk,
what thu troublo wan, and ho informed
mo in a dazed sort of a way that the
widow Chiibo hail a buhy.
"Well," taid I, "U thoro anything
ktrungu about Hint. Why should die
nul liavo a baby if nhu want ohm."
Ho lookwl at mo ami nvr mi
wxri'd, hut luiui'd away and w.-n t
uw ly ili'Wll I ho lnU, nhukiiiK bin
lii'iid W.d liiiitlvlllitf to hiniulf, an
though prfcctly unable to gmsp the
situation. The occuii onco was absurd.
1 laughed long and heartily. Tho peo-
plo, especially the ladies, had known
the widow Chase for mi many years
' without a baby of her own ; and sho
had always been so kind, loving and
claviful to tb. in when their dear ba
bies wero Inirn waiting on and tend
ing them like a mother that it took
them by surprise when tho widow, Mrs.
Francis, came to the front with a baby
of her own. It was an encroachment
j on their picserves, they thought, but
; they turned out in force, and there
I never was a baby born on Nantucket
1 that had so much attention shown to it
' as that baby of the widow Chase's.
Captain Peter Collin retired from
the sea and lived to a ripe old age, lion
oicd and respected by his fellow citi
, zens. One of his sons joined the noble
band of pioneers along in the fifties
and emigrated to the Pacific coast, and
has done much in reclaiming the West
to civilization. He now icsides in tho
' beautiful town of Union, in Eastern
Oregon.
I Mr. Chadwick is captain of the South
Shoal light ship and Bill Francis is
mate, and those two worthies often re
late to their shipmates, on board, the
cruise of tho "Clara Belle Lee."
Mr. Swain, after a suitable interval,
proposed in duo form for tho heart and
hand of sweet Clara Belle Lee. Stand
ing before her, looking handsome and
manly though white as a sheet, lie re
ceived his dismissal firmly and bravely
as became tho man. Clara informed
fiim, with tears in her eyes, that she
could not love him in that way; sho
would always respect him, and if ho
would allow, would be a sister to him,
but could not mairy him. This strange
and original expression helped greatly
to arouse Mr. Swain from the trance
he had fallen into on receiving his dis
missal. Ho shook himself together,
bowed, wished her well, turned on his
heel and walked out of the house and
has never seen her from that day to
this. Mr. Swain in time recovered
from the blow and married a charm
ing Nantucket girl. On tho breaking
out of the war of tho rebellion he,
along with a number of sea-ollicers
and navigators, armed with first-class
letters of recommendation, proceeded
to Washington and offered their servi
ces to the government as acting mas
ters in the United States navy, but
young and inexperienced sons of poli
ticians received the situations. Though
soon after tho administration saw its
mistake of placing inexperienced men
in places of trust in the navy and tho
officers of the whaling licet of New
England were in great demand for the
navy. Many Nantucket whalemen
rose to positions of trust in tho United
States navy. Mr. Swain, however, dis
gusted at his rebuff, emigrated to tho
beautiful valley of the Grand Hondo, in
Eastern Oregon, and has never seen
salt water from that day to this. Tho
service lost a first-class sea-ollieor and
navigator and tho farmers of Oregon
gained an indifferent farmer.
The ship "Clara Belle Lee" made a
groat many successful voyages from
Nantucket, until on ono voyago, un
der the command of Captain Charles
Worth, sho was captured and burnt off
ihe Azores islands by tho confederate
cruiser "Alabama."
As for myself 1 nevor mado another
voyago. I went to school, studied
hard and graduated from the Nantuck
et high school with honors, and then
entered Harvard college, finished my
studies there and onterd a respectable
law firm in Boston as junior partner.
The years rolled around and still my
charming cousin did not marry, though
not for tho want of oilers, for sho had
many, some from love of her and somo
probably fiom mercenary motives.
On a fine spring morning, on the
first day of May 18.15, tho fifth anniver
sary of my voyago on the "Clara Belle
Lee," 1 sat in my ollico on State streot,
Boston, reading a letter from Clara.
Her letter was full of interest for me,
as it related to her approaching mar
riage with the man she loved. In a
postscript at tho end of her long letter,
Clara adds; "Now bo sure and lcavo
Boston in time, for you know, dear
Tom, I could not think of being mar
ried without your prebonoe, ha, ha."
