FOUR STORIES MAKE ONE.

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A Families Journey.

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                    By Dawnie 2004.

Hamish was an old man now with a long white beard

and hair to match. His weather beaten face told you

his life had been a constant struggle just to survive.

He had gone into the mines when he was 13 years old

and had to battle cold oppressive conditions and at

other times swallow dust and suffer such bad attacks

of coughing he thought his lungs would burst. He had

a lovely turn of phrase, which would keep people

spellbound, when he told yarns of his life and people

just loved to listen. He had married the love of his life

in 1809 when he was 32 years old and he and his wife

had been blessed with 11 children but sadly only 2 had

survived, Luke and Horatio. As he was approaching his

70th year he was terribly frail of health and told his family;

" I want you to know, I will be poking up daisies this time

next year." 

And he was!  He was buried on a cold blustery day in 1847.

         Horatio had not wanted, to go to work in the mines.

He had gone down to the sea when he was 12 years old and

signed onto the Mary-Bell and what a beautiful sailing ship

she was. Horatio had been a pleasant and likable boy who

got on with most men regardless of their standing in life,

and was a cut above all the other ruffians who plied the

sea trade. Which stood him in good stead with the captain,

for he could see this young fellow would be a very good

asset to his ship. Horatio was 30 years old now and wanted

to get his sea legs on land again and to settle down and

marry his long time sweet heart Beatrice and live in his

Grandfathers old cottage over looking the sea on the

Plymouth coastline. Work the land around the cottage and

from time to time go down to the shipping office and do

some work for Seth, his old sea captain and friend.

Although he had no desire ever to go to sea again he still

enjoyed watching the big sailing ships take off with eager

folk looking to start a fresh life afar.

            In 1850 two of Horatio s sons Jacob and Dan left

Plymouth bound for Australia. The years rolled along and

it was now 1925 and Dan's Son and Daughter in-law Martha

had just welcomed a daughter Beatrice a little sister for

Shaun who is 6 years old and sings like a nightingale,

he is the delight of his family and has been asked to sing

at Government House for the visiting Duke and Duchess

of York. This gifted and fetchingly beautiful child has

provided a redeeming light of hope for his struggling

family.

            It is now the year 2000 and the Olympics are on

Australian soil once more and what a triumph for Mary-Bell

Daughter of Jacob and Great-Great-Great-Great

Granddaughter of Hamish. She is 35 years old and has left

her run very late to get into the big time athletics but she

has trained hard to make her life long dream come true.

She runs the marathon and wins a silver medal and knows

she has done her absolute best and when she stands on the

victory dais next to the winner a girl who is twelve years

younger and listens to the winners National Anthem she

doesn't think if only I had run faster here or there maybe,

I could have done better, no she is just happy to have had

the privilege of being chosen to represent her country

and having won a medal was pure icing on the cake.

13:41 - Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - post comment