I was in agony until I arrived at Newcastle, where I
could ascertain all the facts connected with her decease. When the
coach stopped, the gentleman, who had remained outside, came to the
coach door, and said to me, `If I mistake not, you are Masterman Ready,
who ran away to sea; are you not?' `Yes, sir,' replied I, very
sorrowfully, `I am.' `Well, my man,' said he, `cheer up; when you went
away you were young and thoughtless, and certainly had no idea that you
would have distressed your mother as you did. It was not your going to
sea, but the report of your death, which preyed so much upon her mind;
and that was not your fault. You must come with me, as I have something
to say to you.'
"`I will call upon you to-morrow, sir,' replied I; `I cannot do
anything until I talk to the neighbours and visit my poor mother's
grave. It is very true that I did not intend to distress my mother; and
that the report of my death was no fault of mine. But I cannot help
feeling that, if I had not been so thoughtless, she would be still
alive and happy.' The gentleman gave me his address, and I promised to
call upon him next morning. I then went to the house my mother used to
live in.
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