And 1 did not disappoint hor. Tho
undent church was crowded with tho
people of Nuntucket. Fully 2,500 peo
ple wero in the build. ng to witness tho
marriage of (heir favorite to tho man
that she loved. Ah thu minister fin
ished reading thu beautiful marriage
torvico and pionouucud us man and
wife, I turned and oluHping Mr.
Thomas Chute in my anus imprinted
. - I.I I! I
u IO"ing uihs on nur near iipu, aim
whinporud in her car, "Fuiowoll to
imeut Cl.iru Hullo Loo."
this iim
Tin mild wlnUr in Kuitoru Onigon
ami Wuliiiitfiu iu Ihuii wry favora
ble (or l a-kllit II.
4 A k am
uiit VwJ
-ESNiVeRSL-LC
PARIS, 1S5C
Tjj Hijliwfc PoaVi'jlo Pr'.iciai,
THE ONLiY GRAMQo TTMZ
FOR SEWING
WAS AWARDED TO
WHEELER & WILSON MfG, CO,!
AND THE
ACROSS 0F THE
LEQIOW OF HONOR,
WAG CONFERRED UPON
NATHANIEL WHEELER,
The President of the Company.
PKAI.FH IN-
VI
Just Received, Dirce.t from the Hast, a Large Jnvoiee of LADIKS' and
MISSUS' CA LI'S KLIN SHOES, the Heat Ever brought to this Market.
Also a Fine Assortment of
GENT'S -:- FURNISHING -:- GOODS.
My Trices will suit the times. Drop in iiiul see me,
C. VINCENT. Main Street, Union, Or.
OB PRINTING!
s
The facilities having been increased by the addition of a lino assortmen', of
new type and a large invoice of the lines I papers and material, is now Ivttcr
prepared to execute
THE FI1TEST WORK
on short notice. Call at once if you want anything in the way of
hotter Heads,
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Shipping Tags,
Legal Wanks,
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PRICES REASONABLE.
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Attended to. Address: THE OltEtiON SCOUT,
Union, Oregon.
The Centennial Hotel,
Union, Oregon.
. J. GOODBiOD, - Proprietor.
i - Recognized hy all as llio
Leading Hotel of Eastern Oregon!
o o
I'lN'K I.AIUii: SAMI'l.i: lUMMIK I'm- tin; AitoiihmIhUou r Ciliiiiiniriunl Tmvtilort),
CHANGES REASONABLE.
KIRN WW d
(Near tho Court House.)
E. M. MITCHELL, Proprietor.
The hest of accomodations for the care of
stock. Charges Reasonable.
JOS. KEILHKRT,
llgrtai -Tailor,
UNION, OREGON.
A Fino lino of Goods Always in Slock,
Call and Examino Them.
Suits Made to Order,
Cleaning and Repairing.
All-work warranted. 12-1-lf.
LUMBER for SALE
nt thu IIIkIi Valley
Saw Mill.
All klmln o( lumber cointnuily on Ituiiil
or fiirnlnliiMl on uliurt imlluo. 1'rlui ulienp
It tilt) cliwipint.
Patronage - Solicited.
THE NEW
Wheeler & Wilson,
No. 9.
Stands at the Head.
iiMost Perfect Machine
in the Market for
Family Use.
Elegant in workman
ship and Design.
i
Look at them before
Purchasing,
i'a i oiist Atfcncv, iTis Mnrket S' .
SAN Kit ISO), i ,1.
'3?
55
All Kinds.
att3qsmnTrrim.T
Ciroulars, Humiiosh Caids,
Envelopes, Society Cards,
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Tickets, Wedding Cards,
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Hnefs.
R. H. BROWN,
Dealer in-
licii
TOILET ARTICLES,
PERFUMERY, PAINTS,
OILS, GLASS, PUTTY, Etc.
A Completo and Varied Stock of Wall
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Prescriptions Carefully Compounded
Day or Night.
A full supply of school books con
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ThoiiiKou it Purfiel nro RUonts for
tho colobratod Cycloim AVIlulMUl, ami
as iliu prices on (hum have boon great
ly roilueixl thoy nro now wlllifn the
roach of nil. Sample mill to be mkmi
at iholr pl'inorii) North Union. OH
and I'Yiiiulmi It.
"tfft MlP VtfMtf WMMV 10
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