Spindrift

By Ben Hassen

An exciting account of ship to ship battle on the high seas. One family's struggle to survive after losing everything to the crown .

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Aug 26, 2010
• ISBN: 9781450236430

Ben Hassen

Benjamin Hassen was born the laast of a family of l0 november 1942. His mother was Mabel Meriam of english french, irish desent. Her heritage can be traced back to active patriotic american relative members of the revolutionary war at merriamcorners Mass. His father Joseph Hassen was a Lebanese immagrant who came to this country around the early 1900s at the age of 14. His family were Bedowin nomads who traveled the country with herds of arabian horses, goats, and sheep. Joseph became an americian citizen and worked in various ocupations steel mills in indiana, he later moved to michigan bought a 80 acre farm and worked for general motors at saginaw michigan where he retired . Of the ten children he and Mabel sired Benjamin was the youngest. At the age of 19 most of Bens brothers and sisters had gotten married he was the last to work the farm. Ben graduated from high school went to work for Buick General Motors in flint michigan as an asembly line worker building new Buicks. He also attended college during leaves of absences from gm and graduated from Delta College,with an associates Degree in General Studies. Delta College Saginaw, Michigan Ben also worked as an insurance salesman, and his last job was over the road truck driver traveling all over the united states and Canada. He curently lives with his wife Jeanie at their country home in Midland, Michigan. He has one daughter now living in texas.

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Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter One

MOMMA, MOMMA SHE SOBBED pleading in tears, tugging on her arm crying. Daddy was cradled in momma’s arms., himself already dead , his eyes glassy blank staring at nothing. Momma , out of her mind with grief , sat there in the cold snow rocking him back and forth in her arms sobbing, staring straight ahead crying a mournful monotone having lost consciousness of us or anything about her, while little brother and I stood shocked in the December cold snow watching her with my little sister, of 10 tugging sobbing on her arm for attention and comfort.

We were hurled out into the cold from our home, forced to abandon its warm fire and comfort. Terrified thrown out by the king’s henchmen, his soldiers, for non payment of taxes. Land and property taken away from Pa and when he grabbed a club and busted one soldiers head open three others rushed him. Two grabbed his arms while the other ran him through his guts with his sword to the hilt. After he had wilted to the ground, one of the soldiers, holding his arm, pulled out a dagger and slit his throat having grabbed pa’s head by the hair with one hand and slit his throat with the other. Pa instantly reached for his throat in panic, struggling to get air but only gurgling in his own flowing blood instead. His throat twitching with a panicky horrified look upon his face! Mother screaming, rushed to him flailing her body over him to protect him from further harm. Brother and I looked on in horror, stunned, as the three men who did this looked on standing and laughed then went on there way plundering and breaking things in our once home.

One turned to address us saying;" You have been thrown out of your home by order of King Charles for non payment of land taxes. Your animals and all belongings to be confiscated as well as your lands. Anyone aiding anyone for nonpayment of taxes will receive the same fate until you get out of the township. You may be aided by citizens there without harm to there personage or property

Mother cradled pa long, after he died, oblivious to us or anything just crying and sobbing. The two soldiers left after ransacking our house, only one was left to see to it we could not get back in and prevented us from getting clothing for mom, sister, brother, and I to keep warm with. We cradled mother and little sis, both of them in tears crying. I said" its ok mom I promise we will make it. Pa’s dead now, there is nothing you can do now so come on momma please don’t you cry come on momma please! She finally looked up tears in her eyes then hugged sis and us pouting. A few minutes later she stood up to sob again. Josh and I helped her walk, one of us under each arm. I held sis’s hand with my free hand and we walked away from that dreadful scene. Left Pa lying there in a pool of blood, an expression of horror upon his face, his mouth gaped open as he was trying to get his last breath. !

Because the soldiers had kicked us in the shins all of us hobbled away, for a while ,down the old lane road past farms of friends we knew but dare not ask for help and they would not give us any. Could see them peering through windows covering there mouths and crying pitifully for us as we cradled each other whimpering moving lamely along. We finally got to an old barn three or four miles up the road.

Mother and sis shivering much with chills, in the frozen snow. Thought had better find some warmth for them so we covered them up with hay and Brother Josh and I cuddled up with them to keep warm.

The barn was deserted except for one old cow and calf lying in a manger. That night the moon was full out, shining its silvery light through cracks and partly opened doorway of sliding barn doors. The hay was a great help however, and after a while we got cozy huddling together, but mom and sis were coughing shivering for a while longer.

