Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-12-10
CONSEQUENCES OF SMUGGLING.

and yesterday he was torty-yesterday
he was married.
CONSEQUENCES OF SMUGGLING.
1t was a lovely night; aud the moon,
nearly in the full, shone with more than
usual %splendour. Every now and then
c cloud passed like IA thin veil over her
disks borne rapidly on by the rising
breeze, which had already curled the
wave, and set the breakers in commo-
ton. | walked forward with divided
attention; o gazing with admiration
upon the noble cliffs which reared their
darkened p~rofles against the deep blue
sky. | had reached within 3 or four
miles OF EImor!h, a small fishing town
to winch | was proceeding, when ! sud
denly espied a man in the dress of an
officer OF the preventive service, who at
a more moderate pace than mine, was
walking the same way; and being Of a
some what sociable turn, particularly
whom | take late walks in lonely situa-
tons l quickened my steps, and soon
came up with him. 'IiaIio! said he,
turning short round as no heard my
steps, friend or foop Certainly no foe,'
| replied; 'but willing to be your COM
panion to Elmouth, it you he going that
way.'-'Which l am said he, land shall
be happy in your society pray, how
far my we be- | enquircd, 'irom the
place Of our de.tinarionH why said
he, pointing towards the summit Of the
cliff, shat gibbet is the halfway mark
between Elmou,h and (ihe ex-
tremps of my ra'nbIe) l looked up, aud
perceived the glbbot to which my COM
panion had pointed. II bore the skele-
ton Of a man, which swung to and fro
in the wind, and creaked loudly with
every motion. On passing the spot
previously, this ~frightlul warning of JUS
tice had escaped my observation; but it
now appeared doubly conspicuous, sus-
pended as il was in dark relief against
the light OF the moon.
'Ah,' said my companion, that's been
the way with Dick Darwell for many a
year, during a sealaring life of daring
and danger. For fifteen years he &C
knowledged no ruler but the winds, and
since his death (now nearly half that
time) he has been keeping u? the game
upon the gibbet.' And what is his his
tory? Il will inform you briefly re-
Piled the narrator, who thus proceeded:
1t is pretty generally known, | be-
lieve, that old Darwell-tbe father Of
yon hanging carcase-was an old
brute. whose temper was such as to rem
der home the least desirable place in
the world TO his children, consisting of
a boy and girl. The latter was fortu-
rate enough to escape his tyranny, in
some measure, by an early marriage
with a Captain Hardy-one Of my craft
- an officer in tho preventive service
commanding the Dragon cutter; but
poor Dick remained 10 suffer under a
double share Of wanton austerity, while
his sister, who loved him dearly, feared
even to commlsserate, much more to
defend him Dick, however, was not
unable to fight his own battles, on the
contrary, he partook of his fathers vio-
lence, though he never evinced it ex-
cept in retaliation. He saw people on
all sides ready to defend him, but was
Ioalh to embroil any one in his disputes;
and, perhaps, knew too well the impreg-
inability OF his fathers heart, which would
rather acquire rancour from being OPP
posed, than permit the intrusions of hu-
msnity. Many and violent had been
their quarrels; at length the son, unable
any longer either IL bear his fathers
lmpetuosity or to curb his own, ran "a
way, and old Darwell, when it was too
late, became more inclined to think
aud feel as a parent should have done.
'The loss aud uncertain fate Of her
brother greatly emblttered the days Of
Mrs. Hardy, who had otherwise lived
happily in the society of her husband.
Yet, even here, she had much TO agitate
her. The occasional dangers to which
Captain Hardy was subject in the fulfil
mrnt of his duties excited her constant
apprehension; while his frequent absence
from home contributed tn her uneasi-
ness. Many were the signs which fol-
lowed her brothers self banishmen,; and
neither the sight nor mention Of her Ia.
ther was calculated to e%nliven her re-
Elections. Had death been the separa.
tor, m might have restored to the al
fectionate sister her comfort and peace
Of mind; but it was doubt which wor-
ried her; and the melancholy probabili.
ty Of her brother having committed sui
eide would occasionally force itself up
on her thosghts, and make her deadly