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Page 19
CHAPTER X.
"And what became of the chair," inquired Clara.
"The outward aspect of our chair," replied Grandfather, "was now
somewhat the worse for its long and arduous services. It was considered
hardly magnificent enough to be allowed to keep its place in the council
chamber of Massachusetts. In fact, it was banished as an article of
useless lumber. But Sir William Phips happened to see it and being much
pleased with its construction, resolved to take the good old chair into
his private mansion. Accordingly, with his own gubernatorial hands, he
repaired one of its arms, which had been slightly damaged".
"Why, Grandfather, here is the very arm!" interrupted Charley, in great
wonderment. "And did Sir William Phips put in these screws with his own
hands? I am sure, he did it beautifully! But how came a governor to know
how to mend a chair?"
"I will tell you a story about the early life of Sir William Phips,"
said Grandfather. "You will then perceive, that he well knew how to use
his hands."
So Grandfather related the wonderful and true tale of
THE SUNKEN TREASURE.
Picture to yourselves, my dear children, a handsome, old-fashioned room,
with a large, open cupboard at one end, in which is displayed a
magnificent gold cup, with some other splendid articles of gold and
silver plate. In another part of the room, opposite to a tall
looking-glass, stands our beloved chair, newly polished, and adorned
with a gorgeous cushion of crimson velvet tufted with gold.
In the chair sits a man of strong and sturdy frame, whose face has been
roughened by northern tempests, and blackened by the burning sun of the
West Indies. He wears an immense periwig, flowing down over his
shoulders. His coat has a wide embroidery of golden foliage; and his
waistcoat, likewise, is all flowered over and bedizened with gold. His
red, rough hands, which have done many a good day's work with the hammer
and adze, are half covered by the delicate lace ruffles at his wrists.
On a table lies his silver-hilted sword, and in a corner of the room
stands his gold-headed cane, made of a beautifully polished West Indian
wood.
Somewhat such an aspect as this, did Sir William Phips present, when he
sat in Grandfather's chair, after the king had appointed him governor of
Massachusetts. Truly, there was need that the old chair should be
varnished, and decorated with a crimson cushion, in order to make it
suitable for such a magnificent looking personage.
But Sir William Phips had not always worn a gold embroidered coat, nor
always sat so much at his ease as he did in Grandfather's chair. He was
a poor man's son, and was born in the province of Maine, where he used
to tend sheep upon the hills, in his boyhood and youth. Until he had
grown to be a man, he did not even know how to read and write. Tired of
tending sheep, he next apprenticed himself to a ship-carpenter, and
spent about four years in hewing the crooked limbs of oak trees into
knees for vessels.
In 1673, when he was twenty-two years old, he came to Boston, and soon
afterwards was married to a widow lady, who had property enough to set
him up in business. It was not long, however, before he lost all the
money that he had acquired by his marriage, and became a poor man again.
Still, he was not discouraged. He often told his wife that, some time or
other, he should be very rich, and would build a "fair brick house" in
the Green Lane of Boston.
Do not suppose, children, that he had been to a fortune-teller to
inquire his destiny. It was his own energy and spirit of enterprise, and
his resolution to lead an industrious life, that made him look forward
with so much confidence to better days.
Several years passed away; and William Phips had not yet gained the
riches which he promised to himself. During this time he had begun to
follow the sea for a living. In the year 1684, he happened to hear of a
Spanish ship, which had been cast away near the Bahama Islands, and
which was supposed to contain a great deal of gold and silver. Phips
went to the place in a small vessel, hoping that he should be able to
recover some of the treasure from the wreck. He did not succeed,
however, in fishing up gold and silver enough to pay the expenses of his
voyage.
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