Next morning, we were awakened suddenly by a cursing enraged farmer who cussed us out for being there then jabbed at us with a pitchfork gloating at us angrily to leave immediately or he would kill us with the fork! Mother and sis were shocked. They scrambled to there feet stunned for a moment, terrified. Mother was tugging at us urgently to leave. We stood up and mother pleaded with the man. Were destitute, thrown out of our home. Pa is killed we have no clothing or food. Will you please help us? No, he retorted contemptuously, if we help you we will all die. You must leave now. I’m sorry the crown took everything away from you but you must understand we will die if we aid you that are the law. You must leave now"! He pointed to the road angrily urging us to leave. We left cradling each other as we walk as we left we could see him break down, his head turned away his hands to his mouths shaking his head sadly and he began to cry. We hobbled out onto the tree road cuddling each other aw we moved along slowly down the deserted country road. Left that old man standing leaning on his fork feeling sorry for us shaking his head with pity.

That morning the sky grew cloudy. All about grew hushed, still and breathless, in the calm still silence. The snow began lazily falling. It was warmer with the snow falling and we walked on past snow covered fields, lifeless still silent woods, and the lane ran through a deserted frozen swamp. By mid afternoon came upon a deserted abandoned farm house with barn set in a good size field surrounded by; woods. It was a God Sent. We knew we could survive now but mother and sis were now shivering profusely. There skin was the color purple! We were so scared for them we cried huddling them to offer more warmth. Mother looked the worst of the two and sis grew hysterical crying worriedly! Momma Momma please is ok. Momma coughed taking in small breaths and comforted us assuredly sayingIm ok. But she hugged us still shivering then saidwe will be ok now lets move in that old abandoned home We all walked on huddled and cuddling each other , toward the abandoned house in the silent falling snow on this still hushed beautiful winters day.

Brother Josh and I found an axe then we cut dead dry poplar trees down and chopped them up into pieces. At the end of four or five hours we had gathered enough wood for a week. We worked on till dark while sis and mom had a warm fire going in the fire place. By late night we were all warm and cozy but it was all too apparent the damage had been done to mom and sis as they sat coughing profusely by the fire. At least now we were all warm and cozy and there was lots of oil for the lamps and the room was lit.

Mother was still shivering even though the room was warm she could not stop shivering. Suddenly she coughed violently with a look of panic she leaned over, her chest heaving trying to breathe in but only short breaths. I can’t breathe! She heaved crying. My brother josh and I scrambled to her side, the looks of anxiety and fear on our faces. As we reached her, mom clutched our shirts rasping now, taking in longer breaths. He skin was clammy wet she looked pale and white. As we hugged her assuredly she relaxed a bit now breatheing deeper and easier. You’ll be ok mom we’ll make it. Clutching us she spoke,you must get food and clothing for yourselves and little sis, especially little sis.Steal it if you must but get it.I looked up then glanced around the room for Annie. She was no longer there but I heard her crying in one of the bedrooms. Suddenly she came out dragging a blanket saying Momma Momma I found a blanket . She came to her side cryingthis will keep you warm and you’ll get better you will see. We wrapped mother in the blanket and she insisted we cover sis up with her. She was shaking now but calmer as she cradled pouting sis in her arms. We covered them up as they lie on the floor together and Josh and I put more wood on the fire.

On the one side of the house the roof was partly caved in and we had to keep the rest of the small house warm and cozy. We settled in to a warm repose with the intermittent coughing of mom and sis. The room was dimly lit with the oil lamp. The flickering firelight danced about the white walls of the room . I later blue the lamp out then lie in the middle of the room while mom sis and josh lay huddled together under the blanket. Now only the flickering firelight illuminated the room.

Dawn crept in with silence. It was a grey sky cloudy day. I could see it all through the glass window. I dozed back to sleep. Later I awoke abruptly when suddenly the air was rent with screaming! Brother and I jolted up awake. It was sis. Momma momma momma she cried jerking mother tugging at her flannel shirt. Josh and I rushed to mother’s side kneeling to touch her. She was dead, cold, her face stiff like a mask! The look of pain strain and horror stuck on her face as she died trying to get a last gasp of air in her congested lung. She’s dead, Josh cried tersely, then wept crying in a spasm of sobs. We all sat weeping profusely rocking back and forth in heart breaking sorrow. We huddled there for what seemed like an hour. We’ll take care of you sis, yea we’ll always take care of you, josh agreed. . Moms gone but were still here. Hugged her more adding we will survive we won’t let you die you’ll be ok you’ll see. You mean it, she asked looking up; at me pouting and pleading? Of course"; burying her face in my chest she cried mournfully. We continued cuddling and rubbing her. After a long while her whimpering subsided and I lay her on a pillow by the fire covered her back up and josh and I drug mother out of the house while sis cried. She was only ten years old and to have seen and endured all this was too much especially for a little girl.

