“It’s a yarn, your honor, that hasn’t been spun to every jack tar that’s sailed the seas, for I’ve a sort of feeling about me, that her memory shouldn’t be used to gratify common curiosity; and, sir, it’s only through the lady’s sweet face, so much like her, that I am induced to tell the story, word for word.  Ye see, it was about twenty years ago, come September, and I shipped for a voyage to America in the De—­De—­, well, never mind the name; those Frenchmen always spile their crafts with a jaw-breaker of a name.  Well, we had a fair time of it, till we got pretty well on to the American shores; and as for me, I never expect to enjoy myself again, as I did the first part of that voyage.  We had quite a crowd of passengers, and among them was a gentleman, with his lady and child; if that wasn’t the handsomest couple that I ever sot eyes on, then I’ve missed my reckonings!  The lady,—­why, your honor, it fairly dazzled my eyes to look at her!  She always had a kind word for everybody; even us old tars she would talk with, as if she wasn’t the best lady in the world; there wasn’t one of us but would have gone to the mast-head feet first, to do her a favor; and as for gold, she wasted a young fortune on our ugly selves.  We were within a couple o’ days sail of New York, when one of those moist fogs came up, such as will make a fellow lose a whisk of his patience, if he happens to have any.  Well, we kept on, as we thought, in the same course, for about twelve hours, when, like a clap of thunder, we struck fast upon a rock!  It was as calm as any day I ever saw, but our sails were all set, and that with the run of the sea, gave us no small shock; but our captain hoped we might not have received any serious damages, and set the carpenters to work to find what our situation was.  Well, your honor, it wasn’t ten minutes after we struck, afore we began to settle down.  I knew I’d sailed the ocean longer than our captain, and when I found that we were going down, I ran below, and found the gentleman and his lady, and told them just how matters stood with us, and offered to stand by them till the last; for we had but two boats aboard, and I knew there’d be a scene.  When the lady heard this, she turned to her husband, and said,—­’I am prepared, to share whatever is to be your fate, Paul; but God in mercy save our child!” We went aloft to the hurricane deck, and such a sight I have never seen since! every man, woman, and child that we met there, was looking for something, if no more than a straw, to save themselves.  We had now settled down even with the water, when I, ’spying a large trough floating near, made for it, and the gentleman taking the babe from its mother’s arms, spread a few clothes in it, and lashed the little thing into this curious looking craft; both gave it one last kiss, and it was launched on the wide ocean.  At this instant the lady drew from her pocket a roll of parchment, and handing it to me, said,—­“You may be saved; if you ever hear from my child again,