They gave
themselves up for lost; but at last a ship bound for Liverpool took them
up. They had lost everything but the clothes they had on; but the
captain was very kind to them; he gave them clothes, and some money.
"My mother refused to remain at Liverpool, though she was quite sick,
for she wanted to get to this country so badly; so she took passage in
another merchant ship, just going to New York. She was the only woman on
board. She grew worse after the ship sailed; the sailors took care of
her. Father Jack was a sailor on this ship, and he pitied her very much,
and he did all he could for her. But she died and left me, an infant.
"Nobody knew what to do with me; they all said I would die--all but
Father Jack; he asked the doctor to give me to him. The doctor said:--
"'Let him try his hand, if he has a mind to; it's no use, the little one
will be sure to go overboard after it's mother;' but the doctor was
wrong.
[Illustration: _"I went errands for gentlemen, and swept out offices and
stores."_]
"I was brought safe to New York. He tried to find my father, but did not
know how to do it, for no one knew my mother's name. At last he left me
with a family in New York, and he went to sea again; but he never could
find out anything about my mother, although he inquired in Liverpool and
elsewhere.
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