Brother and I drug ma to a small hill back of the house. We then dug through the snow into the sand. In a shallow grave. Before we pulled her in the ground we brought sis outside to see her for the last time. We all sat with adhering remorse and heart break rocking back and forth crying and cradling each other. From pain and hurt on our faces our countenance changed to bitterness and then hatred and brother and I swore right there we’d kill these soldiers that killed Pa and caused Mother to die. We’d get King Charles in some way we’d make him pay somehow as long as one of us was alive. Then we sniffled and mourned between tears. Josh and I drug Mama in the shallow grave and covered her up; Sis broke down again, she took it so hard sobbing In spasms and weeping bouts of moaning, rocking back and forth on her knees. I carried her sobbing body back into the house, covered her up, then rocked her in my arms until she fell to sleep.

It was three days and two nights now since we were thrown out of our home. We were cold and hungry. I’d never known such hunger. We had heat but no winter coats, only the winter shirts we had on our backs when they through us out of our home. I was 17, Josh 14, and sis 10 I began to hunt around the house for something to eat. Perhaps there might be canned fruit or salt beef frozen in some glass jars. Searching every room, I found the bedroom with an open sky light, the roof over the bedroom had caved in leaving a hole with open sky about four feet wide. The rest of the house though the roof was solid. I was delighted to see frozen canned fruit in glass jars in one of the rooms. In some of these jars the glass was not broken. Grabbed an arm got food at least now we can make it until we can get some more. In this bedroom found some old winter clothes back in that bedroom, some of which was frozen as they had gotten wet from the hole in the roof and froze. Found two woman’s o coats, one little girl, and two men’s coats, no gloves but socks. A drawer with socks in it. We could use them for mittens. We at least had warmth, clothing, and temporarily food enough to last three for a month. Wearing oversize shirts and coats we rummaged more and were half hour or more before we got through. Sis and I brought more clothes in from the rooms and lay them down on the living room floor. Josh having come back in from the grave of mother warmed himself by the blazing fire. He pointed gesturing at some fruit jars by the fire. Yea, I said, we got food, let’s eat. Handed he and sis, each, an opened jar and we proceeded to eat heartily gulping the fruit and drinking its juice. Was the first food we had since being thrown out of our home? After eating, I remember we sat there silently getting warm and I gazed at the fire for a long while thinking. Both sis and josh could sense my wondering and impatience. What are you going to do Sis asked? Could see the pain and uncertainty on her face. I’m going to get a riffle and shoot us some deer meat. You’ll need powder led and flint, josh added, concerned. I know Josh, I said, disdainfully. That old farmer that ran us off yesterday morning, he must hove one. YeA, and if he would have helped us, Ma would still be alive, Josh added bitterly, and then sniveled. Sis began to grieve again, lowering her head, beginning to pout. She wined, No don’t go, you’ll get hurt or killed and not come back. I’ll be ok sis assuring her, were all going to make it. Got to my feet adding sternily,if I’m not back by morning Josh, you come looking for me ok? Ok, he nodded agreeing worriedly. Sis pleaded again with strained features of worry. No, no don’t you leave us, she; pleaded, clutching my shirt. I’m coming back sis it will be ok. She pleaded, You promise? Yes I promise". Hugged her , then grabbed an oversize coat, socks for gloves, and left the house. Remember that dull grey afternoon, as I strode down that old lane; I, was the oldest, the head of the household now. How was I going to provide for my family? We had nothing but the clothes on our backs no money, the house we lived in we did not own. We most certainly would be thrown out of that old half rotted house once the king’s soldiers discovered that we were living there and for sure if we could not pay taxes or buy it first. Well, first things first. The first thing to do was to obtain a riffle or bow and arrows, kill us deer meat. I clambered on. It was snowing again hard. Good, the snow would cover my tracks if I succeeded in steeling a rifle.

Hours later I was nearing the farmer’s house and barn we had spent the night in a couple nights ago when Ma was still alive. It was getting dark, the day light was fading toward evening, it would soon be dark and could see no one about the house, on this side , but herd the sound of an axe chopping wood on the far side. I walked unnoticed, closer along the road close to the farm house then dashed crouching low to the window. Peered through, could see no rifle, then snuck